Effectiveness of Barrier Creams against Irritant Contact Dermatitis

Skin tissue is frequently exposed to various irritant substances in the workplace, particularly in wet work, which can lead to the development of occupational contact dermatitis. 'Barrier' creams (BCs) are well known, and their applications are still the subject of many studies and controversies.

We searched all controlled trials investigating BCs against cutaneous irritants in humans published between 1956 and December 2014 from MEDLINE, PubMed, reference lists and existing reviews.

Thirty-nine studies about the effects of BCs against skin irritants in humans were selected. Among these, 27 trials in healthy volunteers were found to show many differences with regard to BCs and irritants used, their quantities, test locations, procedures and assessment methods. Finally, 14 patch test trials assessed by clinical scoring and evaporimetry emerged. Although the findings were generally positive, only few findings could be cross-checked from all the data, and vehicles seem to be as effective as BCs.

Although this review highlights the poor quality and the lack of standardization of most studies, BCs seem to have protective effects against irritants. Further well-designed, adequately powered randomized controlled trials with clinical and biophysical assessments are required.