Influence of polyester spacer fabric, cotton, chloroprene rubber, and silicone on microclimatic and morphologic physiologic skin parameters in vivo

The plausible effects of wearing face masks on sports performance - A scoping review

Objectives

The objectives of this scoping review are to discuss, firstly, the positive aspects of wearing face masks during training (such as a barrier to COVID-19 transmission, air pollutant exposure, and adding load on respiratory resistance flow); secondly, the negative aspects (adverse effects on body temperature and hypoxia risks); and thirdly, the training responses of wearing face masks on aerobic and anaerobic performance.

News

Besides social distancing and hand hygiene, wearing a face mask is proposed to be the prime advocacy for virus containment. During the period of high risk of contamination, the return to sport guidelines proposed by international and national sport federations included wearing face masks during training sessions. However, it is necessary to discuss the pros and cons of wearing face masks during exercise.

Prospects

Although it was essential to wear a face mask during exercise or sport-specific training, there is conflicting evidence on the implications of the use of face masks on physical, physiological as well as psychological well-being or performance. Based on the conflicting empirical findings and anecdotal evidence, certain recommendations have been made for adequate use of face masks during exercise; both to break the chain of transmission and prevent the physiological compromise expected from wearing face masks during exercise. The present review can help stakeholders balance sport guidelines in the event of a respiratory virus pandemic with athlete safety.

Conclusion

Conflicting evidence of mechanistic links between the dose of exercise and the possible adverse effects associated with exercising with face masks is available. Adequately powered studies with strong methodological quality on appropriate selection of masks and usage based on the intensity, duration, and type of sport, age, and gender is needed now for the stakeholders to make informed decisions with respect to exercising with face masks.

P2/N95 respirators & surgical masks to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection: Effectiveness & adverse effects

BACKGROUND

Millions of people have acquired and died from SARS-CoV-2 infection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including surgical masks and P2/N95 respirators, to prevent infection while treating patients. However, the comparative effectiveness of respirators and masks in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and the likelihood of experiencing adverse events (AEs) with wear are unclear.

METHODS

Searches were carried out in PubMed, Europe PMC and the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register to 14 June 2021. A systematic review of comparative epidemiological studies examining SARS-CoV-2 infection or AE incidence in HCWs wearing P2/N95 (or equivalent) respirators and surgical masks was performed. Article screening, risk of bias assessment and data extraction were duplicated. Meta-analysis of extracted data was carried out in RevMan.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies were included, with most having high risk of bias. There was no statistically significant difference in respirator or surgical mask effectiveness in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR 0.85, [95%CI 0.72, 1.01]). Healthcare workers experienced significantly more headaches (OR 2.62, [95%CI 1.18, 5.81]), respiratory distress (OR 4.21, [95%CI 1.46, 12.13]), facial irritation (OR 1.80, [95%CI 1.03, 3.14]) and pressure-related injuries (OR 4.39, [95%CI 2.37, 8.15]) when wearing respirators compared to surgical masks.

CONCLUSION

The existing epidemiological evidence does not enable definitive assessment of the effectiveness of respirators compared to surgical masks in preventing infection. Healthcare workers wearing respirators may be more likely to experience AEs. Effective mitigation strategies are important to ensure the uptake and correct use of respirators by HCWs.

Retaining Skin Barrier Function Properties of the Stratum Corneum with Components of the Natural Moisturizing Factor-A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind In Vivo Study

The influence of a topically applied formulation containing components of natural moisturizing factor (NMF) on barrier-related parameters of the stratum corneum (SC) was investigated in vivo using confocal Raman microspectroscopy in a randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind study on 12 volunteers for 14 days. This method allowed for the elucidation of subtle differences between the verum and the placebo even though the components of the verum naturally occur in the SC. This differentiation is not possible non-invasively by conventional methods. In this study, we found that the applied verum and placebo formulations disrupted the equilibrium of water, NMF and lipids in the SC. The adverse effects of the formulation could be mitigated by incorporating it into a simplified supplementation of NMF molecules. As a long-term effect, the amount of strongly bound water increases at 30–40% SC depth (p < 0.05) and the amount of weakly bound water decreases at 30–40% SC depth (p < 0.05) for the verum. This supplement was also unexpectedly able to prevent intercellular lipids (ICL) disorganization in selected depths. In the long term, the verum treatment limited the lateral disorganization of the ICL to the upper 20% SC depth. Further research is required to elucidate the interplay of these factors in the SC, to better understand their contribution to the equilibrium and barrier function of the skin. This understanding of the interaction of these naturally occurring components could help in the future to develop and optimize topical treatments for diseases like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis where the skin barrier is disrupted.

Impact of Gloves and Mask Use on Epidermal Barrier Function in Health Care Workers

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 has rapidly spread all over the world. Personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks and gloves is needed to avoid transmission. Adverse skin reactions associated with PPE have been described, but there is no information regarding objective measures to assess skin impairment related to PPE.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of using facial mask and nitrile gloves on epidermal barrier function and skin homeostasis.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was designed. Thirty-four health care workers wearing nitrile gloves and a mask for 2 hours were included. Transepidermal water loss, stratum corneum hydration, erythema, and temperature were measured.

