ABSTRACT
The epidermis serves as a barrier to the outside world. Through its external layer, the stratum corneum (SC), the epidermis plays a mechanical protective role and minimizes the exchange of materials between our body and the environment. One of the major functions of the SC layer is to prevent excessive evaporation of water from the viable cell layers. Removal or alteration of the SC results in a signifi cant increase in the rate of water loss from the skin [1]. The SC mainly consists of protein-enriched corneocytes embedded in a highly organized lamellar bilayer of lipids [2]. It is generally assumed that this cutaneous barrier is disrupted through intercellular lipid disorganizations, lipid removal, or protein alterations [3]. The “barrier” maintains SC functionality by preventing fl uid loss and by minimizing the penetration of exogenous substances.
