Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
- PMID: 18510666
- DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08643.x
Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
Abstract
Glycerol is a trihydroxy alcohol that has been included for many years in topical dermatological preparations. In addition, endogenous glycerol plays a role in skin hydration, cutaneous elasticity and epidermal barrier repair. The aquaporin-3 transport channel and lipid metabolism in the pilosebaceous unit have been evidenced as potential pathways for endogenous delivery of glycerol and for its metabolism in the skin. Multiple effects of glycerol on the skin have been reported. The diverse actions of the polyol glycerol on the epidermis include improvement of stratum corneum hydration, skin barrier function and skin mechanical properties, inhibition of the stratum corneum lipid phase transition, protection against irritating stimuli, enhancement of desmosomal degradation, and acceleration of wound-healing processes. Even an antimicrobial effect has been demonstrated. Topical application of glycerol-containing products improves skin properties in diseases characterized by xerosis and impaired epidermal barrier function, such as atopic dermatitis. The increase of epidermal hydration by glycerol is critical in skin conditions aggravated by dry and cold environmental conditions, e.g. winter xerosis. This paper provides a review on effects of glycerol on the skin, the mechanisms of its action, and the potential applications of glycerol in dermatology.
Similar articles
-
Skin aquaporins: function in hydration, wound healing, and skin epidermis homeostasis.Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2009;(190):205-17. doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-79885-9_10. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2009. PMID: 19096779 Review.
-
[Cutaneous hydration of the premature and new born].Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2002 Jan;129(1 Pt 2):143-6. Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2002. PMID: 11976542 French.
-
Skin hydration: a review on its molecular mechanisms.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2007 Jun;6(2):75-82. doi: 10.1111/j.1473-2165.2007.00300.x. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2007. PMID: 17524122 Review.
-
Measuring the effects of topical moisturizers on changes in stratum corneum thickness, water gradients and hydration in vivo.Br J Dermatol. 2008 Sep;159(3):567-77. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08703.x. Epub 2008 Jul 4. Br J Dermatol. 2008. PMID: 18616783 Clinical Trial.
-
The management of dry skin with topical emollients--recent perspectives.J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2005 Oct;3(10):768-74. doi: 10.1111/j.1610-0387.2005.05068.x. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2005. PMID: 16194154 Review.
Cited by
-
Skin Barrier Function Assessment: Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy Is Less Influenced by Daily Routine Activities Than Transepidermal Water Loss.Ann Dermatol. 2024 Apr;36(2):99-111. doi: 10.5021/ad.23.052. Ann Dermatol. 2024. PMID: 38576248 Free PMC article.
-
Microbe Interactions within the Skin Microbiome.Antibiotics (Basel). 2024 Jan 4;13(1):49. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics13010049. Antibiotics (Basel). 2024. PMID: 38247608 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Home Remedies in Dermatology.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2023 Oct 13;14(6):864-870. doi: 10.4103/idoj.idoj_166_23. eCollection 2023 Nov-Dec. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2023. PMID: 38099029 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
-
Development of a novel in vitro strategy to understand the impact of shaving on skin health: combining tape strip exfoliation and human skin equivalent technology.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Nov 2;10:1236790. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1236790. eCollection 2023. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023. PMID: 38020123 Free PMC article.
-
Effect of Lumenato a Tomato derived oral supplement on improving skin barrier strength.Skin Res Technol. 2023 Nov;29(11):e13504. doi: 10.1111/srt.13504. Skin Res Technol. 2023. PMID: 38009018 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources