Mini-zone cyanoacrylate skin surface stripping: a new method for non-invasive sampling of scalp material

Effects of loading and prophylactic dressings on the sacral and heel skin: An exploratory cross-over trial

Pressure ulcers/injuries are caused by sustained loading and deformation of skin and underlying soft tissues. Prophylactic dressings are recommended as an adjunct to other preventive measures such as repositioning and offloading. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of prophylactic soft silicone multi‐layered foam dressings on the skin structure and function of the two most common pressure areas, sacrum and heel, with and without loading. An exploratory randomised cross‐over trial using intra‐individual comparisons was conducted. Eight healthy volunteers (mean age 27.5 years) were assigned to three groups and either spent 2.5 hours on a standard hospital mattress lying in supine position with and without dressings or spent 2.5 hours with dressings applied but without loading. Skin temperature, stratum corneum, and epidermal hydration increased in all groups irrespective of wearing a dressing and/or loading. Mean roughness decreased at the heels. Reactive hyperaemia and the release of interleukin 1 alpha were associated with loading only. Results suggest that the occlusive effects of dressings are similar or only slightly greater than those observed with non‐loading or loading without dressings. Thus, a dressing does not cause additional irritation or skin changes during loading but it may reduce the inflammatory response.

Non-invasive Approaches for the Diagnosis of Autoimmune/Autoinflammatory Skin Diseases-A Focus on Psoriasis and Lupus erythematosus

The traditional diagnostic gold standard for inflammatory skin lesions of unclear etiology is dermato-histopathology. As this approach requires an invasive skin biopsy, biopsy processing and analysis by specialized histologists, it is a resource intensive approach requiring trained healthcare professionals. In many health care settings access to this diagnostic approach can be difficult and outside emergency cases will usually take several weeks. This scenario leads to delayed or inappropriate treatment given to patients. With dramatically increased sensitivity of a range of analysis systems including mass spectrometry, high sensitivity, multiplex ELISA based systems and PCR approaches we are now able to "measure" samples with unprecedented sensitivity and accuracy. Other important developments include the long-term monitoring of parameters using microneedle approaches and the improvement in imaging systems such as optical coherence tomography. In this review we will focus on recent achievements regarding measurements from non-invasive sampling, in particular from plucked hair and skin tape-strips which seem well suited for the diagnosis of lupus erythematosus and psoriatic inflammation, respectively. While these approaches will not replace clinical observation-they can contribute to improved subgroup diagnosis, stratified therapeutic approaches and have great potential for providing molecular and mechanistic insight in to inflammatory skin diseases.

Infundibular protein and RNA microarray analyses from affected and clinically non-affected scalp in male androgenetic alopecia patients

Non-invasive sample collection methods could facilitate clinical research on hair diseases. In an exploratory experimental study on six male volunteers with untreated androgenetic alopecia (AGA), Hamilton-Norwood stage IIIv-IV, skin surface and infundibular protein as well as RNA extracts from plucked hair follicles were analyzed from frontal skin, vertex and clinically unaffected occiput. Slightly increased levels of inflammatory markers were only found in AGA-affected scalp skin and infundibulum, not in RNA from plucked hair follicles. RNA expression profiles point towards differential expression of genes involved in hair cycle regulation, hair keratin production, but also RNA methylation and ion channel regulation.