Biophysical characterization of dry facial skin

Abstract

Skin conductance, xtensibility, corneocyte size, sebum excretion rate (SER), and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were assessed for 5 5 healthy adults showing typical winter xerosis. The variation of these param-eters with the severity of skin dryness (assessed through a standardized clinical grading) was plotted. Both skin conductance and skin extensibility decreased with the severity of skin dryness, suggesting that winter xerosis may lead to either thicker or drier stratum corneum (SC). In addition, there is an inverse relation-ship between the size of corneocytes and the severity of the xerosis, which could mean that a subclinical inflammation process underlies this skin affliction. Results how no clear relationship between skin dryness and SER or TEWL.