Surfactant-induced dermatitis: comparison of corneosurfametry with predictive testing on human and reconstructed skin.

Background: Surfactants elicit alterations in the stratum corneum. Predictive tests that avoid animal experimentation are needed.

Objective: This study compares three methods of rating and predicting shampoo-induced irritation.

Methods: Corneosurfametry entails collection of stratum corneum followed by brief contact with diluted surfactants and measurement of variations in staining of samples.

Results: Corneosurfametry appears to correlate well with in vivo testing in volunteers with sensitive skin. However, corneosurfametry presents less interindividual variability than in vivo testing and allows better discrimination among mild products. Morphologic information about surfactant-induced loosening of corneocytes may be increased by testing surfactants on human skin equivalent. Results are similar to those provided by specimens used for corneosurfametry.

Conclusions: The corneosurfametric prediction of surfactant irritancy correlates with in vivo testing and with in vitro evaluation on human skin equivalent.