Skin Barrier Dysfunction in Chronic Dermatoses: From Pathophysiology to Emerging Therapeutic Strategies.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology and Immunology
• Skin Barrier Physiology
• Translational Medicine

Background:

• Skin barrier dysfunction is central to chronic inflammatory dermatoses (e.g., atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, ichthyoses).
• Disease heterogeneity and inconsistent clinical assessments hinder universal therapeutic application.
• Impaired lipid composition, filaggrin deficiency, and compromised tight junctions contribute to chronicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the pathophysiology of skin barrier impairment in chronic dermatoses.
• To assess the clinical efficacy of emerging barrier-restoring therapeutic strategies.
• To address challenges and outline future directions for managing these conditions.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of multidisciplinary investigations.
• Evaluation of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying skin barrier defects.
• Assessment of clinical data on novel therapeutic interventions.

Main Results:

• Barrier dysfunction initiates and perpetuates inflammatory skin conditions.
• Targeted biologics, barrier-repair emollients, and microbiome therapies show promise.
• Nanotechnology and gene-editing therapies represent future precision repair avenues.

Conclusions:

• Restoring skin barrier function alleviates symptoms, reduces flares, and enhances patient quality of life.
• Standardized protocols and unified assessment tools are crucial for clinical translation.
• Integrating barrier-targeted strategies is essential for effective chronic dermatosis management.