title: Short-term and long-term effects of electrical stimulation on skin properties.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electrical stimulation (ES) has been used in treating different medical conditions; however, not much is known about the effect of this application on skin properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term and long-term effects of ES on biophysical properties of the skin.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pretest-posttest control design was used in the study. Thirteen men (N = 13, age (M ± SD), 19 ± 5.6 years) were free of skin abnormality on the volar aspect of both forearms. Four areas were allocated and marked with a layout template of two circles 2 cm in diameter and 2 cm apart. Areas 1 and 2 were allocated on the experimental forearm and area 3 and 4 on the control forearm. ES was applied for 15 minutes with two rubber electrodes 8 cm apart surrounding areas 1 and 2 on the experimental forearm three times a week for 2 weeks. Skin properties including transepidermal water loss (TEWL), melanin content, erythema, elasticity and pH were measured pre-ES, during ES and post-ES, and after 2 weeks of applying ES to find out the short-term and long-term effects on skin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TEWL was increased during ES at 7, 15 and 15-minutes post-ES compared with the baseline (p < 0.01) and to the control forearm (p = 0.04) measurements, and no increase have been noticed of TEWL on the control forearm (p = 0.11). Also, we found no difference in the other skin properties (p > 0.05) on both forearms, and there were no long-term effects (p > 0.05) in any tested variable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electrical stimulation caused temporary increase in TEWL with no effects on other skin properties.
authors.affiliation: Physical and Occupational Therapy Department, College of Allied Health Sciences, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan. abedmalty@hu.edu.jo
authors.forename: Abdul-Majeed R
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Almalty
authors.forename: Saja H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hamed
authors.forename: Fuad M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Al-Dabbak
authors.forename: Amjad E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Shallan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D003116:Color; D004548:Elasticity; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007478:Iontophoresis; D008297:Male; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible; D055815:Young Adult