ABSTRACT
From the multiple surfaces with which surfactants can interact, the skin is probably one of the most complex for several reasons which are summarized as follows:
1. Skin is an heterogeneous surface and surfactants applied to its surface can interact with many different targets such as the superficial or intercellular lipids, keratin, dead cells ( corneocytes ), or living cells (keratinocytes );
2. The manifestation of the interaction of the surfactant with its target is not especially located at the site of the interaction but can be translocated by means of chemical messengers. For instance, the manifestation of an interaction between a surfactant and the surface of the skin is currently the development of an erythema (reddening of the skin) that is the result of a vasodilatation of small blood vessels in the dermis. One consequence of such a translocation of the effect is that same clinical observations can be generated from the interaction of a surfactant with different targets through the same intermediate mediator(s).
