Shielded corneosurfametry and corneoxenometry: novel bioassays for the assessment of skin barrier products.

OBJECTIVES

One of the most frequent occupational and environmental insults to the skin is linked to chronic exposure to weak irritants. There is a need for new predictive tests assessing the efficacy of barrier creams.

METHODS

Shielded variants of corneosurfametry and corneoxenometry are introduced as novel ex vivo bioassays applicable for comparing protection to surfactants and organic solvents.

RESULTS

Both bioassays showed good reproducibility for each offending agent and skin-protective products. Significant differences in efficacy were indicated between the presumptive barrier products.

CONCLUSIONS

Shielded corneosurfametry and corneoxenometry may be convenient bioassays to compare the protection afforded by topical products against specific offending compounds to the skin. They avoid animal testing and toxicological hazards in human testing. In addition, they are cheap, rapid and reproducible.