Need Training?
Build a solid foundation in science, formulation and product development—find out more!
Most Popular in:
Biology
Excerpt Only
Effects of Occlusion: Percutaneous Absorption
By: Hong Zhai MD and Howard I. Maibach, MD, University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine
Posted: October 17, 2006, from the November 2003 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.
Purchase This Article
- From Cosmetics & Toiletries
- November 2003 issue, pg 22
- 7 pages
Article Keywords:
- occlusion
- percutaneous absorption
Available Formats:
- Adobe PDF for download
- Printed copies mailed to you
From $9 an article
Occlusion
Occlusion refers to covering skin by tape, gloves, impermeable dressings or transdermal devices. Certain topical vehicles may also act as “occlusive dressings” if they contain fats or chemicals, reducing water loss to the atmosphere. In healthy skin, the stratum corneum typically has a water content of 10-20% and provides a partial barrier against percutaneous absorption of exogenous substances. Occlusion can increase stratum corneum hydration, and hence infl uence percutaneous absorption by altering partitioning between the surface chemical and the skin due to the increasing presence of water, swelling corneocytes and possibly altering the intercellular lipid phase organization, also by increasing the skin surface temperature, and increasing blood flow. Occlusion may enhance drug efficacy.
This is only an excerpt of the full article that appeared in Cosmetics & Toiletries, but you can purchase the full-text version.

