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Changes in skin structure and electrical properties following high voltage exposure
T R Gowrishankar1, U Pliquett, J C Weaver
1Harvard-MIT Health Science and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, USA.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|June 8, 2000
Summary
High voltage electric shocks disrupt human skin's outer layer, the stratum corneum (SC), by creating aqueous pathways. This significantly increases skin permeability to ions and macromolecules, impacting its barrier function.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Dermatology
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Human skin acts as a protective barrier, regulating ionic and macromolecular transport.
- Exposure to strong electric fields, such as in high voltage electric shocks, can cause significant damage to skin tissues.
- The stratum corneum (SC) is the primary barrier layer affected, losing its integrity and function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of high voltage electric fields on human skin structure and electrical properties.
- To characterize the mechanisms of increased skin permeability induced by electric pulses.
- To quantify changes in skin resistance and molecular transport following electrical stimulation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an in vitro preparation of human cadaver skin in a permeation chamber.
- Applied high voltage pulses (U > 150 V, tau = 1 ms) to the skin samples.
- Measured the transport of fluorescent molecules and skin resistance (Rskin) before, during, and after electrical pulsing.
Main Results:
- High voltage pulses drastically reduced skin resistance by three orders of magnitude (from 100 k omega-cm-2 to ~4 k omega-cm-2).
- Skin resistance reached a quasi-steady state after approximately 20 pulses and showed immediate, partial recovery post-pulsing.
- Fluorescent molecule transport occurred in localized transport regions (LTRs) with diameters under 100 microns for short pulses.
Conclusions:
- Strong electric fields create aqueous pathways in the stratum corneum, compromising skin barrier function.
- Electrical pulsing significantly enhances skin permeability to ions and macromolecules.
- The localized nature of transport suggests potential for targeted delivery applications, but also highlights risks associated with electrical injury.