Good skin integrity is essential for optimal health because the skin acts as a barrier to germs and chemicals and chemicals and physical stresses like sunshine and radiation. It is commonly recognized that as people age, their skin loses its integrity, making them more vulnerable to pressure injuries. Furthermore, aged skin takes longer to recover when there are injuries or cracks in the skin. That’s why some are fanatics of skin moisturizers.
The skin renews itself regularly. New cells develop and gradually travel upward on the lowest layer of the skin. These cells are dead by the time they get up to the skin’s surface and are eliminated regularly. This process of cell renewal slows down as people age. The “dead cell” layer remains on the skin’s surface for longer, giving it a dreary appearance. This skin’s supporting structures and flexibility deteriorate with age, leading to sagging skin and wrinkles.
Skin breakdown and its causes.
The absence of blood circulation causes the skin to break down. When soft tissue components are pushed between two surfaces, bone and whatever the seniors are resting on, such as a bed, chair (wheelchairs), or pillow, can cause pain. Friction, such as when a senior is shifted in bed, might cause.
A variety of factors can contribute to skin deterioration. Skin breakdown is caused by shear, dampness, pressure, trauma, and friction. These causes can damage and hurt skin either collectively or separately. Skin disintegration can also be caused by poor nutrition, incontinence, immobility, dehydration, drugs, altered mental status, and loss of sensation. Friction and shearing forces cause mechanical damage, occurring while sitting or resting in bed.
Using daily living aids, lowering the head off the bed, lifting rather than dragging during transfer, and making sure the proper dressing and linens are not bunched or wrinkled can all help to prevent mechanical harm. Friction is a mechanical injury caused by two forces colliding, such as when the skin is pulled across the bed linen during the transfer and lift.
What happens during skin breakdown?
Skin can become rough, excoriated, reddish, and superficially damaged after an accident. Consider employing mobility aids devices instead than pulling people across the bed. Mechanical injury causes shear, induced by friction and gravity against the skin surface. The layers of skin rub against each other, or the skin remains motionless, while the underlying tissue moves, strains, angulates, or shreds the blood vessels and capillaries, causing tissue injury. Shearing produces a deep, undermining incision as a result of the procedure.
A thorough skin examination is crucial for detecting issues before they become more serious. Skin breakdown is more common in seniors who have trouble adjusting themselves, have delicate skin, are malnourished or underweight, or are bowel or bladder incontinent. A caregiver should examine the skin regularly, whether dry or need lotion for dry skin, giving special attention to bony prominences, including hip bones, ankles, heels, elbows, toes, buttocks, and tailbone.
Skin breakdowns in seniors: how to avoid them
An abundance of things are possible solutions that we can do at home to prevent skin breakdowns in seniors, and the majority of them are simple. Make sure to follow these tips to protect our loved ones from getting skin breakdowns:
- Use barrier creams
Apply in the arms and legs thoroughly. It is especially crucial in the winter if it resides in a colder, dryer climate or a desert region. Barrier creams are used to soothe irritations on the skin, such as diaper rash or nappy rash. By forming an impermeable or semi permeable barrier on the skin, the products can help to prevent skin breakdown. Biological irritants in stool and urine are less likely to penetrate. Incontinence-related dermatitis requires the use of barrier creams to avoid infection. Petrolatum or lanolin is found in several barrier creams.
- Eat the correct meals.
Tomatoes, spinach, fatty fish, and almonds are some of the greatest foods for the skin. Certain nutrients like nutritional drinks aid in the regeneration of skin cells, making them less vulnerable to damage caused by pollution, sun, and other environmental conditions. They are more likely to have glowing, beautiful, and healthy skin if seniors include nutrient-dense foods in their regular diet and mostly if they add protein to it.
- Stay hydrated
Drinking adequate water throughout the day is the first aid in all ailments. It is also similar to eating and sleeping in that it is required for survival and healthy function. Many seniors are unaware that proper hydration can affect their skin. Their skin may get dehydrated if they don’t drink enough water, which slows wound healing and causes the skin to break down. Moisture is essential for wound and skin breakdown. Wound healing can take much longer, and skin breakdown can be more severe if they don’t receive enough water. Stay hydrated by drinking water. Dehydration causes dry skin, which tears more easily.
- Surroundings oriented
Bumping into furniture causes a lot of skin tears, so make sure there’s enough light for seniors for them to see everything. Keep objects out of walkways as well. The furniture in the house should be positioned so that seniors may move about freely and not bump into it, and they should use walking canes to clear out the path to check them. Things that are frequently used should be kept in lower cabinets, so they do not stretch too much skin and traumatize it. Better to use a grabber tool, too, if needed. Everything should be easily accessible for them. The furnishing should make it easy for the elderly to go about their daily life.
Final Thoughts
Insight best practices and an approach that includes caregivers, family, and us, AvaCare Medical, is necessary for bolstering skin integrity maintenance for seniors. A positive outcome will be facilitated by early detection of poor skin integrity, those at risk, and comorbidity difficulties. In seniors with non-intact or intact skin, use skin and wound care products to prevent and treat skin breakdown.
Wound cleansers and skin moisturizers are not the same as other skincare products. Cleansers and moisturizers are selected based on their constituents’ ability to address the indicated changes/clinical symptoms. Both cleansers and moisturizers are available here at AvaCare Medical, and a broad range of choices with our products. For more information, please email us here at info@avacaremedical.com or call us here at 1-877-813-7799.
