What Liquid is Safe for Long-Term Skin Immersion Without Causing Irritation?

[CrazedMathematician]

This is sort of an unusual question (and I'm not even sure this is the right forum for it) but here goes. I'm doing a project where theoretically a human would be kept immersed in a liquid for long periods of time and I'm wondering what liquid would be the best for this. The most obvious choice would be water, but long term exposure to water causes skin irritation because water removes the surface layer of oil off the skin that normally locks in moisture so when the person got out of the water the skin would feel extremely dry. I'm curious if anyone knows of a liquid, or maybe a gel-like material, that doesn't cause this and is safe enough for direct contact with skin for extended periods?

 

[hitssquad]

Sensory deprivation tanks use an Epsom salt solution in water. People float in sensory deprivation tanks for hours:
http://samadhitank.com/firsttime.html#Whateffectdoessaltwaterhaveonmyskinandhair

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What effect does salt water have on my skin and hair?

The Epsom salt solution seems to be beneficial to the skin. We have listened to some opinions that say Epsom salt is very good for strengthening the hair. We know it's good for roses, why not hair? You thoroughly rinse the salt from your hair and body when you leave the tank.
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Also the primary moisturizer in human skin is NaPCA. You can buy it at Beyond A Century and apply it when you get out of your sensory deprivation chamber.

 

[Moonbear]

For everyone who ever wondered why fingers get wrinkly in the bathtub :

Clin Auton Res. 2004 Apr;14(2):125-31.
Water immersion wrinkling--physiology and use as an indicator of sympathetic function.
Wilder-Smith EP.

Water immersion skin wrinkling is an indicator of limb sympathetic function. Routine clinical usage of this enigmatic phenomenon is hampered by poor endpoint quantification, which involves counting skin folds. The recent discovery of the importance of vasoconstriction in immersion wrinkling suggests digital blood flow or volume changes as better endpoints. Water probably initiates the wrinkling process by altering epidermal electrolyte homeostasis as it diffuses into the porous skin of the hands and soles via its many sweat ducts. Altered epidermal electrolyte homeostasis would lead to a change in membrane stability of the surrounding dense network of nerve fibers and trigger increased vasomotor firing with subsequent vasoconstriction. Vasoconstriction, through loss of volume, leads to negative digit pulp pressure resulting in a downward pull on the overlying skin, which wrinkles as it is distorted. The degree of wrinkling would directly depend on the change in digit tip volume and implies any process inducing loss of digit volume will precipitate wrinkling. This review discusses the physiology of water immersion wrinkling and explores its potential as an indicator of limb sympathetic dysfunction.

 

[CrazedMathematician]

Looks good, thanks hitssquad!

 

[James Nease]

You can try vinegar, it would most likely irritate the skin due to it's acid content. Or maybe sulfur enriched water, so as that from a geyser (cooled off of course :p)

 

[wasteofo2]

I would just use Aloe. It's definitely safe for your skin, you can even eat the stuff, and you get to be all green and gooey, which is generally a bonus.