Combined effects of glycerol and petrolatum in an emollient cream: A randomized, double-blind, crossover study in healthy volunteers with dry skin

Background The stratum corneum plays an important protective physiological role in providing a barrier to preventing skin desiccation and penetration of external agents. Emollients are used commonly to improve barrier function and skin hydration. Aims The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an emollient, V0034CR cream, and its active ingredients, to restore the cutaneous barrier. Secondary objectives included assessment of the moisturizing activity of each product and tolerance. The study was not designed to evaluate therapeutic benefit. Methods In this randomized, double-blind, 4-arm crossover, clinical pharmacology study, the full emollient V0034CR, its vehicle formulation alone, or with glycerol, or petrolatum, was applied to the forearms of healthy volunteers (n = 51) with dry skin (Kligman score of 2 or 3). Cutaneous permeability by Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL) and skin moisture content by corneometry were serially measured for 12 hours following application. An analysis of variance with repeated measures was performed on the evolution of TEWL and corneometry. Results V0034CR emollient significantly reduced mean TEWL compared to vehicle (P = .0018) and vehicle + glycerol (P = .0001) and significantly increased mean corneometry scores compared to vehicle (P < .0001) and vehicle + petrolatum (P < .0001). Conclusions The emollient V0034CR presented combined effects, with the petrolatum component improving skin barrier function, with a reduction in TEWL, and the glycerol component improving skin hydration.