ABSTRACT
The expression ‘‘barrier cream’’ is used most often to indicate those creams that are used in the context of prevention of irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) [1]. The use of this type of product, however, is much broader than the medical care circuit (diagnosed patients by dermatologists, general practitioners, or other healthcare professionals), and in fact the major sales of barrier creams is in the segments of skincare and occupational use. In these segments there is quite some mix-up between ‘‘barrier creams,’’ ‘‘emollients,’’ and ‘‘moisturizers,’’ both in use and marketing. However, contemplating on insights gained during the last one and a half decades in both the causes and prevention of ICD [2-6], a more consummated view on treatment options can be given [7,8]. Repeated exposure of the skin to low concentrations of irritants, low temperatures, or friction during daily wear and tear of the skin, may lead to a gradual lowering of treshold for disruption of the skin barrier, and consequently to ICD. This means that it makes sense to distinguish prevention and treatment options for people who are at risk for developing ICD. In this respect persons with a history of (skin) atopy should be considered, along with those whose occupational environments create the aforementioned conditions. It will be evident that prevention of skin barrier problems has two aspects, namely risk avoidance, e.g., by minimizing contact time with irritating conditions and fluids, and protection of the skin, e.g., with gloves or protective products. If despite these measures the skin gets abrogated, it is important to apply products that have the capacity to aid or accelerate skin repair.
