Background/purpose: In the absence of humidity receptors in human skin, the perception of skin
wetness is considered a somatosensory experience resulting from the integration of temperature
(particularly cold) and mechanical inputs. However, limited data are available on the role of the
temperature sense.
Methods: Wet and dry stimuli at 4 and 8°C above local skin temperature were applied on the
back of 7 participants (age 21± 2 years) while skin temperature and conductance, thermal and
wetness perceptions were recorded.
Results: Resting local skin temperature always increased by the application of the stimuli (+0.5 to
+1.4°C). No effect of stimulus wetness was found on wetness perceptions (p>0.05). The
threshold (point “-2 slightly wet” on the wetness scale) to identify a clearly perceived wetness
was never reached during any stimulations and participants did not perceive that some of the
stimuli were wet. Overall, warm temperature stimuli suppressed the perception of skin wetness.
Conclusions: We conclude that it is not the contact of the skin with moisture per se, but rather the
integration of particular sensory inputs (amongst which coldness seems dominant) which drives
the perception of skin wetness during the initial contact with a wet surface.
History
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Design
Citation
FILINGERI, D. ... et al, 2015. Warm temperature stimulus suppresses the perception of skin wetness during initial contact with a wet surface. Skin Research and Technology, 21 (1), pp. 9-14.