One of the major functions of human skin is to establish a barrier to keep harmful substances out and to diminish water loss from the skinj. The skin is perfectly designed for this task. However, environmental influences challenge the skin barrier and can lead to barrier imperfections and skin problems. Especially during work, frequent contact with low grade irritants over a long period can provoke skin illness. Thus skin diseases are one of the most common occupational illnesses.
To maintain healthy skin, one can use a system of skin protection creams, mild appropriate skin cleansers and after-work skin care products. Skin care products are applied after exposure to irritant and subsequent barrier damage, and thus their main aim is to restore skin barrier function, mainly by increasing skin hydration and skin lipid content. For the past 40 years, an oil-in-water emulsion has been used successfully for this purpose.
