Waterlogging of skin

[canuckton]

Some friends and I were discussing the effects of water on skin. We were wondering what makes skin wrinkle in water, and what the effects of prolonged exposure to water would be.

Has anyone ever done research on prolonged submersion and its dermal effects? Does one become "waterlogged" as was suggested to me? Are there any dangers to being submerged in clean water for long periods of time? Are there treatments for this kind of thing?

 

[Scuba Barbie]

Your skin is made up of two layers. The outer layer is called the epidermis and the lower level is the dermis. The outer layer (epidermis) produces an oily substance called sebum. You can see this substance when you touch a window or mirror and your "oily" fingerprint is left there. One job sebum does is it keeps water out of your skin—a job that it does very well. However, after long periods of time in a swimming pool, shower, or bathtub, much of the sebum is washed off and your outer layer of skin starts to absorb water. As it absorbs water it swells, but since the epidermis is "tied" down to your dermis in certain spots, it expands more where it is not "tied" down and this causes your skin to wrinkle. The difference between your skin and a raisin is that raisins wrinkle because they shrink, but your skin wrinkles because it is getting bigger.

http://www.discoverymagazine.com/digger/d01dd/d0110dd.html

 

[Scuba Barbie]

But, don’t worry. Once you get out of the pool or tub, the water that your skin absorbed will evaporate, your skin will return to its usual size, and you body will produce more sebum. Your fingers and toes will be back to normal in no time. Isn’t your body amazing? Let’s remember to thank God for giving us such well-designed bodies

 

[canuckton]

Thank you for the explanation. What effects will prolonged periods in the water have? Say, 60 hours?

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

canuckton,

Scuba Barbie did pretty good. Another thing also happens. In areas which are keratinized, part of the swelling of the tissues is due to water sorption into the overlying keratin. You have keratin all over the surface of you skin. It's thicker in areas of callous and thinner on your lips. The reason your hands turn whiter is because the keratin has absorbed the water. Certain types of skin do not have keratin--the mucous membranes of the mouth and some parts of the genitals, the lining of the esophagus, stomach and intestines. Ducts, leading to the surface of the skin, and other ducts within the body also do not normally have keratin--if they do, you got potentially serious troubles.

Now, why would anyone want to be in water for 60 hours?

If it's a stunt in a pool and you can keep your head above water easily, then I would imagine hypothermia is your biggest problem. In the ocean, however, the salt creates a hypertonic solution. Water from within your body tends to diffuse out toward the salt water. Your lips will start to shrivel and burn from the salt and your throat will get sore. Your eyes, if not protected will also be affected and will become sore-painful. If you're exposed to the sun you have the additional problem of sunburn on exposed areas and this compounds the problems. Swallowing salt water may cause the "runs". Without exposure protection, hypothermia will be a problem. Even a wetsuit for 60 hours probably won't be good protection from the cold.

Outdoor freshwater exposure can also be a problem--again from hypothermia, sun exposure, etc.

If you on a sailboard, jet ski or are doing excercise, hypothermia may be less of a problem. Then there is the matter of eating, drinking and exposure to the elements. A member of the Spanish Monachy just finished a trans-Atlantic crossing on a jet ski. I believe it took 100 days. He never got off the jet ski but support boats were present for food water and fuel.

Maybe some of the docs will respond.

Why on earth, would someone want to be in the water for 60 hours?!!!...although, I can't get my son out of the shower for nearly that long!

 

[canuckton]

Thanks Tooth Doc, that cleared up a bit.

There's no stunt yet, I was just wondering whether staying wet for long periods of time had any long term physiological effects. I suppose mariners of old spent hundreds of hours wet with no *reported* effects.

d

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

canuckton

Ya'know there's a difference between being immersed for 60 hours and having you skin damp for 60 hours.

Leaving areas--especially areas that create "friction" rubs--damp for a while may be prone to fungal infections. You can get, as you Canadians say, (well in Qubec), "le jock itch"--I believe the technical name is tinea curis. Most guys in their live get it from sweating in our southern areas. Then there is the famous athletes foot. It love damp feet and if you're exposed, bingo! itchy feet and toes tinea pedis. Another fungus infection many beach goes pick up is tinea vesicolor. This is the "sun spots" that appear as light spots--often on the back or neck (tinea vesicolor). Finally, there is tinea capitus--ring worm on the scalp.

Other fungus infections are often related to candida albicans. These can occur in the mouth, at the corners of the mouth (angular cheilits) and vaginally. Today, most doctors presume, in an otherwise healthy individual, that candidiasis is a potential sign of HIV infection. However, if you have been taking antibiotics, steroids, are diabetic, these infections may occur without HIV.

Actually, I hope some of the RD's (real docs) see this thread and correct any misinformation I may have provided or left out.

Stay dry after you stay wet.

Larry Stein

 

[scubadoc]

Scuba Barbie and Toothdoc have pretty much described it right and I have very little to add.

The worst case scenarios for long term water immersion occur in the military resulting in "trench foot" for cold water immersion and tropical and warm water "immersion foot" in jungle troops.

Similar damage occurs in saturation divers if sufficient care is not provided - as the damaged skin allows for bacterial and fungal infections that would otherwise not be seen.

The following is the result of a search for "immersion foot" on Google. The pdf file is inoperative, but if you will click on the 'View as HTML' in the item on Google - then you can read the entire article. * Note that there is not a link in the copied paragraph below!

"[PDF] IMMERSION FOOT SYNDROMES Chapter 4
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML - Immersion Foot Syndromes 55 IMMERSION FOOT SYNDROMES Chapter 4 *Private Practice
of Dermatology, Overton Park Building, 4200 S. Hulen Drive, Fort Worth, Texas ...
www.armymedicine.army.mil/history/borden/derm/Ch4.pdf - Similar pages"

Numerous other links can be found by searching 'Google' for "immersion foot".

 

[The Iceni]

Originally posted by scubadoc
Scuba Barbie and Toothdoc have pretty much described it right

The only thing I would add is to beware of long periods of immersion in a dry suit. Because of natural perspiration the epidermis and the keratinous layers can become just as waterlogged. So anyone contemplating long periods of immersion should liberally apply barrier creams or emmolients. (Is this why Channel swimmers covered themselves with grease in the past, I wonder? Grease most certainly does not keep out the cold!)

The yeasts, such as candida, love warm moist areas and as Toothdoc says, Tinea Cruris (Dhobi itch, crutch rot) is commonly seen in perfectly healthy individuals, particularly after long periods without a change of underwear (holding his nose!).

Waterlogging is also one of the causes of swimer's ear as the removal of the protected layer of oil (sebum) alone facilitates the ingress of pathogens.

Another thing that occurs to me is that the perfusion of waterlogged tissues is reduced. I am not sure whether this leads to an increase in the incidence of "skin bends" in consequence. However, the effects of waterlogging are most certainly minor and very rapidly reversed.

 

[Laurence Stein DDS]

Scubadoc,

I tried the link you provided. It went to a Google search which produced no results. Maybe it was copied wrong.

Larry Stein