Redness, for example, might be a sign of infection or increased pressure.
Altered skin skin#
The five most important factors of skin assessment are:Ĭolor of the skin: Change in the regular color of the patient’s skin can indicate problems. This way, if any problems are starting to develop, they can be caught in time. It is essential in the case of bedridden patients to have skin assessment regularly. This is essential to the path of healing, which involves a complete medical evaluation of the patient. We can treat a developed syndrome properly if we find out the source of the problem in time. Skin assessmentĪssessing tissue integrity is an important task because in this way we can find out how healthy it is.
So it is really important to protect skin integrity properly, if there is damage done to it, assess and treat it properly. The skin loses its elasticity as it ages, and it is easier to develop injuries that take longer to heal. The degree of risk is the highest in case of elderly people. Patients usually are bedbound long term because of their treatment and care due to an accident, old age, after surgery, or chronic illnesses. So it is no surprise that the possibility of developing pressure ulcers is the highest among bedridden people. We have seen that one of the most common causes of skin breakdown is pressure. When lying on the back, the sacral region, the heels, the buttocks, even the elbows, and shoulder blades are the most exposed, and when lying on the side, the upper thighs, hips, and ankles are most at risk of bedsores. Most often, the lower body regions with bony protrusions or areas with less muscle or adipose tissue are affected. So when the patient is moved, inverted, lifted for washing, or dressed, the skin stretches and there is a possibility for injuries to occur in the tissues. Poorly blood-supplied parts are not only more easily damaged, but also difficult to regenerate. When a patient spends a lot of time in a certain lying or sitting position, pressure is put on the skin surface, which results in a decrease in blood supply in that area, as well as a lack of oxygen and metabolic disorders in the skin tissues.
malnutrition and the resulting lifestyle disease,įrom these factors, one of the most common causes of skin integrity disruption is pressure.These factors can be both external and internal. There are different risk factors that can alter skin integrity and cause skin breakdown. Causes of skin breakdownĪltered skin integrity contributes to the development of injuries and can lead to the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death. Below we will review what can cause a disruption in skin integrity, how we can care for it, and how we can restore it if needed. Once it is compromised we are subject to a lot of health risks. The definition of skin integrity is the health of the skin. However, we can ask ourselves the question: What is skin integrity exactly? The answer is very simple.
Taken together, these three layers play a role in the integrity of the skin, so it is important to pay attention to keep them intact. The last one is Subcutaneous layer or hypodermis that is basically fat and connective tissues.The second one is Dermis which contains tough connective tissue, hair follicles, and sweat glands.The top layer is the Epidermis which provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin tone.In addition to protection, it takes part in thermoregulation, sensation, and water retention.Īnatomically, the layers of the skin can be divided into three parts. It provides protection for our muscles and internal organs from external environmental effects.
Our skin plays an important role in our bodily construction.
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