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Surfactants have multi-fold effects on skin barrier function

  • Investigative Report
  • Published:
European Journal of Dermatology Aims and scope

Abstract

Background

The stratum corneum (SC) is responsible for the barrier properties of the skin and the role of intercorneocyte skin lipids, particularly their structural organization, in controlling SC permeability is acknowledged. Upon contacting the skin, surfactants interact with the SC components leading to barrier damage.

Objective

To improve knowledge of the effect of several classes of surfactant on skin barrier function at three different levels.

Methods

The influence of treatments of human skin explants with six non-ionic and four ionic surfactant solutions on the physicochemical properties of skin was investigated. Skin surface wettability and polarity were assessed through contact angle measurements. Infrared spectroscopy allowed monitoring the SC lipid organization. The lipid extraction potency of surfactants was evaluated thanks to HPLC-ELSD assays.

Results

One anionic and one cationic surfactant increased the skin polarity by removing the sebaceous and epidermal lipids and by disturbing the organization of the lipid matrix. Another cationic surfactant displayed a detergency effect without disturbing the skin barrier. Several non-ionic surfactants disturbed the lipid matrix organization and modified the skin wettability without any extraction of the skin lipids. Finally two non-ionic surfactants did not show any effect on the investigated parameters or on the skin barrier.

Conclusions

The polarity, the organization of the lipid matrix and the lipid composition of the skin allowed describing finely how surfactants can interact with the skin and disturb the skin barrier function.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université de Lyon, F-69008, Lyon, France

    Emmanuelle Lemery, Stéphanie Briançon, Yves Chevalier & Marie-Alexandrine Bolzinger

  2. Johnson & Johnson Santé Beauté France, Campus de Maigremont, 27100, Val de Reuil, France

    Emmanuelle Lemery, Thierry Oddos & Annie Gohier

  3. Laboratoire de Chimie Catalyse Polymères et Procédés (C2P2), Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CPE Lyon, CNRS UMR 5265, F-69616, Villeurbanne, France

    Olivier Boyron

  4. Laboratoire de Dermopharmacie et Cosmétologie, Laboratoire d’Automatique et de Génie des Procédés (LAGEP), UMR CNRS 5007, 8, avenue Rockefeller, 69373, Lyon cedex 08, France

    Emmanuelle Lemery, Stéphanie Briançon, Yves Chevalier & Marie-Alexandrine Bolzinger

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  1. Emmanuelle Lemery
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Correspondence to Marie-Alexandrine Bolzinger.

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Lemery, E., Briançon, S., Chevalier, Y. et al. Surfactants have multi-fold effects on skin barrier function. Eur J Dermatol 25, 424–435 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1684/ejd.2015.2587

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1684/ejd.2015.2587

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