Environmental Skin Exposure Study

This pilot project will provide data on the combined influence of UV radiation and air pollution on the skin microbiome and various measures of skin health. This type of skin stressor is called photo-pollution and is commonly experienced by individuals living in sunny urban areas. These data may lead to a larger randomized clinical trial to test the efficacy of a skin cream in countering these environmental exposures.

Eligibility Criteria

You can participate in this study if you:

• Identify as a woman between the ages of 18 and 65 and do not take hormones.
• Have no history of skin disease, skin allergies, or skin sensitivities.
• Do not have hives, rashes or current arm skin cuts, wounds, open sores, or skin irritation on the arms.
• Do not smoke any substances.
• Are not taking any oral/topical antibiotics or photosensitizing medications within two weeks of the start of the study. Note, you must also agree to avoid these during the 3-week study.
• Have not used tanning beds in the last 6 months and are willing to avoid sun or UV exposure on the arms during the 3-week study by wearing long sleeves.
• Are willing to refrain from using body washes except for the one provided, and you must agree to avoid fragrance/perfume, and any lotions, creams, sunscreens on your arms throughout the entire study.
• Have not had an organ transplant.
• Have the skin type noted on the “Fitzpatrick Scale” as “Type 2” and “Type 3” (noted below). Note, if you think you may be eligible for the study but are unsure, contact the researcher to set up a video consultation. Skin Types 1, 4, 5, and 6 are excluded from this study for participant protections due to increased risk to UV exposure and severe burns or an inability to assess skin response to treatment.

Study Requirements

• This study involves 11 lab visits to the Plants for Human Health Institute (NC Research Campus, 600 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC), each lasting 30-45 minutes.
• Before the first visit, you will complete a health survey to determine your eligibility for this study. At the end of the online survey, you will be notified of eligibility.
• The Consent and Screening visit will confirm eligibility, provide an orientation, and address compensation.
  • A commercially available body wash will be given to you to use instead of your usual soap/body wash. You will need to refrain from using any moisturizers, body washes, or perfumes throughout the duration of the study.
• The following 10 lab visits will take place during a 2-week period (Monday through Friday, at a time that fits the participant’s schedule). These 10 sessions will involve topical application of a sunscreen to the volar side of one of your forearms and short exposures of UV radiation and air pollution to a small area of both forearms inside a sealed arm chamber.
  • Skin swab samples, skin samples taken via tape and
    skin probe measurements will be taken at the first and last lab visits.

Compensation

• If you complete all study procedures, you will be compensated $750 (pro-rated as appropriate).