ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION A compromised skin barrier is not necessarily visible but still common because of the physical or chemical damage caused by exposure to insult (e.g., UV radiation, mechanical trauma, solvents, and detergents). Although alterations in the barrier function are often reversible, repeated exposure and further deterioration of the skin barrier may lead to chronic skin diseases such as contact dermatitis. Furthermore, reduced skin barrier will allow for higher absorption, increasing the risk for systemic effects after subsequent uptake of a chemical into the systemic circulation.
