Determination of Skin Protectant Barrier Properties Using an Ex vivo Porcine Skin Model, the Elcometer Washability and Abrasion Tester, and Corneometry

Abstract Body: The epidermis plays a fundamental role to the human body by functioning as a barrier to the external environment. Many factors, including friction and prolonged exposure to moisture, can lead to barrier breakdown. A compromised epidermal barrier often underlies incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) and can cause substantial pain and suffering as well as increase the susceptibility to infection. An effective liquid skin protectant provides a robust, flexible, and long-lasting protective coating from friction and caustic bodily fluids, including urine and feces, while maintaining hydration for promoting effective healing. The goal of this study was to compare the barrier effectiveness of two commercially available cyanoacrylate-containing skin protectants, one neat cyanoacrylate formulation* and one solvent-containing cyanoacrylate formulation#, under simulated clinical conditions of urinary incontinence. To address this goal, an ex vivo model system was utilized where pig skin was treated with or without a skin protectant and then exposed to repeated cycles of moisture challenge in synthetic urine followed by consistent wiping/abrasion using an Elcometer 1720 Washability & Abrasion Tester. The electrical capacitance was determined after each cycle using a Corneometer 825, which is a measure of stratum corneum hydration and therefore barrier effectiveness. Our results demonstrate that skin electrical capacitance was reduced following application of both skin protectants. However, unlike the solvent containing cyanoacrylate formulation#, the neat cyanoacrylate formulation maintained consistently low electrical capacitance levels, even under the strain of repeated exposure to moisture challenge and wiping/abrasion, indicating greater barrier efficacy. Conversely, the moisture barrier created by the solvent-containing cyanoacrylate formulation# becomes less effective with moisture challenge and abrasion cycling. These results demonstrate the neat cyanoacrylate formulation* creates a superior moisture barrier under simulated clinical conditions of urinary incontinence.