SynopsisStratum corneum (SC) bilayer lipids, specifically fatty acids, ceramides and cholesterol, contribute to the permeability barrier function of the skin. Normal skin cleansing is associated with damage to the SC lipids because cleanser surfactants, in addition to providing the desired effect of solubilizing and facilitating the removal of sebum and skin soils, have a propensity to disrupt bilayer lipids by extracting endogenous skin lipids or intercalating into the bilayer. Disrupted SC lipids are associated with a variety of pathological skin conditions, as well as with dry skin induced by harsh cleansing. In an attempt to preserve the barrier and mitigate the damage caused by frequent normal cleansing, the incorporation of physiologically relevant lipids into skin cleansers has become common in leading cleansing products. It has been noted that fatty acids are more susceptible to surfactant-induced removal than other lipids (eg, ceramides), an observation that may form the basis for a critically important strategy for replenishing SC lipids. This review will focus on the role of fatty acids in the structure and function of the SC, and the rationale for incorporation of stearic acid into moisturizing body cleansers to minimize their extraction by surfactants and replenish lost fatty acids to promote skin barrier preservation.
R esum eLes lipides des bicouchesdu stratum corneum (SC), les acides gras en particulier, les c eramides, le cholest erol contribuent a la fonction de barri ere de perm eabilit e de la peau. Le nettoyage normal de la peau est associ e a des dommages aux lipides du SC parce que les tensioactifs nettoyants, en plus de fournir l'effet d esir e de solubilisation et d' elimination du s ebum et des souillures de la peau, ont une propension a perturber les lipides des bicouches par l'extraction de lipides endog enesde la peau ou ceux intercal es dans les bicouches. La perturbation des lipides du SC est associ ee a une vari et e d'affections cutan ees pathologiques, ainsi qu'avec la peau s eche induite par le nettoyage agressif. Dans une tentative pour pr eserver la barri ere et att enuer les d egâts caus es par le nettoyage fr equent normal, l'incorporation de lipides physiologiquement pertinents dans les nettoyants pour la peau est devenu habituel pour les produits de nettoyage de de qualit e. Il a et e not e que les acides gras sont plus sensibles a l' elimination induite par les tensio-actifs que d'autres lipides (par exemple, les c eramides), une observation qui pourrait constituer la base d'une strat egie cruciale pour la reconstitution des lipides du SC. Cet examen portera sur le rôle des acides gras dans la structure et la fonction du SC, et la justification de l'incorporation de l'acide st earique dans les nettoyants hydratants pour le corps afin de minimiser leur extraction par des agents tensioactifs et de reconstituer les acides gras perdus pour promouvoir la pr eservation de la barri ere cutan ee.
The estimated total fatty acid delivered to skin from cleansing is comparable to the amount of fatty acid in a corneum layer. The delivered fatty acid is most likely incorporated in the corneum lipid phase.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.