ABSTRACT
Skin permeability barrier function is a self-regulatory system. When the barrier is damaged, normal function is rapidly restored. On the other hand, abnormalities in skin barrier function are present in many inflammatory and non-inflammatory skin conditions, such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (1); i.e., normal function is never restored. Previous reports suggest that even a single barrier insult can induce cytokine activation secretion (2), and or increased epidermal DNA synthesis (3). Moreover, even though barrier function is normally restored quickly, when the damage is repeated or when it occurs under low environmental humidity, epidermal hyperplasia or inflammation can result (4,5). Thus, the skin barrier recovery response is clinically important for disease pathogenesis.
