2002 Volume 64 Issue 5 Pages 606-611
Since in atopic dermatitis, an insufficiency of ceramides in the stratum corneum is an etiologic factor in dry and barrier-disrupted skin, we used 8% pseudoceramide-containing cream in the forearm skin of atopic dermatitis patients (n=20, average 26.4 years old) to compare their effect on the clinical appearances, water-holding function, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) with 10% urea cream. We found that ceramide cream effectively improved the atopic dry skin in 60% of all patients tested. The measurement by TEWL showed no significant difference between before and after the application with ceramide cream, whereas the water content in the stratum corneum (conductance value) significantly increased in comparison to before application. Although there was no significant difference in lesional elements (dryness, scale, itching and follicular papules), TEWL value, or water content between ceramide and urea creams during the treatment period, the ceramide cream was found to be significantly superior to urea cream. These results indicate ceramide cream to have a high clinical efficacy for the treatment of atopic dry skin as a modulator for the stratum corneum functions.