Atopies barrier function

Atopic dermatitis is the most common itchy dermatosis, with well-documented alteration in the stratum comeum function. Numerous studies have revealed an increase in the basal transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in the stratum corneum of patients with this condition. Of note, this increase in TEWL was also described in the clinically unaffected skin of atopies.2 There have been direct correlations shown between the degree of inflammation and severity of barrier impairment in atopic dermatitis. Despite these findings, to date there have been no definitive reports correlating degree of barrier function with itch variability. 

Barrier Function and Skin Hyper-Reactivity in Atopies Without Dermatitis... 

Low humidity of the air is believed to cause dehydration of the horny layer and impairment of the epidermal barrier function (Agner and Serup 1989), i.e., increased irritability of the skin. Subclinical xerotic changes may occur within hours of exposure and are more pronounced in atopies (Eberlein-Konig et al. 1996). 

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