Devillers C

Environmental dew point and skin and lip weathering

Xerosis represents a physiological response of the stratum corneum (SC) to environmental threats. The influence of the environmental dew point (DP) is not fully understood. This parameter is the air temperature at which the relative humidity is maximum. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the environmental DP and the water‐holding capacity of the skin and lower lip vermilion. For comparison, SC property was evaluated after occlusive application of cooled and uncooled hydrogel pads. Electrometric measurements using a dermal phase meter (DPM) device were performed on the back of the hands, the cheeks and the lower lip of 40 healthy menopausal women. Assessments were performed in the outdoor conditions during winter and spring. The same measurements were recorded after hydrogel pads, at room temperature or cooled to 4 °C, were placed for 15 min on the test sites. The environmental DP was recorded at each evaluation time. The SC water‐holding capacity was discretely influenced by the DP. In the open‐air environmental conditions, a positive linear relationship was found on the cheeks between the DP and DPM values. The relationship was weaker on the lips. Conversely, a consistent increase in DPM values was recorded immediately after removal of the cooled and uncooled hydrogel pads. The observations made in the open‐air testing conditions are consistent with the predicted events following the Arrhenius law. By contrast, the combination of cooling and occlusion by the hydrogel pads is responsible for the reverse effect on the SC.

Hypomelanosis of Ito: pigmentary mosaicism with immature melanosome in keratinocytes.

Background  Hypomelanosis of Ito is a rare genetic disorder characterized by whorled areas of hypomelanosis. The purpose of the present study was to revisit some aspects of Ito’s hypomelanosis.

Fungal chitin-glucan scaffold for managing diabetic xerosis of the feet in menopausal women

Background: Corneocyte accumulation (hyperkeratosis, xerosis) commonly occurs in the stratum corneum (SC) of the feet of diabetic patients, as well as menopausal women. Objective: To compare the effects of a 1.5% chitin-glucan formulation with its placebo, and commercially available glycerol formulations. Methods: This two-step controlled double-blind, randomized, intra-individual study was performed in 30 type 1 and 2 diabetic menopausal women suffering from xerosis of the feet. The formulations were applied once daily for 3 weeks. Electrometric assessments were performed on three sites of the feet at entry in the study, at weekly intervals during the treatment phase, and in a 2-week follow-up out of treatment. Positive controls consisted in two commercially available formulations enriched in glycerol. Results: Data revealed an unequivocal benefit provided by the 1.5% chitin-glucan formulation compared with placebo. The electrometric values were significantly higher at each evaluation time during both treatment and follow-up phases. The two glycerol-enriched formulations showed slightly different kinetics of SC moisturization. A steep increase was followed by a plateau level and a rapid decline after stopping the treatments. Conclusion: The increased moisturization of the SC of the sole probably improves the desquamation process and reduces xerosis of the soles.