Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Occupational skin-protection products—a review

  • Review
  • Published:
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Skin-protection products are used in the occupational field to protect the skin against hazards from the workplace. They are only to be used for non-toxic, non-cancerogenous and non-sensitizing low-grade irritants such as water, detergents, and cutting fluids and cannot replace other protective measures such as gloves. The recommendation of products mainly focuses on the physico-chemical properties of the irritant and the protective cream. More in vivo studies and intervention studies are needed to prove the efficacy of skin-protection products under real-life conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Allmers H (2001) Wearing test with 2 different types of latex gloves with and without the use of a skin protection cream. Contact Dermatitis 44:30–33

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Berndt U, et al. (2000) Hand eczema in metalworker trainees—an analysis of risk factors. Contact Dermatitis 43:327–332

    Google Scholar 

  3. Berndt U, et al. (2000) Efficacy of a barrier cream and its vehicle as protective measures against occupational irritant contact dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 42:77–80

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Boman A, Wahlberg JE, Johansson G (1982) A method for the study of the effect of barrier creams and protective gloves on the percutaneous absorption of solvents. Dermatologica 164:157–160

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Frosch PJ, Kurte A (1994) Efficacy of skin barrier creams (IV). The repetitive irritation test (RIT) with a set of 4 standard irritants. Contact Dermatitis 31:161–168

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Frosch PJ, Kurte A, Pilz B (1993) Efficacy of skin barrier creams (III). The repetitive irritation test (RIT) in humans. Contact Dermatitis 29:113–118

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Frosch PJ, et al. (1993) Efficacy of skin barrier creams. Contact Dermatitis 28:94–100

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Frosch PJ, et al. (1993) Efficacy of skin barrier creams (II). Ineffectiveness of a popular "skin protector" against various irritants in the repetitive irritation test in the guinea pig. Contact Dermatitis 29:74–77

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Fullerton A, Menné T (1995) In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the effect of barrier gels in nickel contact allergy. Contact Dermatitis 32:100–106

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Funke U, Fartasch M, Diepgen TL (2001) Incidence of work-related hand eczema during apprenticeship: first results of a prospective cohort study in the car industry. Contact Dermatitis 44:166–172

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Gawkrodger DJ, Healy J, Howe AM (1995) The prevention of nickel contact dermatitis: a review of the use of binding agents and barrier creams. Contact Dermatitis 32:257–265

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Gehring W, Gloor M, Kleesz P (1998) Predictive washing test for evaluation of individual eczema risk. Contact Dermatitis 39:8–13

    Google Scholar 

  13. Glang-Vetter S, Bahmer FA (1999) Testing of weak irritants by the IT50-method. In vivo estimation with an objective, reproducible, and subject friendly irritancy test model. Derm Beruf Umwelt 47:157–161

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Grunewald AM, et al. (1996) Lipophilic irritants: protective value of urea- and of glycerol-containing oil-in-water emulsions. Derm Beruf Umwelt 44:81–86

    Google Scholar 

  15. John SM, Uter W, Schwanitz HJ (2000) Relevance of multiparametric skin bioengineering in a prospectively-followed cohort of junior hairdressers. Contact Dermatitis 43:161–168

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Lidén C (2001) Legislative and preventive measures related to contact dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 44:65–69

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Löffler H, Effendy I, Happle R (2000) Die irritative Kontaktdermatitis. Hautarzt. 51:203–218

    Google Scholar 

  18. Maibach HI (2000) Barrier creams (skin protective creams). In: Cosmetics & Toiletries

  19. Marks JG, et al. (1995) Prevention of poison oak allergic contact dermatitis by quaternium-18 bentonite. J Am Acad Dermatol 33:212–216

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. McFadden JP, Basketter DA (2000) Contact allergy, irritancy and 'danger'. Contact Dermatitis 42:123–127

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Olivarius FDF, et al. (1996) Water protective effect of barrier creams and moisturizing creams: a new in vivo test method. Contact Dermatitis 35:219–225

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Ramsing DW, Agner T (1996) Effect of glove occlusion on human skin (I). Contact Dermatitis 34:1–5

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Ramsing DW, Agner T (1996) Effect on glove occlusion on human skin (II). Contact Dermatitis 34:258–262

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Romaguera C, et al. (1985) Formulation of a barrier cream against chromate. Contact Dermatitis 13:49–52

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Schlüter-Wigger W, Elsner P (1996) Efficacy of 4 commercially available protective creams in the repetitive irritation test (RIT). Contact Dermatitis 34:278–283

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Schnetz E, et al. (2000) Multicentre study for the development of an in vivo model to evaluate the influence of topical formulations on irritation. Contact Dermatitis 42:336–343

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Spoo J, et al. (2001) Prüfung der protektiven Wirkung von Hautschutzpräparaten im repetitiven Irritationstest mit kombinierter Irritantien-Exposition. Dermatol Beruf Umwelt 49:41

    Google Scholar 

  28. Treffel P, Gabard B (1996) Bioengineering measurements of barrier creams efficacy against toluene and NaOH in an in vivo single irritation test. Skin Res Technol 2: 83–87

    Google Scholar 

  29. Uter W, et al. (1998) Risk factors for hand dermatitis in hairdressing apprentices. Derm Beruf Umwelt 46:151–158

    Google Scholar 

  30. Wigger-Alberti W, Elsner P (1998) Do barrier creams and gloves prevent or provoke contact dermatitis. Am J Contact Dermatitis 9:100–106

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Wigger-Alberti W, et al. (1987) Self application of a protective cream: pitfalls of occupational skin protection. Arch Dermatol 133: 861–864

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Wigger-Alberti W, Krebs A, Elsner P (2000) Experimental irritant contact dermatitis due to cumulative epicutaneous exposure to sodium lauryl sulphate and toluene: single and concurrent application. Br J Dermatol 143:551–556

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Zhai H, Maibach HI (1996) Effect of barrier creams: human skin in vivo. Contact Dermatitis 35:92–96

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Zhai H, Maibach HI (2001) Effects of skin occlusion on percutaneous absorption: an overview. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol 14:1–10

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by Stockhausen GmbH & Co. KG, Krefeld, Germany, a member of the Degussa Group

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Irmgadis Apotheke, Tönisvorster Strasse 25–27, 41749, Viersen, Germany

    J. Kresken

  2. Stockhausen GmbH & Co. KG, Krefeld, Germany

    A. Klotz

Authors
  1. J. Kresken
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Klotz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Paper presented at the Occupational Skin Care Management State-of-the-Art Conference, 1–3 September 2000, Zurich

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kresken, J., Klotz, A. Occupational skin-protection products—a review. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 76, 355–358 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-002-0422-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-002-0422-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation