ENGR0011/0711, Eckert, 4:00
L02
BIOENGINEERING TECHNIQUES ADVANCE SKIN TREATMENTS
Abby Sutton (ads123@pitt.edu)
WHAT IS “DRY SKIN?”
Dry skin is a very common term, and most people would
say that they fully understand what it is, and how to
recognize it. Also known as xerosis, dry skin is typically
viewed as a minor issue; however, it has many
considerations. Not only is dry skin a cosmetic issue, but it
can also allow allergens and irritants to enter our skin
through the stratum corneum, or the outer layer of the
epidermis [1]. Just for clarification, the epidermis is simply
the outer layer of the skin. Therefore, you could enjoy
thinking of the stratum corneum as the “outer layer of the
outer layer of our outer layer.”
Over the years, our knowledge of the structure and
functions of the stratum corneum has grown tremendously.
Despite this, dry skin remains one of the most common skin
disorders among the population. I believe that if we are to
ever correctly treat dry skin, we must create better ways to
study the skin. The most common approach has been to
evaluate patients simply by visual means. However, if the
layers and structures of the skin are as complex as all other
parts of the body, then does the skin not deserve more
advanced means of examination as well? Recently,
bioengineers have been helping with the development of
better, more effective ways to evaluate the extent of xerotic
conditions. Some of these methods for evaluating dry skin
which I will be examining in this paper include the Kligman
regression method, tape stripping, topography and magnetic
resonance imaging.
This topic compels me for two reasons: I have struggled
with severe dry skin for many years, and as a bioengineer, I
would love to create better studies and treatments for it.
An important aspect of this paper reflects the ideas and
values of engineers, which follow the National Society of
Professional Engineer’s code of ethics. Many components
of this code, such as considering the health of the public
above all else, can be seen throughout this paper [2]. Along
with the ethics involved in engineering, we will also
examine the value of such a research project like this to
freshman engineering education.
common as a result of the low humidity and cold
temperatures.
The most common effects of dry skin include scaling,
flaking, chapping, pain, and stinging. Xerosis is primarily
seen to affect the legs, but it can potentially occur over any
part of the skin’s surface. I have personally been affected
tremendously by dry skin. Over the past few years, a few
rough patches on my skin have evolved into a very
widespread skin disorder covering the upper regions of both
my arms, and recently parts of my back. I have an extreme
form of dry skin, known as tinea versicolor, which causes
discoloration of the skin along with rough textured patches
that have the feeling of scales. In my own words, “I’m
spotty.” Being covered in these rough white spots has been
very hard to deal with, particularly throughout adolescence,
when our appearance was so important to us teenagers! I
have tried countless skin products, an infinite amount of
moisturizers, and recommendations from several doctors, yet
still, my condition remains the same. Tinea versicolor is just
one of the many skin disorders that is yet to have a cure.
Hopefully, as a bioengineer, I will be able to change
how we study the skin, and perhaps discover information
that could lead to new treatments (for the skin). As stated by
the code of ethics for engineers, “Engineers shall conduct
themselves honorably, respectfully, and ethically so as to
enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the
profession” [2]. This is exactly what I hope to achieve as a
future engineer. By following the code of ethics while
conducting my research of the skin, I hope to change the
way all bioengineers will view this topic.
KLIGMAN REGRESSION METHOD
The Kligman regression method is known as the standard
method for visually evaluating dry skin. The severity of the
xerosis can be determined by four grades:
Grade 1
This grade represents healthy skin; containing no signs
of dryness. Skin at this grade still has a healthy glow.
CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DRY SKIN
Grade 2
Dry skin can be characterized by the collection of cells
on the surface of the skin which result in rough texture and
appearance. Xerosis can be caused by a combination of
many factors. Some external causes of dry skin include the
climate or environment that we live in, or even exposure to
certain soaps, chemicals, or detergents [3]. There are many
other internal factors such as genetic makeup, disease, and
aging. In the winter months, dry skin tends to be quite
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering
L02 10/8/2012
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Grade two patients possess mild xerosis in which they
may have small flakes of dry skin. There may also be
whitening of the dermatoglyphic triangles on the skin, which
are the geometric patterns formed by cracks on the skin.
Grade 3
Abby Sutton
This grade represents moderate xerosis; the dry flakes on
the skin begin to cause a powdery appearance and the white
triangular shapes start to lift off from the skin.
the skin, this material is actually able to replicate the tiny
details of our skin’s structure.
Another way of viewing the skin’s structure is through
photographic images. However, this method is also very
limited and it became necessary for higher power imaging to
be created. For example, the Visioscan is a specialized
UVA light video camera which produces high-contrast maps
of the skin. Images produced from the Visioscan have been
used quite effectively to show the small details of skin
structure and dryness level [6].
Grade 4
Grade 4 describes well-defined dry skin in which the
entire length of triangular shapes on our skin has been
uplifted to create large, dry flakes. The skin will commonly
be rough, scaly, and red in color.
Usefulness
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING
The Kligman regression model has proved very useful in
determining moisturization designs for the skin [4].
However, it is limited by our inability to see items past a
certain size.
Magnetic resonance imaging is another technique which
can provide us with much information about the
concentration, location, and distribution of water molecules
in the epidermis. Commonly known as MRI, this method
can be used to directly measure the hydration state of the
stratum corneum, which can be a rather complicated process
if using some of the other methods discussed in this paper
[1]. For many years, the MRI technique was quite limited in
its capabilities while being used for the skin; however, it has
recently become possible for MRI to be used to see high
contrast between the many layers of the epidermis. This is
just another example of how bioengineers are constantly
advancing technology!
TAPE STRIPPING
Tape stripping is another method for evaluating dry skin
in which the scaling portion of the skin is removed by means
of adhesive. This method involves many applications of an
adhesive tape to the skin, followed by its removal. Samples
obtained from the adhesive can then be used to determine
mass, composition, gene expression, and distribution of the
xerosis. This procedure involves the removal of only cells
directly at the surface of the skin with no nerve association.
CODE OF ETHICS
Advantages
Because engineers can affect so many aspects of
people’s lives, it is important that they conduct their work in
an honest, respectful way. They must be fair, impartial, and
dedicated to the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
Many canons in the code of ethics for engineers are
important to my topic because they examine the qualities
that an engineer must possess to be successful in the
application of bioengineering, as well as in any other area of
engineering. One rule in the code states that all engineers
should be truthful in their published works or statements [2].
This point stands out to me when I think of the thousands of
false claims made by skin cream manufacturers. Many
advertisers claim that there product cures any skin disorder
out there! All, of course, claim that there product is #1
recommended by dermatologists. This deceit, no matter
how much money it makes for certain companies, leads to
many disappointed people. As an engineer, it is one’s duty
to tell the truth, leaving all people satisfied.
Another canon from the code of ethics states, “Engineers
are encouraged to extend public knowledge and appreciation
of engineering and its achievements” [2]. I think that this is
an excellent idea! Engineering is without a doubt one of the
most useful professions that one can go into, and yet also the
most understood. Ask any stranger what engineers do and
you might get a few “Ummm’s,” a few of the “well you see”
remarks, and of course the famous “They’re the people who
Tape stripping is a fast, easy method for analyzing the
skin and it can provide useful information about its structure
and what causes the geometric shapes, or the dermatoglyphic
triangles, to form on our skin. Also, tape stripping is much
more effective than the visual inspection method in noticing
small changes to scaling of the skin.
Disadvantages
Although a simple method, tape stripping has many
important details that must be considered if it is to provide
us with useful results. Some of these details include the type
of adhesive used, how hydrated the person is, and how
strongly bonded the cells within the skin are. Other factors
that must be considered during tape stripping are the
humidity, the time of day, how much pressure is applied, and
the person’s gender or age [5].
SKIN TOPOGRAPHY
The topographical details of the skin, or its structural
details, can be very useful when evaluating xerosis. One
common method for analyzing the skin’s structure is through
creating rubber-like, silicone replicas using the same
materials used for dental impressions. When in contact with
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Abby Sutton
see if bridges work! Right?” Engineering is such a detailed,
complex profession, that not many people can fully grasp its
meaning. If I were to, one day, be successful in skin
treatments, I would use this principle and give credit not
only to anyone who helped me in the process, but also to my
education. It would be engineering which enabled me to get
this far, and I would let the world know it. If all engineers
were to get truth out there about their incredible
achievements, then perhaps engineering would be more
understood and appreciated.
In the Biomedical Engineering Society Code of Ethics, it
states, “Engineers should strive through action, example, and
influences to increase the competence, prestige, and honor of
the biomedical engineering profession” [7]. This tells us
that bioengineers should always be ready and willing to
improve in their field, and this is something that is very
important to me as a future engineer.
student figure out if engineering is really the right choice for
them or not. The educational value shown from doing a
project like this is clearly great, and I feel that not only
should the University of Pittsburgh’s students be doing a
project like this, but all other college’s freshman engineering
students should be too. The usefulness of diving into
engineering and learning about its many components is just
too great to ignore.
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
The study of the code of ethics of engineers is an
important part of this paper, because it explains exactly what
it would take to achieve these effective treatments. Being an
engineer is no easy task, and it is important that we
understand the values that all engineers share. A project like
this paper is extremely helpful in freshman engineering
education as well. It teaches us parts of engineering that we
cannot learn from class, and gives us a better idea of what it
means to be an engineer.
There are various methods for evaluating dry skin, which
range from subjective to objective approaches. Each of the
described methods has their strong components along with
their weak ones. Combining both objective and subjective
methods seems to be the best way for us to evaluate skin at
this moment in time.
