Chapter 18 - Proper Skin Hydration and Barrier Function

Abstract

This chapter examines the interaction between skin hydration and barrier function. Skin dehydration is common in skin disease and conditions of excessive skin lipid removal. Diseases where skin dehydration is common include psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, xerotic eczema, hand dermatitis, etc. The skin barrier regulates skin hydration and maintains the water content. It is composed of protein-rich comeocytes surrounded by carefully organized lamellar lipid bilayers that are covalently bound, forming the intercellular lipids. The chapter also discusses what represents too much, too little, and just right in terms of skin hydration, accompanied by descriptions of noninvasive equipment technology used to measure skin hydration. In addition, the causes of skin dehydration and methods to restore the proper water balance are also explored. At present, the most common cause of skin dehydration is poor cleanser selection and cleanser overuse. Healthy skin is well moisturized and maintains a careful organizational structure. It maintains fluid balance, regulates temperature, and allows tactile interaction with the environment. Skin allows human existence in low humidity hot desert conditions and cold rainy winter conditions. Thus, the integrity of the skin barrier achieved through proper hydration is key to human health.