Skin hydration, microrelief and greasiness of normal skin in Antarctica

Abstract

Background

The skin is the primary defence of the human body against external factors from physical, chemical, mechanical, and biologic origin. Climatic factors together with low temperature and sun radiation affect the skin. The effect of climatic conditions in Antarctica on healthy skin has not been previously addressed.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the skin hydration, greasiness, and microrelief due to the extreme climatic environmental factors during the stay of the members of the Bulgarian Antarctic expedition.

Material and methods

Fifty nine Caucasian healthy subjects, 42 male and 17 female with mean age 50,9 years (27-68) were enrolled. The study was performed in five consecutive years from 2011 to 2016 at the Bulgarian Antarctic base camp at Livingston island. The study protocol consisted of two parts: study A: duration of 15 days with measurement of skin physiology parameters on a daily basis; study B: 5 measurements at baseline and at days 14, 30, 45 and 50 upon arrival in Antarctica. We measured three biophysical parameters related to skin physiology at cheek skin by an impedance measuring device.

Results

No statistically significant difference between parameters at the different measurement points. There is a variation in skin hydration reaching its lower point at day 11 and then returning to values similar to baseline. Initially an increase in skin greasiness was witnessed with a sharp depression at day 11 and final values at day 15 resembling the ones at baseline. An increase, although not statistically significant, in skin roughness was observed in the first 15 days of the study. Study B showed no statistically significant variances between values of the three parameters.

Conclusion

Our studies show the pioneer results of the effect of Antarctic climate on human skin physiology.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

http://ift.tt/2u1Q1NN