HYPERKERATOSIS IN RESPONSE TO MECHANICAL IRRITATION

[摘要] Five human subjects who rubbed their skin with a tongue blade, using aquaphor as a lubricant, for 10 min. daily for 30 days, showed an avg. of 38% increase in thickness of the horny layer in the rubbed site as measured planimetrically on magnified biopsy sections. Non-cornified epidermis showed no significant change. Rubbing without lubricant and application of lubricant without rubbing caused no significant change in thickness of cornified and non-cornified epidermis. It is concluded that the hyperkeratosis is due to increased cohesiveness of the horny lamellae and a decreased rate of physiological shedding.