24 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS We would like to take this opportunity for mentioning other uses of the silicone preparations in the field of dermatology with whicl we have had personal professional experience. By citing these experiences, other appli- cations may present themselves to the listeners. The success of a dermatological topical agent depends upon many factors however, continuous contact of the prescribed medicament with the skin will naturally exert a more rapid therapeutic effect. With this premise in mind, the applications enumerated below are mentioned. In the treatment of cheiliris, or chapped lips, a 2 per cent silicone oil was added to a lip pomade. The affected lips improved and were then able to withstand the changes in temperature and humidity more readily than pre- viously. The pomade silicone formulation was found particularly effective in re- ducing the angular stomatitis which is not due to a riboflavin deficiency. This condition has been seen with greater frequency in the geriatric patient who wears loose-fitting dentures, thereby causing excessive sailration. Evidently, the application of the reinforced pomade prevents the continuous moistening of the muco-cutaneous junction. Reiches (12) found a specific silicone ointment effective in healing the angular stomatitis which was due to ill-fitting dentures. However, con- tinued use of the medication is preferred to prevent a recurrence. Brown (13) reports additional uses for the silicone preparations in plastic surgery, particularly for prevention of maceration of the skin adjacent to wet dressings, and also for the waterproofing of gauze dressings which are recommended for fixation of skin grafts. Silicone oils afford sterile protection of medical-surgical instruments by one application, when a described technique is followed. In resistant cases of psoriasis and localized neurodermatitis, coal tar derivatives have been considered to be most effective when applied to the involved area. Two to five per cent of silicone fluid was added to liquor carbonis detergens and tincture of benzoin. This combination affected the favorable disappearance of the refractory dermatological lesions, possi- bly because the therapeutic action of the tar was maintained for steady and continuous periods. Seborrhea of the face, with its attendant erythema, greasy scaling, roughness, and itching, is always aggravated by contact with soap and shaving cream. Inunction of the affected area of the face with 5 per cent silicone greaseless base formulation before washing and shaving aids in the improvement of the seborrhea of the face. I offer my facial integument for inspection as a seborrhea patient, to demonstrate the effectiveness of this prophylactic procedure. Silicone ointments have also proved their value in the prevention of cu- taneous irritation by acrid body discharges against a delicate skin. These

USES AND NEWER APPLICATIONS OF SILICONE COMPOUNDS 25 silicone fluids have been found to be very effective in the prevention of diaper rash, or a contact dermatitis due to fecal contents emanating from a recent colostomy which soils the adjacent skin. We have been treating patients who are very susceptible to poison ivy and poison sumac. They have used the silicone preparations previously mentioned as prophylactic measures successfully. The silicone formulations serve to prevent the allergenic effect of the poison ivy allergen upon the skin. We suggest that a more effective preparation in the prevention of the poison ivy is the combination of the zirconium compounds dispersed in a silicone greaseless cream. In conclusion, we have outlined laboratory and clinical methods of evaluating the relative cutaneous protection afforded by topical applica- tions of silicone fluids in various vehicles. These results can be affected by changes in environmental temperature and humidity, the concentration of the specific contactant, and the individual altered physiology of the pa- tient's epidermis. This paper suggests that the dermatologist and the cosmetic chemist have merely "scratched the surface" of the symbolic crystal ball in reference to significant future applications of these non-toxic, versatile and unique chemical compounds--the silicone fluids. BIBLIOGRAPHY (1) Tajkowski, E.G., and Reilly, T. H., "Silicones: Properties and Possible Uses in Cos- roetics," Proc. $ci. Sect. Toilet Goods .4ssoc., No. 20 (1953). (2) Talbot, J. R., MacGregor, J. K., and Crowe, F. W., "The Use of Silicone as a Skin Protec- tant," 2'. Investigative DermatoL, 17, 3 (1951). (3) Finnerty, E. F., "Silicone Protectives--A Clinical Evaluation," Ind. Med. and $urg., 23, 4 (1954). (4) Suskind, R. R., "Industrial and Laboratory Evaluation of a Silicone Protective Cream," dlrch. Ind. Hyg. and Occ. Med., 9, 101-112 (1954). (5) Morrow, G., "The Use of Silicones to Protect the Skin," Calif. Medicine, 80, 1 (1954). (6) LeVan, P., Sternberg, T. H., and Newcomer, V. D., "The Use of Silicones in Derma- tology," Ibid., 81, 3 (1954). (7) Piein, J. B., and Plein, E. M., "A Preliminary Study of Silicone Oils as Dermatological Vehicles," •. •lm. Pharm. •lssoc., Sci. Ed., 42, 79 (1953). (8) Suskind, R. R., "Industrial and Laboratory Evaluation of a Silicone Protective Cream," •lrch. Ind. Hyg. and Occ. Med., 9, 101-112 (1954). (9) Smith, C. C., Day, T. L., and Zimmerman, E. H., "Studies of a Nitrocellulose Silicone Cream as a Skin Protectant Against Eczematogeneous Contact Allergens," 5 t. Investiga- tive DerrnatoL, 21, 2 (1953). Madsen, A., "Patch Test on Skin Prepared with Kerodex (Invisible Glove)," •lcta Derrnato-I/enereol., 32, 213 (1952). Abbott Laboratories, personal communication to United States Testing Co., Inc., Ho- (10) (11) boken, N.J. (12) Reiches, A. J., "Angular Stomatitis Treated with Sillcote Ointment," drch. Derrnatol. and SyphiloL, 68, 3 (1953). (13) Brown, J. B., Fryer, M.P., Randall, P., and Lu, M., "Silicones in Plastic Surgery," Plastic and Recons. Surg., 12, 5 (1953). (14) Schwartz, L. Mason, H. S., and Albritton, H. R., "A Method for the Evaluation of Pro- tective Ointments," Occupational Med., 1, 376 (1946). (15) Birmingham, D. J., "Alterations in the Skin Physiology Following Continuous Use of Soaps and Detergents," presented before the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, New York, December 9, 1954.