Efficacy of a fine fiber film applied with a water-based lotion to improve dry skin.

BACKGROUND: Dry skin can trigger eczema that affects >10% of the US population. Dressing films have been developed to improve diseased skin, but there is limited knowledge about their effects, especially for dry skin-related symptoms. We developed an electrospinning method that creates a coating film, called a fine fiber (FF) film, characterized by the production of a transparent, thin, flexible, and adherent membrane on the skin surface. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study was to examine the effects of the FF film on dry skin. METHODS: Three treatments (lotion only, lotion with the FF film, and lotion with an alternative film) were designed to treat subjects with rough skin on their lower legs. Twenty-four females were enrolled and used either a water-based lotion U or a petrolatum-based lotion P and the FF film for 2 weeks followed by a regression phase for 1 week. Skin hydration and roughness scores were assessed as were the subjects' perceptions of the effects. RESULTS: When the FF film was applied with lotion U, skin hydration was significantly improved even after 1 week, accompanied by a significant improvement of skin roughness and an increase in skin hydration by the end of the regression phase. An evaluation of moisture permeability suggested that the FF film, especially with lotion U, performed as a semipermeable membrane with optimal moisture healing effects on dry skin. CONCLUSION: The FF film together with a water-based lotion is a promising treatment to quickly improve dry skin conditions.