Michelle Meeks wrote:
>The skin is made up of cells like any other part of our bodies and so are
semipermeable.

I really didn't intend to get involved in this discussion, but can't
help it. ;-)

The skin is not just a layer of semi-permeable cells, as are other
'outer' layers of the body like the gut and lung linings. There are
layers of dead cells, etc (stratum corneum????) that are *not*
permeable like other tissues in our bodies. (Note - I am writing this
from memory - no textbooks!)

If we were 'permeable' like described, we couldn't swim in the ocean
without getting dehydrated! Or walk in the rain or swim in fresh
water without becoming oedematous!

The example someone posted about the skin going wrinkly in the bath
to explain fluid movement into the body just means that the outer
(dead) skin layer itself is waterlogged - not that it is absorbed
into the body from the bath water.

*Topical* patch and other meds work by the chemicals (usually steroid
or at least not water-soluble) moving *slowly* through the membranes
and layers of skin. Hydrophobic substances move more readily than
water-soluble ones, as the inner layer of cell membranes is lipid (ie
hydrophobic). The water movement of osmosis is quite a different
issue.

I don't know if I have explained this very well, but I found the
explanations recently given on Lactnet for why fluid *can* move in
and out of the body through the skin rather erroneous. People have
taken basic physiological mechanisms and applied them
inappropriately. I hope this doesn't offend anyone - it was not
intended to do this.

The end result, in relation the epsom salts, is that I don't believe
it can work directly through the skin as suggested. I am not saying
that it doesn't work to reduce the oedema, I just still don't know
how, if it does. But it is not that simple!
******************************************************************
Joy Anderson B.Sc. Dip.Ed. Grad.Dip.Med.Tech. IBCLC
Australian Breastfeeding Association counsellor
Perth, Western Australia.   mailto:[log in to unmask]
******************************************************************

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