ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The stratum corneum (SC) is the outermost layer of the epidermis, which acts as a protective barrier to the external environment. In order to sustain healthy skin, the SC must be maintained in an optimum condition; this is achieved, in part, by the process of “epidermal desquamation.” During the desquamatory process, keratinocytes in the basal layer undergo periodic cell division, giving rise to daughter cells, which differentiate to produce the upper layers of the epidermis, the SC. This mechanism allows the regular replacement of corneocytes, which are regularly sloughed off at the skin surface (1).
