69.0 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS ' ': :•' ':•t•::! . :•2'•---•-• -. '• ..... ' .•'.' --- '"'-"" ': *" •'"---o..•-•'•,½-' ........ "a,.•1' "%' .:• •'.'.' •:-•:,,•:• --•:.:'"-½:" "' .•.•'•'•' •*'.•?' •T '• - .. '• ' --- • ' • ' • '" "½"'.'•:.::• •'•:• '5"• .'• .5•: •:'• .::.:.-•:,• . "...:. •.• . : .. ,.. :.- •' .•,.:'• .• ,•-:...'.." .: • ..- .. ..•:•?•½•.":.,• •::'.'...::'•, ...'.• ..•: .... •} ... •:.:-•"•.." .-...•:.. ß •- ': .. 'i' '[ :'• • • ' ½:-'- -½'-- " - :•"•'•:":"%,'"• • . ':'•.:7-•'• "'5•. ..... :.':::" .:.•t .•...'"• .•:.'•" ..... - -:'.:• ...•':'5 ' '½•:•%'??•:":'•':•. •5, :".::.""'•'*,7%:..,,.:?.?" •:':'. ..:..• .,. •. %.:.---• . :.•:....,rs:.•.... ::..:... :...• :.•......•:::...E..• ...:-.•..: . F: =..•.'-.-.7, ---% • . • .... :.::.,....."' •: ,: ..,,...,.... ,. .?...'.....,.½ .......... .:.. :.-.: ......... .•......".':'% •%•... :..: :, ...... ...% -•::'.:?. .•..:•:. •½'.'•:: .... .:'2' ' .:'•: :..' ...: "" ½?? .?'- ..... .,. '.. ....' ...... .. :..z•:•:?•.-:' .•,:.. :... .... ß . ß '.:..:•... •'•: .... ." :-: ß ..•-..• :• :.•q ...... •.' ...,.:: :•::. .. •,.. ... • • ...... .•:•,? .-,•. :..,.......•.:•:.....:...:.• .::. ..... • ........ .....:• •, .... , ...... • ': :.•:.•: .... . '.% , '½ .-•.- :: ß •-• -•.:•:...?• ....... ß %:.:, ,•.• :.,• .•½..• .•••:{ •: .• .•'• :: .. • :.:•-:.-,:.-• .. ,•. : . . ..:' .-?-,•:•,½:.-. :'½ • •½•,, ...• •.••:?• ,:::• .•.. •: ." .• ..... ':."•:•-., r ..... :. ' ... *•'•:"' ' ': :"•½•:% :'%"' '"• :•5• ,•:? '::• ..• •. ½ *• ........ '.-. ß •.*:: .. *:,.• • •.• :? .... - - -:? r- :.. ,-•"•. 4 ". ½:½'.: ,.•.m,•:: .•:. *.: ..•,:..• ß ß ..:.• ß '• .................... ..--. ,':( ...... '.• .'.,, ..... :.d•., • ' .:•.".• ß •..•:•:.: ,,.• i•!½.::':•:': • :::.:•'.' .F'" '" • --• ... .. :' .'.•' ½:"': ß :' . :'• .... .. "'g.:. •*• ..... 's..• ..... .... :•57.-::•-'• -'•.: '½• .,"'"•'E'•.: :5 ..•.' ::•'. . ::.• .-:.:..•-, . .... ... •: ½ ..: ..... . .... •.:.. -• .... ß ..- , ..• ..•.•,, ,:.' "•.½ ..•.....:. ..•:. :•'•: ,• •:: .•., ,..... :.• "'* ß . 7' '"%• .• ..--? : .' ' ., ß .• "•' ::•' •" .' .'. :'::. ........ ..' ...• *. :-•' .. ß --•¾%'• ..:-' ..... .'•:-•z. • '--- ' • :• :•:'.:"'. ':,:.•..r: :.%. .•.•:...• '• ."•:,"...' ,::½.r,..-•.--. -. .:.: . .' . "' ' .• .'r.":'." :{.-.":.:..25.- ,% CI.':" ...•' •.-., • :• - • • .... • .-.....,..•:..:•.,•.,.: •&• '• .:...•:..'•': ß • ':/-...'-•½: •,. - --: . -.- •, : • • . • .:':'•:?-'% •. '•. .... - : ...... .- ... :..•, .•: ...: .:. ,. ..:• ½• '• .... ß .-•.5.: ,-4• :• (?.•.• '" . ½.. •::.: '•. ..:.• ,. •.•. .. ..... ': .... : ". -'• Vt- *•:.'- *. •?•'4 .... "' .:" 4.{'•, .... •'•-.•-::"'.• ....... •. ß .: - . . .......... . • "' : ..... ::•..•... •'-::% :•.½:.."...'.' .-,.. •:•..:•..' :..:, ':•. :::..'.,..:• . Figure 8. Scanning electron micrographs of immediately adjacent lateral sites on the calf of woman's leg. Each site was replicated simultaneously with (A) no treatment, and (B) 8 h after application of a commercial emollient cream. Each bar represents 167 t•m sites from grossly dry areas (e.g., the calf of a leg). A panel of women with chapped legs have recently been examined via this SEM technique before and up to 8 h after application of an emollient cream. Representative photo- graphs of a single individual's dry untreated leg