TYPES OF MOISTURE ASSOCIATED SKIN DAMAGE
| MASD | Type of moisture |
|---|---|
| Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) | Urine and faeces |
| Intertriginous dermatitis (ITD) | Perspiration/sweat (also urine and faeces) |
| Periwound moisture associated dermatitis | Exudate |
| Peristomal moisture associated dermatitis | Effluent from the stoma |
Adapted from (Young, 2017)
Prolonged exposure causes the skin to become increasingly permeable, making it weaker, less elastic and more susceptible to physical damage from friction and shearing forces. (Beeckman et al., 2015; Woo et al., 2017)
MASD can occur in any age, but within the older age group, the skin is more fragile and may be damaged more easily.
There are a number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that may cause MASD.
- Excessive perspiration
- Increased dermal metabolism (elevated local temperature)
- Abnormal skin pH
- History of atopy (genetically susceptible to contaminants/irritants)
- Deep body folds
- Dermal atrophy
- Inadequate sebum production
Adapted from (Woo et al., 2017)
- Chemical/biological irritants
- Mechanical stress on the skin (shear, friction, pressure)
- Fungal/candidiasis proliferation
- Seasonal or environmental factors (humidity)
- Incontinence (urine and or faecal)
- Hygienic practices
Adapted from (Woo et al., 2017)