Corneometric, sebumetric and TEWL measurements following the cleaning of atopic skin with a urea emulsion versus a detergent cleanser

A non-detergent urea emulsion cleanser and a detergent cleanser with added moisturizers were compared for their effects on stratum corneum moisture, surface lipids and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) of atopic skin. Following a single wash with either cleanser, low corneometry and sebumetry values increased and elevated TEWL values decreased. Over the course of more than 6 h, all induced changes gradually returned to their starting points. In all instances, the changes induced by the urea emulsion lasted significantly longer than those caused by the detergent cleanser. The sebumetry increase after a wash with the lipid-free detergent cleanser indicated that this method recognized not only true lipids but also the lipid-derived and skin lipid-depleting detergents. The transient TEWL normalization with either cleanser could not be attributed to a passing barrier restoration nor to an occlusion. It is speculated that the TEWL changes were related to stratum corneum water binding capacity.