Effects and Uses of Occlusion on Human Skin: An Overview

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study is to review and synthesize the literature with reference to the effects of occlusive material applied to normal and diseased human skin. Data Sources: A key word and title search of all years available on the MEDLINE, PubMED, and Science Citation Index databases, 1966 through 2004, was executed with search terms including occlusion, occlusive, and skin. Conclusions: Occlusive dressings provide effective therapeutic intervention either as an adjunct to topical medications or as a monotherapy for skin diseases such as psoriasis and verruca vulgaris and possibly other dermatologic diseases involving disruption of the stratum corneum permeability barrier or abnormal epidermal differentiation; its greatest uses thus far is in treatment of psoriasis and dermatitis. The mechanism(s) of action remain incompletely explored, and their therapeutic potential is incompletely developed.

Keywords :

• Occlusion
• Occlusive
• Skin
• Safety
• Therapy
• Steroid