Overview
Introduction
Moisture associated skin damage (MASD) is not simply skin that is wet.
Moisture-associated skin damage (MASD) is not simply skin that is wet. Prolonged contact with urine, stool, sweat, wound drainage, or stomal effluent weakens the skin barrier and leaves it vulnerable to friction, chemical irritation, and secondary infection. The distribution often provides the first diagnostic clue: perineal skin suggests incontinence exposure, folds suggest trapped perspiration, and skin around a wound or stoma suggests leakage or exudate. The practical nursing model is straightforward: find the moisture source, inspect the pattern and depth of injury, cleanse gently, dry without rubbing, protect the barrier, and reassess the response. The priority is source control and barrier protection—not automatically applying an antimicrobial or labelling every reddened area as a pressure injury.