Quantification of the DMSO-response--a test for assessment of sensitive skin.

The DMSO-test has been suggested as a means of assessing skin sensitivity. When DMSO is applied to the skin a whealing response is provoked, and the magnitude of the response depends on the susceptibility of the individual. In this study clinical grading, along with transepidermal water loss measurement (TEWL), electrical conductance, laser Doppler flowmetry and ultrasound skin thickness measurement have been used for quantification of the DMSO-response. It is concluded that TEWL measurement, electrical conductance and ultrasound skin thickness measurement are all suitable methods for quantifying the DMSO-response, while laser Doppler flowmetry, due to interference from oedema formation, should not be used for this purpose. The ultrasound technique was quick and simple to handle as compared to the other bioengineering methods. The DMSO-test is an interesting and realistic possibility as a test for skin sensitivity and, with new bioengineering methods, the separate phenomena comprising the response can be evaluated and quantified, improving the objectivity of the test.