MDPI - Publisher of Open Access Journals

13 pages, 1838 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Pandemic and Your Skin—Direct and Indirect Impact of COVID-19

by Mohammad Imran, Xuping Jin, Masood Ali, Pronalis Tapfumaneyi, Pauline Lelasseur, Laure Carlo, Axelle Jude, Alice Le Bourg, Bhavesh Panchal, Arianna Dick, Keshav Raj Paudel, Philip M. Hansbro and Yousuf Mohammed

Cosmetics 2023, 10(1), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics10010034 - 15 Feb 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 8602

Abstract

Apart from well-known respiratory symptoms, less frequent symptoms also appear as a direct result of COVID-19 infection, or as indirect effects of the recommended quarantine and related lifestyle changes. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on human skin is predominantly focused on in this article. Cutaneous manifestations, including redness, chilblain-like symptoms (COVID toes), hives or urticaria rash, water blisters, and fishing net-like red-blue patterns on the skin, may appear as accompanying or as systemic COVID-19 symptoms with potential lesions at different skin sites. These symptoms were related to skin phototypes and vitamin D deficiency. Moreover, Black, Asian, and minority ethnic origin patients are found to be more sensitive to COVID-19 infection than Caucasians because of vitamin D deficiency. The region of population with lighter skin phototypes have a significantly higher chance to develop cutaneous manifestations than population with dark skin. In addition, adverse effects, such as skin barrier damage and irritation, may also occur due to extensive personal protective equipment usage (e.g., masks, protective suits, and a few others) and predominately alcohol-based sanitizers. This manuscript covers various aspects of COVID-19 and its clinical skin manifestations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Cosmetics in 2022)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1107 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Viscoelastic and Deformation Characteristics of Structurally Different Commercial Topical Systems

by Maryam Dabbaghi, Sarika Namjoshi, Bhavesh Panchal, Jeffrey E. Grice, Sangeeta Prakash, Michael Stephen Roberts and Yousuf Mohammed

Pharmaceutics 2021, 13(9), 1351; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics13091351 - 27 Aug 2021

Cited by 54 | Viewed by 4073

Abstract

Rheological characteristics and shear response have potential implication in defining the pharmaceutical equivalence, therapeutic equivalence, and perceptive equivalence of commercial topical products. Three creams (C1 and C3 as oil-in-water and C2 as water-in-oil emulsions), and two gels (G1 and G2 carbomer-based) were characterized using the dynamic range of controlled shear in steady-state flow and oscillatory modes. All products, other than C3, met the Critical Quality Attribute criteria for high zero-shear viscosity (η₀) of 2.6 × 10⁴ to 1.5 × 10⁵ Pa∙s and yield stress (τ₀) of 55 to 277 Pa. C3 exhibited a smaller linear viscoelastic region and lower η₀ (2547 Pa∙s) and τ₀ (2 Pa), consistent with lotion-like behavior. All dose forms showed viscoelastic solid behavior having a storage modulus (G′) higher than the loss modulus (G″) in the linear viscoelastic region. However, the transition of G′ > G″ to G″ > G′ during the continual strain increment was more rapid for the creams, elucidating a relatively brittle deformation, whereas these transitions in gels were more prolonged, consistent with a gradual disentanglement of the polymer network. In conclusion, these analyses not only ensure quality and stability, but also enable the microstructure to be characterized as being flexible (gels) or inelastic (creams). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmaceutics 2020 Young Investigators' Contributions Collection)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 6635 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Emulsifiers and Dairy Ingredients on Manufacturing, Microstructure, and Physical Properties of Butter

by Bhavesh Panchal, Tuyen Truong, Sangeeta Prakash, Nidhi Bansal and Bhesh Bhandari

Foods 2021, 10(5), 1140; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10051140 - 20 May 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4955

Abstract

The influence of emulsifiers and dairy solids on churning and physical attributes of butter was investigated. Commercial dairy cream was blended with each of the ingredients (0.5%, w/w) separately, aged overnight (10 °C), and churned (10 °C) into butter. The employed additives showed a distinctive impact on the macroscopic properties of butter without largely affecting the melting behavior. In fresh butter, polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) emulsifier having dominated hydrophobic moieties significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the softness. Among dairy solids, sodium caseinate (SC) was the most effective in reducing the solid fat fraction, hardness, and elastic modulus (G’), while whey protein isolate (WPI) and whole milk powder (WMP) produced significantly harder, stiffer, and more adhesive butter texture. As per tribological analysis, PGPR, Tween 80, and SC lowered the friction-coefficient of butter, indicating an improved lubrication property of the microstructure. The extent of butter-setting during 28 days of storage (5 °C) varied among the samples, and in specific, appeared to be delayed in presence of WPI, WMP, and buttermilk solids. The findings of the study highlighted the potential of using applied emulsifiers and dairy-derived ingredients in modifying the physical functionality of butter and butter-like churned emulsions in addition to a conventional cream-ageing process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technological Functionality and Applications of Dairy Ingredients)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Search Results (3)

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI

Saved Queries

Search Filter Reset All

Years

Feature Papers

Subjects

Journals

Article Types

Countries / Regions

Search Results (3)

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI