HYDRATION CHARACTERISTICS AND ELECTRICAL-RESISTIVITY OF STRATUM-CORNEUM USING A NONINVASIVE 4-POINT MICROELECTRODE METHOD

[摘要] A 4-microelectrode probe was used to study the relationship between electrical resistivity (.rho.), water content (wf), water binding, and electrolyte levels in samples of human plantar stratum corneum. Untreated samples characteristically showed an exponential relationship between log .rho. and wf. This characteristic was retained but altered quantitatively by factors which increased and decreased the ratio of bound to unbound water, by lipid extraction and (following extraction) by electrolyte pre-soak. Theoretical aspects of obtaining similar data from intact stratum corneum were discussed.