Neat SEFA

Neat Petrolatum versus Neat SEFA versus Glycerin-Based... 

Sucrose Esters of Fatty Acids 28.5.3.1 Neat SEFA... 

FIGURE 28.7 Neat SEFA site from a 42-year-old male, (a) Comeocytes are closely apposed, with well-formed lamellae at the corneocyte surface. Between the lamellae is a relatively uniform layer of an amorphous material. This pattern is referred to as the SEFA look. (b) Occasional multiple Landmann units are present in the intercellular space. The length of the double Landmann units is always relatively short. Bar = 100 nm. 

The blinded TEM studies rated the test materials potential to improve lipid ultrastructure as neat SEFA > neat petrolatum > lotion. However, the blinded expert scoring in this study ranked the test materials ability to improve dry skin oppositely lotion > neat petrolatum > neat SEFA. This reversal illustrates two of the roles a moisturizer can play the former showing the materials potential to effect functional improvement and biological repair, the latter showing their potential to cosmetically improve dry skin.47 Importantly, these results demonstrate that the cosmetic and functional aspects of a moisturizer s action on skin do not necessarily contribute to the same extent or need not even act in parallel for a given material or product. 

To conclude this section, previous reports on the beneficial effects of topically applied moisturizing preparations have often focused on optimizing their physiological lipid composition. The results found for the formulated SEFA and petrolatum in this work, when viewed relative to the neat materials, suggest that proper formulation of even nonphysiological moisturizing agents will enhance the beneficial effect these materials have on outer SC lipid structure. 

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