How to measure the effects of emollients

Emollients are an important group of agents that are an integral part of the treatment of all dry, scaling, skin disorders. They act by preventing transepidermal water loss and increasing the amount of water within the stratum corneum. They have other useful pharmacological properties which increase their therapeutic effects. Essentially, they cause a flattening of the skin surface and assist desquamation. They can be evaluated by measuring the ‘flattening effect' using profilometric methods, either mechanical or optical. Other assessment methods include electrical and mechanical techniques such as cohesography.