Skin Surface Lipid and Skin Friction: Relation to Age, Sex and Anatomical Region

Abstract

Differences in the skin surface lipid content (SSL) and the dynamic friction coefficient (µ) were investigated with respect to age, sex, and anatomical region in 29 volunteers. The group consisted of (a) 7 young adult females (24.9 ± 1.1 years old, mean ± SD), (b) 7 old females (75.3 ± 2.4 years old), (c) 7 young adult males (28.7 ± 0.5 years old), and (d) 8 old males (73.8 ± 1.9 years old). Measurements were obtained on 11 anatomical regions, namely, the forehead, upper arm, volar and dorsal forearm, postauricular, palm, abdomen, upper and lower back, thigh, and ankle. Skin surface lipid content data were compared with µ measurements to determine the relative contribution of the former to frictional properties of skin, µ and SSL were not statistically different between age groups on all regions except for the ankle, where lipid content was lower in the elderly. Similarly, µ did not vary between sex groups. Skin surface lipid content was statistically lower on the forehead, dorsal forearm and postauricular area in females. Both parameters, however, showed considerable regional variability. A significant linear correlation was established between µ and SSL combining all regions from all volunteers. When µ was plotted against SSL among individual anatomic sites, only the forehead and postauricular area showed significant linear correlations between the two parameters. These data suggest that surface lipid content plays a limited role in frictional properties of skin.

Skin–textile friction and skin elasticity in young and aged persons

“…Previous studies found no significant differences in skin friction with regard to ethnicity (20) or gender (20,21). Recently, we have observed that the friction of female skin in contact with textiles was more sensitive to moisture changes (19).…”

Influence of physico-chemical, mechanical and morphological fingerpad properties on the frictional distinction of sticky/slippery surfaces

“…This difference is very significant (t-test, p , 0.01) for the four studied surfaces. This gender influence on the COF has been not [24,32,48] or rarely been indicated in the literature as far as the finger is concerned [19].…”

“…Clearly, women generally have a lower water content (and also greater lipids proportion) in the outer layer of the SC than men. The influence of gender on the amount of skin lipids and on skin hydration has not [24,32] or has rarely been observed in the literature [19]. The water descriptor index D W is valued at 0.061 + 0.055 (arb.…”

“…Because adhesion decreased after skin was delipidized with ether [35], it could be assumed that lipids tend to increase the COF. Nevertheless, no overall correlation has been found between the lipids of the skin surface and the COF for most of the body regions except for the forehead and postauricular region which are sebum-rich areas [24,32]. Differences of lipid composition and quantity depending on the body region could explain the contradictory correlations observed between lipids and the COF [36,37].…”

The Tape-Stripping Technique as a Method for Drug Quantification in Skin

“…In this way, increasing age is related to decreased skin thickness [98] and a variation in skin lipids [99] and flora [100]. The anatomical region also influences lipid distribution [101,102], microflora [103] and physical parameters such as TEWL [104]. However, there are already a few studies reporting conflicting results for the effect of gender [105] on skin physiology, as well as for the effect of anatomical site, pressure, pressure duration and tape removal rate in skin physiology [42], or the effect of skin transport technology, as iontophoresis, on human skin [106].…”