Influence of temperature on irritation in the hand/forearm immersion test

As indicated by in vitro experiments the penetration of irritants through the skin is significantly influenced by the temperature of the solution. In vivo experiments, demonstrated equally a significant influence of temperature in surfactant-induced skin irritation. In order to evaluate the irritant potential of detergent solutions under normal user conditions, we used the hand/forearm immersion test. We compared 2 detergents with different anionic character in a repetitive immersion protocol (30 min immersion on 4 consecutive days). The solutions were tested at 2 temperatures (37 degrees C and 40 degrees C). The irritation was quantified by assessment of the stratum corneum barrier function (transepidermal water loss), skin redness (a* colour parameter) and skin dryness (capacitance method). Both detergents affected the integrity of the skin in a significant way. The anionic content as well as the temperature of the solutions were found to be determinative for the irritant potential, with a stronger response for higher anionic content and temperature, respectively.