Masanori Tanahashi

Relationships between Transepidermal Water Loss, Cutaneous Microcirculatory Function and Autonomic Nervous Activity

Several studies have shown that a deterioration of skin properties, an impaired cutaneous microcirculatory function and an imbalance of autonomic nervous activity are observed in smokers and in patients with diabetes mellitus or Raynauds phenomenon. These observations suggest that skin properties are associated with cutaneous microcirculatory function and autonomic nervous activity in pathological conditions. However, there is no published evidence to support the concept that these two functions have any relationship with skin properties even in healthy subjects. To investigate the hypothesis that these properties are related, we conducted a survey of healthy adult subjects to investigate the relationships between cutaneous microcirculatory function and autonomic nervous activity and skin properties.

Dry skin conditions are related to the recovery rate of skin temperature after cold stress rather than to blood flow.

Cutaneous blood flow plays an important role in the thermoregulation, oxygen supply, and nutritional support necessary to maintain the skin. However, there is little evidence for a link between blood flow and skin physiology. Therefore, we conducted surveys of healthy volunteers to determine the relationship(s) between dry skin properties and cutaneous vascular function.