Abstract
The effects of non-ionic surfactant vesicles (NSVs) on human skin in vitro were studied in relation to the physico-chemical properties of the vesicles. The interactions between NSVs and skin were visualized using both freeze fracture electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The physico-chemical properties of the NSVs were varied in a systematic way, using a broad series of polyoxyethylene monoalkyl ether type surfactants (CnEOm). The number of oxyethylene units (m) was varied between 3, 7 and 10, and the number of carbon atoms (n) was either 12 or 18. Both the effects of liquid state vesicles composed of C12Eo3,7 and C9=9EO10 surfactants and gel state vesicles (C18EO37) were investigated. After the application of the NS V suspension on the stratum corneum surface two essentially different types of vesicle-skin interactions were visualized. Firstly, an interfacial interaction, involving the adsorption of vesicles, and the deposition of bilayer sheets on the outermost layers of the stratum corneum observed for all NSV formulations tested in this study. Secondly, effects on the ultrastructure of the stratum corneum were observed: the appearance of water pools observed for the liquid state vesicles only, and ultrastructural changes of the intercellular lipid domains are induced only observed after treatment with C12EO3 NSVs. Neither changes in the ultrastructure of the viable epidermis, nor changes in deeper skin layers were observed.
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