First skin‐physiological tests in weightlessness in the ISS space station

Abstract

Citation: IFSCC Magazine, 11 (2008) (3) 231–238A prolonged stay in weightlessness induces several medical alterations of the human body and also results in impairment of the skin. The stratum corneum, epidermal barrier as well as other skin compartments are affected in terms of their susceptibility to dryness, desquamation and pruritus. This can lead, for example, to wound healing disorders. Skin physiological tests were performed on the skin of an astronaut during the ASTROLAB‐Mission within the Skin Care program initiated by the ESA. The skin was analyzed before, partly during and after the mission. In addition, the tests were repeated after 1 year. During the mission a control skin area was treated with a skincare product. The results showed corneal disturbance caused by environmental conditions, suboptimal skin cleansing and skin care. The observed effects were minimized by application of a skincare product. Measurements of the epidermis showed an accelerated rate of epidermal keratinization; skin elasticity was reduced distinctly and the sonographic examination showed a disaggregation of the cutis with hypoechoic areas. Additional measurements performed a year after the mission indicate that the verified alterations, which in a broader sense seem similar to skin ageing and appear as a time lapse process in weightlessness, are reversible. Further testing of the preventive efficacy of anti‐ageing products from a cosmetic point of view would appear to be an appropriate objective for prospective long‐term space missions.Keywords: Weightlessness, skin changes, hydration, TEWL, SELS (Visioscan®), elasticity, US‐B‐scan