{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T15:23:02Z","timestamp":1787844182539,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":["lww.com","ovid.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]},"abstract":"\n Context:<\/jats:title>\n Inguinal skin is prone to various infectious dermatological conditions such as erythrasma, intertrigo, hidradenitis suppurativa, folliculitis, dermatophytic infection, and various sexually transmitted diseases, as compared to the skin elsewhere.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Aim:<\/jats:title>\n Our study attempts to compare the biophysical profile parameters (BPPs) of the genital skin with that of the rest of the body, while taking skin of the upper back as control. It also attempts to find out if there is a difference in BPPs of the two sites and that how the change in the BPPs, bring about change in microbiome and make inguinal skin more prone to infections.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Materials and Methods:<\/jats:title>\n \n This was a hospital-based comparative study conducted over 976 patients (600 males and 376 females) of age group 18\u201360 years, where BPP parameters such as hydration, skin pH, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and sebum content were measured over the skin of the upper back and right inguinal region, and the results were summarized and presented as proportions (%). Chi-square test was used to compare abnormal findings.\n P<\/jats:italic>\n \u2264 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. MedCalc 16.4 version software was used for all statistical calculations.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results:<\/jats:title>\n \n Significant difference was noted in skin pH and TEWL, where\n P<\/jats:italic>\n value came out to be <0.05, which was statistically significant, whereas there was minimal difference in sebum content and skin hydration in both the areas, in males and females.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion:<\/jats:title>\n Raised skin pH disturbs organization of lipid bilayers (disturbed barrier), decreases lipid processing (impaired SC cohesion), and increases serine protease activity (reduced AMP). Increased TEWL (defect in physical barrier) and decreased hydration predispose the genital skin to infections. Use of pH buffered solutions (3\u20134), barrier repair creams containing ceramides, and barrier protective creams with dimethicone can help prevent these inguinal dermatoses.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.4103\/ijstd.ijstd_101_19","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,3]],"date-time":"2021-05-03T03:24:38Z","timestamp":1620012278000},"page":"7-13","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/lww.0000000000001000","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["A study of biophysical profile of inguinal skin"],"prefix":"10.4103","volume":"42","author":[{"given":"Puneet","family":"Bhargava","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Heena","family":"Singdia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shivi","family":"Nijhawan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Deepak K.","family":"Mathur","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rishi K.","family":"Bhargava","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"276","reference":[{"key":"R2-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1523-1747.2004.t01-2-.x","article-title":"Regulation of human sebaceous glands","volume":"123","author":"Thiboutot","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Invest Dermatol"},{"key":"R3-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"748","DOI":"10.1152\/ajplegacy.1941.132.3.748","article-title":"A quantitative method for the measurement of the rate of water loss from small areas, with results for finger tip, toe tip and postero-superior portion of the pinna of normal resting adults","volume":"132","author":"Neumann","year":"1941","journal-title":"Am J Physiol"},{"key":"R4-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1186\/2046-7648-2-4","article-title":"Regional variations in transepidermal water loss, eccrine sweat gland density, sweat secretion rates and electrolyte composition in resting and exercising humans","volume":"2","author":"Taylor","year":"2013","journal-title":"Extrem Physiol Med"},{"key":"R5-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"244","DOI":"10.1038\/nrmicro2537","article-title":"The skin microbiome","volume":"9","author":"Grice","year":"2011","journal-title":"Nat Rev Microbiol"},{"key":"R6-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1317","DOI":"10.1098\/rsif.2008.0034","article-title":"Influence of epidermal hydration on the friction of human skin against textiles","volume":"5","author":"Gerhardt","year":"2008","journal-title":"J R Soc Interface"},{"key":"R7-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1034\/j.1600-0846.2001.70206.x","article-title":"Females have lower skin surface pH than men: A study on the influence of gender, forearm site variation, right\/left difference and time of the day on the skin surface pH","volume":"7","author":"Ehlers","year":"2001","journal-title":"Skin Res Technol"},{"key":"R8-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0846.2005.00099.x","article-title":"Comparative evaporimetry in man","volume":"11","author":"Shah","year":"2005","journal-title":"Skin Res Technol"},{"key":"R9-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"190","DOI":"10.1159\/000231524","article-title":"Variation of skin surface pH, sebum content and stratum corneum hydration with age and gender in a large Chinese population","volume":"22","author":"Man","year":"2009","journal-title":"Skin Pharmacol Physiol"},{"key":"R10-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1111\/srt.12599","article-title":"The revised EEMCO guidance for the in vivo measurement of water in the skin","volume":"24","author":"Berardesca","year":"2018","journal-title":"Skin Res Technol"},{"key":"R11-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.1111\/srt.12016","article-title":"International guidelines for the in vivo assessment of skin properties in non-clinical settings: Part 1.pH","volume":"19","author":"Stefaniak","year":"2013","journal-title":"Skin Res Technol"},{"key":"R12-2-20240831","first-page":"581","article-title":"Connecting the dots: From skin barrier dysfunction to allergic sensitization, and the role of moisturizers in repairing the skin barrier","volume":"18","author":"Strugar","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Drug