Topical stratum corneum lipids accelerate barrier repair after tape stripping, solvent treatment and some but not all types of detergent treatment.

Topical acetone treatment extracts lipids from the stratum corneum, and disrupts the permeability barrier, resulting in a homeostatic response in the viable epidermis that ultimately repairs the barrier. Recently, we have developed an optimal lipid mixture (cholesterol, ceramide, palmitate and linoleate 4.3:2.3:1:1.08) that, when applied topically, accelerates barrier repair following extensive disruption of the barrier by acetone. The present study determined if topical treatment with this optimal lipid mixture would have beneficial effects following disruption of the barrier by petroleum ether, tape stripping, or by detergent treatment. Also, we determined if barrier repair was accelerated after moderate disturbances of barrier function. Following moderate or extensive disruption of the barrier by acetone or petroleum ether (solvents), or tape stripping (mechanical), application of the optimal lipid mixture accelerated barrier repair. Additionally, following barrier disruption with N-laurosarcosine free acid or dodecylbenzensulphuric acid (detergents), the optimal lipid mixture similarly accelerated barrier repair. However, following disruption of the barrier with different detergents, sodium dodecyl sulphate and ammonium lauryl sulphosuccinate, the optimal lipid mixture did not improve barrier recovery. Thus, the optimal lipid mixture is capable of accelerating barrier repair following disruption of the barrier by solvent treatment or tape stripping (mechanical), and by certain detergents such as Sarkosyl and dodecylbenzensulphuric acid. The ability of the optimal lipid mixture to accelerate barrier repair after both moderate and extensive degrees of barrier disruption suggests a potential clinical use for this approach.