In vitro tape stripping as a model for in vivo skin stripping

Tape stripping is a useful technique to assess the distribution and amount of chemical in the stratum corneum (SC). The aim of this work was to develop an in vitro model that could be used to predict the results of in vivo skin stripping. Tape stripping experiments were carried out in vivo with the lipophilic penetrant fluazifop-butyl (FB) as part of a human volunteer study. Tape stripping was carried out at three time points after dosing. In vitro experiments were performed to match conditions in the in vivo experiment, using human epidermal membranes in static diffusion cells. By analysing the amount of penetrant in each pool of strips, the concentration profiles and the total amount of penetrant within the SC were determined from both in vivo and in vitro experiments. The concentration profiles demonstrate that the amount of penetrant decreases with increasing depth into the stratum corneum. The in vitro and in vivo profiles and total recovery of FB were found to be similar. These data suggest in vitro tape stripping provides a good model for the in vivo situation.