Psoriasis is a disorder characterized by faster
than normal skin growth, resulting in a buildup
of thickened areas with a scaly appearance.
Common sites of involvement include the scalp,
elbows, knees, and back. Moisturization of these
areas may provide relief by increasing hydration.
Accordingly, the use of a moisturizing cream
(Cetaphil ® Moisturizing Cream) was studied in
participants with mild to moderate plaque psoriasis
(5%–10% body surface area) who either were
not being treated or had discontinued the use
of all topical psoriasis medications and all other
moisturizers and remained off of them for the
entire study. The condition of the participants’ skin
was objectively monitored for skin barrier function
through transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin
hydration through corneometry, and desquamation
through the use of sticky tape corneocyte counts
(D-SQUAME ® ). Thirty participants were enrolled.
The results of this 4-week study indicate there
was no further damage to the skin barrier, as no
significant change in TEWL was seen. Furthermore,
skin hydration increased over the course of
the study. Desquamation measurements showed
a significant percentage of participants with skin
improvements from very dry to dry or normal
(P,.0001 for all time points). All of these effects