Open AccessInfluence of polyester spacer fabric, cotton, chloroprene rubber, and silicone on microclimatic and morphologic physiologic skin parameters in vivo
Author(s) -
Jung Sora,
Schleusener Johannes,
Knorr Fanny,
Kraft Marc,
Thiede Gisela,
Richter Heike,
Darvin Maxim E.,
Schanzer Sabine,
Gallinger Simon,
Wegener Ulrich,
Lademann Jürgen
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
skin research and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.521
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1600-0846
pISSN - 0909-752X
DOI - 10.1111/srt.12666
Subject(s) - chloroprene , silicone rubber , materials science , polyester , transepidermal water loss , silicone , composite material , perspiration , moisture , natural rubber , vulcanization , stratum corneum , medicine , pathology
Abstract Background Skin diseases can develop upon disadvantageous microclimate in relation to skin contact with textiles of supporting devices. Increased temperature, moisture, mechanical fracture, pressure, and inflammatory processes often occur mutually and enhance each other in their adverse effects. Therefore, the early prevention of skin irritations by improvement of microclimatic properties of skin in contact with supporting devices is important. Materials and Methods In this study, the microclimate under occlusion with polyester, cotton, chloroprene rubber, and silicone textiles, used for supporting devices, was analyzed by determining several characteristic physiologic skin parameters in vivo, including temperature, moisture, and transepidermal water loss ( TEWL ). This is achieved by comparing a miniaturized in vivo detection device with several established optical and sensory methods in vivo. Results A highly significant TEWL decrease was found after polyester, chloroprene rubber, and silicone application. The application of all materials showed highly significant decrease in skin surface temperature, with chloroprene rubber showing the lowest. Similarly, all materials showed highly significant increase in relative moisture, where the highest increase was found for chloroprene rubber and silicone and the lowest increase for cotton. The cutaneous carotenoid concentration of chloroprene rubber, silicone, and polyester decreased. A manipulation of the surface structure of the stratum corneum was recognized for all materials except for cotton by laser scanning microscopy. Conclusion The skin parameters temperature, relative moisture, antioxidant status, and TEWL can effectively characterize the microclimatic environment during occlusion with medical supporting materials. These parameters could potentially be used to develop standardized testing procedures for material evaluation.