The determination of regional and age variations in the rate of desquamation: a comparison of four techniques.

The measurement of the rate of desquamation is an important parameter for epidermal cell kinetic considerations. In order to obtain such information, we have compared 2 existing techniques with a new one and with a modification of a little-used technique for determining the rate of cell loss from the stratum corneum. We have also studied regional and age variations in desquamation in normal skin. The results of the studies performed show there was a strong positive correlation between the "chamber" technique (which measures passive desquamation) and the "scrub" technique (measuring forced desquamation). There was similar strong negative correlation for the scrub technique and the dansyl chloride fluorescence method which measures stratum corneum renewal.