Background/purpose: Cold and allergy sufferers often develop
irritation around the nostrils as a result of repeated
and frequent rubbing of the skin site with facial tissues. This
irritation is a combination of the inherent irritant properties
of the tissue components (chemical irritation), and mechanical
irritation from friction. Lotion-coated facial tissues are
being developed to provide soothing, skin benefits, and to
promote healing of this type of irritation. The objective of
these studies was to evaluate the efficacy of different lotion
formulations on facial tissues in preventing irritation, or
aiding in the healing of irritation.
Methods: The modified forearm-controlled application test
(Modified FCAT) was adapted as a means of quickly evaluating
the relative skin benefits of various lotion formulations
used to coat facial tissues. The test was conducted on
the volar surface of the forearms of volunteer subjects. Test
sites were pretreated with 24 h occlusive patches of sodium
lauryl sulfate (SLS) to induce mild or moderate skin irritation.
This was followed by repeated wiping of the lotioncoated
tissues. Irritation was evaluated using visual scoring
for erythema and dryness. Lotion formulation options were
compared in the model. Comparisons included assessments