RESULTS

Transepidermal water loss (31.11 vs 14.24 g·m-2·h-1), temperature (33.29°C vs 32.57°C), and erythema were significantly greater at the area covered by gloves compared with the noncovered area. Transepidermal water loss (22.82 vs 13.69 g·m-2·h-1), temperature, and erythema (411.43 vs 335.52 arbitrary units) were significantly increased at the area covered by mask, whereas stratum corneum hydration was lower. Transepidermal water loss was greater at the area covered by a surgical mask than at a filtering respirator mask coded filtering facepiece 2 (27.09 vs 18.02 g·m-2·h-1, P = 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

Skin homeostasis and epidermal barrier function may be impaired by gloves and mask use. High-quality PPE should be provided, and adequate skin prevention measures should be implemented to reduce epidermal barrier damage.

Human exposure to trace elements, aromatic amines and formaldehyde in swimsuits: Assessment of the health risks

Nowadays, most of the swimsuits are mainly made of artificial fibres, which have interesting properties such as water repellence and fast drying. Swimsuits contain a wide range of additives, which can mean a hazard for the environment and/or human health. In this study, the concentrations of formaldehyde (free and water soluble), 24 aromatic amines, and 28 trace elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Sr, Sn, Tl, Ti, V and Zn) were analysed in 39 swimsuits covering a wide range of materials, colours and brands. Dermal exposure and health risks were assessed for adults (men and women) aged > 18 years old, babies between 2 and < 3 years old, children (boys and girls) between 3 and < 6 years old and 6 and < 11 years old, and teenagers (boys and girls) between 11 and < 16 years old, wearing swimsuits for 4 h or 8 h. Formaldehyde and aromatic amines were below their respective detection limits in all samples (<16 and < 1.5 mg/kg, respectively). Regarding trace elements, Ti showed the highest mean levels (1844 mg/kg), being significantly higher in polyamide (3759 mg/kg) than in polyester (24.1 mg/kg) swimsuits. These high Ti levels were confirmed by environmental scanning electron microscope in a single sample made of polyamide. Increased concentrations of Cr were also observed, but only in polyamide black fabrics, with values ranging from 624 to 932 mg/kg. Non-cancer risks (hazard quotients) derived from the exposure to trace elements were in a safe zone for all analysed trace elements. Furthermore, the carcinogenic risks were evaluated for As, Cr and Pb, exhibiting values below the 10^-5 threshold, with the exception of Cr in babies and children-girls. For Ti, health risks could not be calculated due to the lack of information on toxicological data. However, because Ti was the element with the highest concentrations in swimsuits, and taking into account the potential toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles, further research is needed to assess the migration of this element from fibres to skin.

Laser scanning microscopy for control of skin decontamination efficacy from airborne particulates using highly absorbent textile nanofiber material in combination with PEG-12 dimethicone

BACKGROUND

The decontamination of the skin is indispensable if airborne particulate contaminants deposit on the skin surface. Skin washing can have adverse effects as by skin rubbing the particles can be transferred deeply into the hair follicles, where they can be entrapped for a period of more than 10 days. Thus, alternative skin decontamination strategies are necessary.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For imaging the contaminants in the skin, sodium fluorescein-labeled soot particles of submicron size (≈600 nm) were visualized using laser scanning microscopy.

RESULTS

In the present ex vivo pilot study on porcine ear skin, it was shown that sodium fluorescein-labeled soot particles of submicron size (≈600 nm) could be efficiently removed from the skin with highly absorbent textile nanofiber material, whose efficacy could be further increased by spraying the contaminated skin area with the viscous fluid PEG-12 dimethicone before textile application.

CONCLUSION

In case of skin contamination with particulates, the contact washing should be avoided due to rubbing particles deeply into the hair follicles, where they can accumulate for a long time and induce negative consequences. Efficient skin decontamination could include pretreatment of skin surface with the viscous fluid PEG-12 dimethicone and subsequent application of highly absorbent textile nanofiber material.

Bio-Functional Textiles: Combining Pharmaceutical Nanocarriers with Fibrous Materials for Innovative Dermatological Therapies

In the field of pharmaceutical technology, significant attention has been paid on exploiting skin as a drug administration route. Considering the structural and chemical complexity of the skin barrier, many research works focused on developing an innovative way to enhance skin drug permeation. In this context, a new class of materials called bio-functional textiles has been developed. Such materials consist of the combination of advanced pharmaceutical carriers with textile materials. Therefore, they own the possibility of providing a wearable platform for continuous and controlled drug release. Notwithstanding the great potential of these materials, their large-scale application still faces some challenges. The present review provides a state-of-the-art perspective on the bio-functional textile technology analyzing the several issues involved. Firstly, the skin physiology, together with the dermatological delivery strategy, is keenly described in order to provide an overview of the problems tackled by bio-functional textiles technology. Secondly, an overview of the main dermatological nanocarriers is provided; thereafter the application of these nanomaterial to textiles is presented. Finally, the bio-functional textile technology is framed in the context of the different dermatological administration strategies; a comparative analysis that also considers how pharmaceutical regulation is conducted.