title: Electrometric assessment of the effect of a zinc oxide paste in diaper dermatitis.
abstract: Diaper dermatitis affects nearly 50% of infants as well as some bed-ridden adults particularly in the elderly people. This condition is induced by irritation and maceration, and may be further exacerbated by Candida sp. colonization and infection. A key factor in the pathogenesis is the alteration in both the barrier function and the water-holding capacity of the stratum corneum. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of an unmedicated zinc oxide-petrolatum paste and to observe for possible shielding and restoring effects on the water-holding capacity of the stratum corneum altered by diaper dermatitis. The paste appeared to load the hollow skin microrelief. It was inferred that this effect was responsible for a reticulated shielding effect. Compared with healthy skin and untreated diaper dermatitis, the application of the anhydrous paste resulted in a trend to normalize electrometric properties of skin reflecting the combination of transepidermal water loss and the water-holding capacity of the stratum corneum.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Skin Bioengineering and Imaging, Department of Dermatopathology, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Xhauflaire-Uhoda
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piérard-Franchimont
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Piérard
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D003963:Diaper Rash / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010577:Petrolatum / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D010577:Petrolatum; D015034:Zinc Oxide