Martha Lillian Tate

Dye exclusion as a means to measure wetness protection of human skin

Background/purpose: Excessive skin hydration from occlusive coverings such as absorbent articles, bandages, etc. has been known to compromise the skins barrier properties. Damage to the stratum corneum occurs from prolonged exposure to wetness and limited product breathability, which reduces evaporation. Protection from wetness may be imparted by barrier materials, such as lotions and ointments on the skin. Barrier materials are traditionally applied by hand from bulk containers (bottle or tube). In recent years, diapers have been made that contain barrier ointments designed to transfer to the skin during wear. The purpose of this research was to develop a reliable in vivo method for evaluating skin wetness protection when using personal products.

In vitro methods for evaluating skin hydration under diapers and incontinence products

Excessive skin hydration from wearing wet undergarments, such as infant diapers and adult incontinence products, has been historically problematic. Skin damage occurs from wetness (urine) and limited product breathability. Evaporative water loss has been measured on adult arms (armband method) or infant torsos (on‐baby method), after wearing a saline‐insulted diaper product. The current study developed a reliable in vitro method of evaluating diaper and incontinence products for improvements in skin dryness.