Emollients: benefits, key elements, and clinical application

Abstract

The skin is the largest organ in the human body. Among other components, it contains epidermal cells, which are modified epithelial cells that rest on a basal membrane that separates them from the dermis. When the epidermis presents variations in its structural composition and the distribution of its elements, the result is the loss of large amounts of water, which perpetuates these variations and leads to permanent dehydration. Emollients are the first line of treatment for pathologies that affect the hydration of the skin, such as atopic dermatitis, which is one of the most important ones. This document entails the description of the epidermal barrier with its main components and functions, the characteristics of an altered skin barrier, and the mechanisms for its repair. Subsequently, this paper includes the definition of emollient, hydration mechanisms for the recovery of the barrier, types of emollients, the situations that must be taken into account when the use of emollients is prescribed, evidence with or without connection with their advantages, and the key points at the time of its formulation.