The hydrating effect of a cream and white petrolatum measured by optothermal infrared spectrometry in vivo.
Optothermal infrared spectrometry (OTIS) is a novel way of measuring the water content of stratum corneum non-invasively. This principle has been used in the present study to evaluate the hydrating effect of a one-week treatment of human skin twice a day with either white petrolatum or a cream (o/w emulsion). Forty-two females volunteered for the study, which comprised one control pretreatment week, one treatment week, and one post-treatment week. White petrolatum was greasy and did not produce any hydrating effect at any point in time when the hydration was measured 10 h after application, whereas the cream produced a clear hydration that became statistically significant from day one of treatment and was maintained for at least 2 days after the treatment was stopped. The hydrating effect amounted to an about 80% increase in those volunteers who had initial values below the mean OTIS value of 23.5%. It is concluded that saturation of the stratum corneum with appropriate lipids and emulsifiers as in the cream leads to hydration of the stratum corneum to about 35% water as measured by the OTIS technique.
Department of Pharmacology, A/S DUMEX, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Petersen
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D001834:Body Water / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004817:Epidermis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm; D005990:Glycerol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007809:Lanolin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009226:Myristates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010577:Petrolatum / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012828:Silicones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared / Q000379:methods
D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009226:Myristates; D012828:Silicones; C008205:isopropyl myristate; D000431:Ethanol; D007809:Lanolin; D010577:Petrolatum; D005990:Glycerol