show a severely desquamous and fissured surface embossed with laminae of accumulated dried cells (Fig. 8(A) ). At higher magnification, the shrunken, scaly and fractured vista is more pronounced (Fig. 9(A)). About 8 h after application of an emol.lient cream, the subdivisional interstices and white edges of uplifted corneum plaques had nearly disappeared, while the overall topography appeared td be partially coated and distinctly granular in texture (Fig. 8(B)). Enhanced magnification demonstrated the near absence of crevices, flaky edges and flat- ten scales, and accentuated a swollen, indented texture (Fig. 9(B)). An evaluation of the duration of relief and the efficacy of skin moisturization af- forded by a product can thus be made by extending the periods of replication so as to provide several adjacent samples for an SEM time study.

ASSESSMENT OF SKIN MOISTURIZATION 621 •:..: :' . ....... '. -. -. _--..::...• _•.... ...• --.:......... :.--•:.:.,:•%".•. ' ..• ...... ..•'•.. .. ...'. .. • •.' . . :.• . .'::&•.• ..'... ..(.. : .-.... ,.•,. ::::.. . , .,. .*-• ........ ,-:'."- ... .'• .....,?• :. . .- .: .•: , i'•.::' :.." . ::"• "•'.:.•: .%.•.- . •',. . . . , t:. .... : .:'" :.•. •.":.....•::½:.... •, '½-•,. ß ß ß ' •"i • : ::.:::: . :•..•:'. '-.....- ...- .... . •- •. ,.•: . '•c "•' .e .½•:. ,,•'.•..... ..... ............ ...... .. •: .•:.• : . .•. .:.%'• ß . .•.. "-'::'"• .... -...-•'• ...- . : 0['..' .... :-.•. ' ........ .:... ...... --- :. -.. ...... ,...,.... . ... • - ...,....½..-.•.::.•.•..•...: ............ ..,•?...,. ...., . '-,-. "-."•.* -' % ',•: .,:' -'::':."• :$.•'--*' '-'•.'-½. -: .." -- '" ' •5" •' '..•..'-•: ' . ' ' : .( ':•.•." ?,•c:'--- •-.--:.•,. ' .:,.??•½¾7:" ':':'• ':•4 : '"':•': .': ..... ..• . '* •'.7•'"' :'...- ":': • .... " •' %' •.•' " •"• ........ •' '½"•' ' ..... ........ .•: •'" " • '.:d:::. ... ,.."' -'•,. :2• ',.-......• .. .- .'":-•'-' :'• .•:.. . ..:. '½...'...:'"'. 7 "'..:.-- •'.:.-.• •"•••••••'%?•' ":•':•'• .... 'g:- , ...' • ': '"•* :"..:'.L •'". .•:': ?•'.'"- ' ' '•½•'••• '••••'•'•'•:*•""" "•?:•: ':' :":"' '.,' ..--.-"'*:•:- .?•i?'-•', ",, :%... Z' '-':'-*-. Figure 9. Higher magnification scanning electron micrographs of skin sites in Fig 8. Each bar represents 55.6 t•rn CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, the in vitro techniques of biomechanical, gravimetric and scanning calorimetric analyses provide valuable background information con- cerning the substances and dynamics involved in moisture uptake and reten- tion by stratum corncure. Moreover, in vivo investigations by means o.f tran- spirometry aad particularly low magnification photography and scanning electron microscopy are quite critica.1 in the assessment of benefits derived from any cutaneous moisturizer or treatment. These latter methodologies af- ford a direct assessment of the physical condition of the living skin, and pro.- vide very nearly objective means for evaluating the efficacy of present and new formulations designed to moisturize or relieve dry and chapped skin. ACKNOWLEDGI•ENTS Thanks are given to. Dr. Emil Bernstein and Ms. Eila Kairinen for prepar- ing the scanning electron micrographs, and to. Ms. Mary Sutphin and Barbara [acobik for their assistance in carrying out the other physical studies. (Received June 11, 1975)