Research Summary
Moisturizers are often used in the prevention and treatment of irritant contact dermatitis. The present study aimed to determine whether long-term daily use of a moisturizer on normal skin would affect skin barrier function, hydration state, or susceptibility to sodium lauryl sulphate.
Healthy volunteers used a moisturizer on one forearm three times daily for four weeks, while the other forearm served as a control. Afterward, both forearms were challenged with a patch test of sodium lauryl sulphate. Skin barrier function was evaluated by measuring trans-epidermal water loss, and skin hydration was assessed by measuring electrical capacitance.
Electrical capacitance significantly increased on the treated arm during the treatment period. After the challenge with sodium lauryl sulphate, trans-epidermal water loss was significantly higher on the arm treated with moisturizer than on the control arm.
The results suggest that long-term treatment with moisturizers on normal skin may increase skin susceptibility to irritants.
Key words; TEWL; electrical capacitance; sodium lauryl sulphate.
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