Effects of incontinence care cleansing regimens on skin integrity.

Soap and water and a no-rinse cleanser, with and without a moisture barrier, were examined for their effects as cleansing regimens on the perineal skin of 10 older female residents of an extended care facility. Each cleansing regimen was used for 3 weeks, with two weekly measurements obtained for erythema, pH, and transepidermal water loss. Results indicated that soap and water was the least efficacious regimen unless used with a moisture barrier. The no-rinse cleanser was better than soap and water in terms of skin effects and cost savings. The findings suggest that a no-rinse cleanser in conjunction with a moisture barrier is a more skin-preserving and cost-effective incontinence care cleansing regimen than soap and water for older female nursing home residents with incontinence.