What is a common effect of putrefaction on the skin?

Putrefaction refers to the process of decay that occurs after death, primarily caused by bacterial activity. This biological breakdown can have distinct impacts on the skin. One noticeable effect of putrefaction is desquamation, which is the shedding or peeling away of the outer layer of the skin. During this process, the skin's integrity is compromised, leading to the separation of epidermal layers due to the effects of enzymatic breakdown and bacterial invasion.

Desquamation can be observed both qualitatively, as loosened skin layers fall away, and quantitatively, as large sections of skin may slough off as decomposition progresses. This symptom is part of the natural decomposition process and helps forensic specialists determine the time since death.

While edema, discoloration, and ecchymosis can all be associated with various stages of death and decomposition, they do not specifically highlight the characteristic changes associated with putrefaction like desquamation does. Edema pertains to fluid accumulation, discoloration often involves changes due to bruising or the settling of blood, and ecchymosis refers to localized bleeding underneath the skin, which occur for different reasons and do not directly relate to the bacterial decomposition process inherent in putrefaction.