Of course, advances in bioengineering techniques have
added incredibly to our knowledge of dry skin and how to
treat it, but we are still very far from a cure. There are
millions of people who suffer from dry skin, and thousands
who suffer from more intense skin disorders such as my
own, tinea versicolor. The problem is that dry skin is
regarded as a minor issue, and not one which needs much
consideration. However, dry skin can be indicative of many
serious problems, and I believe that it is up to bioengineers
to become more active in creating better technology for
studying the skin, leading to more effective treatments.
Right now, you might be thinking, “Why do I care about
this issue? Dry skin has never been a problem for me. Why
should I care about what technology we have for studying
the skin?” Well, try considering something for a moment.
Let’s say you are struggling with dry skin every day. Let’s
also say that it is quite severe; you have red blotches and
white spots on your face and neck. The affected areas of
your skin are hard, scaly, and you cannot even stand to look
at yourself in the mirror. Now consider something else:
countless people ARE going through this, and they need
help. These unfortunate people need help from both the
medical and engineering world alike. I would love to be
able to say that help is on the way, wouldn’t you?
VALUE IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION
In every major or field of profession, there are certain
things that students are required to learn. In engineering, not
only is it important for us to learn about math, science, and
computers, but it is also imperative that we complete an
assignment such as this. An assignment in which we dig
deep into a certain part of engineering and begin to learn the
ethics behind it can seem difficult to us at times, but it will
one day prove very useful.
Firstly, we may not be sure what field of engineering we
want to go into. In fact, many students may not even be sure
that they want to be an engineer at all. An in-depth research
paper on a topic which interests us is one of the best ways to
help us freshman engineers really begin to see what’s in
store for us. This paper alone has already taught me a great
deal about bioengineering that I would never have learned
from my classes. This is because we all are taking the same
classes, yet we all have extremely different dreams. Until
we get to reach our dreams, we need to spend a couple years
taking general courses and learning things that will probably
not be that interesting to us. Doing a project like this on our
own and finally getting to pick exactly which category, and
exactly which topic we wanted to learn about, made it much
more rewarding.
Learning about the code of ethics is also a very important
part of engineering education. The study of ethics is
recommended so that students can gain “an understanding of
professional and ethical responsibility” [8]. This statement
can be proven true merely be taking myself as an example.
After reading over the code of ethics for engineers and even
the code specific to bioengineers, I feel much more
knowledgeable about what is expected of me as a future
engineer. Previous to this research, I was unaware of the
responsibilities that engineers are given, and I feel that
learning about these duties is a very good way to help a
REFERENCES
[1] A. Byrne. (2010). “Bioengineering and subjective
approaches to the clinical evaluation of dry skin.”
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International Journal of Cosmetic Science. (Online Article).
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=111&sid
=3c8b1ea2-a0ad-4466-b072d421cf0c1c0a%40sessionmgr112&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhv
c3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=54532425. pp.1-11
[2] (2007). “Code of Ethics for Engineers.” National Society
of
Professional
Engineers.
(Online
Article).
http://www.nspe.org/resources/pdfs/Ethics/CodeofEthics/Co
de-2007-July.pdf. pp.1-2
[3] A. Pons-Guiraud. (2011). “Dry skin in dermatology: a
complex physiopathology.” PubMed.gov. (Online Article).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17716284. pp. 1-4
[4] E. Abrutyn. (2010). “Skin Care Moisturizers.” Cosmetics
and Sciences: Science Applied.” (Online Article).
http://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/formulating/category
/skincare/111072454.html?page=8. p.8
[5] V. Klang. (2012). “In vitro vs. in vivo tape stripping:
validation of the porcine ear model and penetration
assessment of novel sucrose stearate emulsions.”
PubMed.gov.
(Online
Article).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22123494. p.1
[6] C. Pierard. (2010). “Weathering of the hairless scalp: a
study using skin capacitance imaging and ultraviolet lightenhanced visualization.” PubMed.gov. (Online Article).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19583736. p.1
[7] D. Vallero. (2007). “Biomedical Engineering Society
Code of Ethics.” Biomedical Ethics for Engineers: Ethics
and Decision Making in Biomedical and Biosystem
Engineering.
(Online
Book).
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/pitt/docDetail.action?docID=10186
166&lpg=363. pp.388-389
[8] L. Bucciarelli. (2007). “Ethics and Engineering
Education.” European Journal of Engineering Education.
(Online Article).
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=83
e0d811-1b1f-48f8-bbb0a4d3d078f9f5%40sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=119. pp.141149
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like
who helped me
paper. Thanks
professor, Chad
to write about.
to thank my writing advisor, Travis Straub,
with any questions I had while writing my
are also due to my Engineering Analysis
Eckert, for helping me to decide on a topic
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