The fundamental function of the epidermis is to provide an inside‐out barrier to water loss and an outside‐in barrier to penetration of external irritants. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) has been… Click to show full abstract
The fundamental function of the epidermis is to provide an inside‐out barrier to water loss and an outside‐in barrier to penetration of external irritants. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) has been extensively used as a method of estimating the skin barrier quality, typically without any consideration of directionality. The validity of TEWL as an estimate of skin permeability to external substances has been controversial in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this work was to assess the relationship between TEWL and the penetration of a topically applied external marker (caffeine) in healthy skin in vivo before and following a challenge to the barrier.
               
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