Chemical Skin Injury: Mechanisms, Prevention, Decontamination, Treatment

This book provides an up-to-date, compact but comprehensive review of chemical skin injuries, differentiating them from thermal skin burns. After an introductory chapter on the history of chemical skin injuries and the scope of the problem, the anatomy, histology, physiology, and immunology of normal skin are described. Mechanisms involved in chemical penetration of normal skin are explained, and the effects of damaged skin on chemical penetration are analyzed. The remainder of the book discusses a variety of clinically relevant aspects, such as the different forms of chemical skin injury, including injuries that arise during skin peeling or due to hair products; preventive measures; emergency treatment; rinsing therapy; medical and surgical treatment; and the importance of providing relevant information to workers. The role of predictive toxicology is also considered.