Perineal Skin Care

Skin Maceration: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

 

Who hasn’t spent too much time in the water, whether in the bathtub or pool and experienced wrinkly, prune-like skin? This wrinkling is actually a mild case of skin maceration. As you can guess, typically, there’s nothing to worry about, but when there is prolonged exposure to any type of moisture, you could develop skin maceration that requires medical intervention. Many people may ask, “Is skin maceration dangerous?” If attended to promptly, the answer is no, and it can even be treated at home. Let me shine some light on skin maceration, and be sure to visit HPFY if you need medical and wound care products to treat it.

What Is Skin Maceration

Yes, our skin likes moisture, but too much can actually be detrimental to the epidermal layer, otherwise known as our skin. If your skin should be exposed to excess moisture for over 24 hours, your skin could break down starting at the cellular level. Severe skin maceration can lead to skin breakdown and can be even more dangerous for our elderly population. Types of moisture that can cause skin maceration are:

• Sweat
• Urine
• Water
• Wound exudate
• Saliva
• Mucus
• Fecal matter
• Dressings that prevent airflow

These are not the only culprits for causing skin maceration. You could experience fungal infections, friction, or biological irritants that could cause you to experience skin maceration. Keeping your skin dry and clean helps prevent skin maceration, but take care not to excessively wash and dry your skin in order to maintain your skin’s natural moisture barrier.

Symptoms of Skin Maceration

If your skin should be exposed to moisture of any type for long periods, it’s important to understand the symptoms and signs of skin maceration. If your skin seems “abnormal” after being exposed, some symptoms you might want to look for include:

• White/opaque skin
• Wrinkled skin that looks lighter and feels soggy
• Clear or bloody discharge from a wound
• Itching, pain, or a burning sensation
• Inflammation/redness
• Swelling skin

The best intervention is early intervention. If you experience these symptoms, be sure to visit your doctor. Fortunately, this skin issue can be managed mostly in the home. Also, be wary of crusty skin or skin erosion since they could also be symptoms of skin maceration.

Things To Consider During Skin Maceration Treatment

Skin breakdowns can cause serious issues such as infection down the road. So, what treatments are available for skin maceration? Our skin forms a barrier from fluid loss, bacterial attack, and other real-world nasties. Skin maceration can cause the outer layer of our skin to be stripped away, exposing the underlying germinative layers. Any treatment for skin maceration must:

• Be easy to apply
• Cause no further trauma on application or removal
• Bacterial contamination of any wound should not increase
• Protect tissue from further moisture
• Be pain-free

How To Treat Skin Maceration At Home

Treatments for skin maceration can be mainly done in the home. Obviously, one of the best treatments is prevention. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” At-home treatments for macerated skin can include:

• Cleaning skin with a no-rinse, pH-balanced skin cleanser
• Antibacterial ointments
• Avoid friction or shearing (consider supportive questioning)
• Proper bandage changing
• Eat a skin-friendly diet with plenty of protein
• Drink plenty of fluids

When to Seek Medical Attention

Yes, most skin maceration treatments can be done at home, but if things worsen, an immediate visit to the doctor is recommended. If any wound isn’t healing or you experience pain, fever, chills, or any other sign of infection, see your physician ASAP. Please don’t delay this visit since allowing any skin breakdown to linger can make things definitively worse. Patients who suffer from chronic wounds such as bedsores, venous or decubitus ulcers, and severe burns can be at greater risk for skin maceration.

Products To Help Treat And Prevent Skin Maceration

References:

• What Is Skin Maceration? - WebMD
• Everything You Need to Know About Macerated Skin - Healthline
• The Management of Skin Maceration - Nursing Times

 

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