Dermatol"},{"key":"R13-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"315","DOI":"10.1016\/j.it.2018.02.004","article-title":"Cutaneous barriers and skin immunity: Differentiating a connected network","volume":"39","author":"Eyerich","year":"2018","journal-title":"Trends Immunol"},{"key":"R14-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"116","DOI":"10.1111\/imr.12546","article-title":"The atopic march: Current insights into skin barrier dysfunction and epithelial cell-derived cytokines","volume":"278","author":"Han","year":"2017","journal-title":"Immunol Rev"},{"key":"R15-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"781","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaci.2014.05.048","article-title":"Mechanisms of abnormal lamellar body secretion and the dysfunctional skin barrier in patients with atopic dermatitis","volume":"134","author":"Elias","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Allergy Clin Immunol"},{"key":"R16-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1355","DOI":"10.1038\/jid.2009.432","article-title":"Enhanced expression and secretion of antimicrobial peptides in atopic dermatitis and after superficial skin injury","volume":"130","author":"Harder","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Invest Dermatol"},{"key":"R17-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anai.2017.09.055","article-title":"Immunologic, microbial, and epithelial interactions in atopic dermatitis","volume":"120","author":"Brunner","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol"},{"key":"R18-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0625.2011.01393.x","article-title":"Innate immune sensing 2.0 \u2013 From linear activating pathways to fine tuned and regulated innate immune pathways","volume":"21","author":"Volz","year":"2012","journal-title":"Exp Dermatol"},{"key":"R19-2-20240831","first-page":"41","article-title":"Comparative assessment of biologics in treatment of psoriasis: Drug design and clinical effectiveness of ustekinumab","volume":"5","author":"Garcia-Valladares","year":"2011","journal-title":"Drug Des Devel Ther"},{"key":"R20-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2847","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.jid.5700913","article-title":"Stratum corneum acidification is impaired in moderately aged human and murine skin","volume":"127","author":"Choi","year":"2007","journal-title":"J Invest Dermatol"},{"key":"R21-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"818","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaci.2014.08.005","article-title":"Emollient enhancement of the skin barrier from birth prevents atopic cermatitis","volume":"134","author":"Simpson","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Allergy Clin Immunol"},{"key":"R22-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsi.2015.04.004","article-title":"Signaling roles of ceramide and its metabolites in cutaneous antimicrobial defense","volume":"33","author":"Uchida","year":"2015","journal-title":"Dermatol Sin"},{"key":"R23-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"971","DOI":"10.1111\/j.0022-202X.2004.22412.x","article-title":"Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-beta\/delta stimulates differentiation and lipid accumulation in keratinocytes","volume":"122","author":"Schmuth","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Invest Dermatol"},{"key":"R24-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"239186","DOI":"10.1155\/2013\/239186","article-title":"Pilot study to evaluate the effect of topical dimethicone on clinical signs and skin barrier function in dogs with naturally occurring atopic dermatitis","volume":"2013","author":"Pellicoro","year":"2013","journal-title":"Vet Med Int"},{"key":"R25-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"284","DOI":"10.1111\/ics.12374","article-title":"A plant oil-containing pH 4 emulsion improves epidermal barrier structure and enhances ceramide levels in aged skin","volume":"39","author":"Blaak","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int J Cosmet Sci"},{"key":"R26-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"290","DOI":"10.1159\/000439030","article-title":"Impact of a glycolic acid-containing pH 4 water-in-oil emulsion on skin pH","volume":"28","author":"Behm","year":"2015","journal-title":"Skin Pharmacol Physiol"},{"key":"R27-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"151","DOI":"10.1111\/cod.12909","article-title":"Skin care products can aggravate epidermal function: Studies in a murine model suggest a pathogenic role in sensitive skin","volume":"78","author":"Li","year":"2018","journal-title":"Contact Dermatitis"},{"key":"R28-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"162","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2016-052687","article-title":"Correlation between pubic hair grooming and STIs: Results from a nationally representative probability sample","volume":"93","author":"Osterberg","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sex Transm Infect"},{"key":"R29-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1546","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biochi.2010.06.022","article-title":"Natural and synthetic inhibitors of kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs)","volume":"92","author":"Peter","year":"2010","journal-title":"Biochimie"},{"key":"R30-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02505820","article-title":"Alpha 2-Antiplasmin and plasminogen activator inhibitors in healing human skin wounds","volume":"288","author":"Schaefer","year":"1996","journal-title":"Arch Dermatol Res"},{"key":"R31-2-20240831","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"566","DOI":"10.4103\/idoj.IDOJ_434_19","article-title":"Skin barrier function defect - A marker of recalcitrant tinea infections","volume":"11","author":"Bhargava","year":"2020","journal-title":"Indian Dermatol Online J"}],"container-title":["Indian Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.4103\/ijstd.IJSTD_101_19","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T15:13:10Z","timestamp":1787843590000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.4103\/ijstd.IJSTD_101_19"}},"subtitle":["An implication for health and disease"],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4103\/ijstd.ijstd_101_19","relation":{},"ISSN":["2589-0557"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2589-0557","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]}}}