A laboratory comparison between two liquid skin barrier products

Exposure of skin to friction and moisture is detrimental to skin health. The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the ability of a cyanoacrylate polymer film to protect human skin against moisture and abrasion. A secondary purpose of this study was to compare this cyanoacrylate material to a traditional barrier film. Twelve healthy subjects participated in the wash-off resistance test to determine the percentage of dye that was left on the skin after repeated washing. Ten subjects participated in the abrasion test. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was measured before and after abrasion to determine the level of skin damage, as high water loss seen post-abrasion is indicative of skin damage post-abrasion. Skin treated with cyanoacrylate had significantly more dye remaining than sites treated with traditional film barrier or control sites. The change in TEWL was statistically lower for cyanoacrylate-treated areas.