Abstract

A REVIEW ON TRANSEPIDERMAL WATER LOSS (TEWL) MEASUREMENT

Amrita Pal*

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Abstract

Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is the most widely used objective test for evaluating the barrier function of skin, particularly in individuals with skin conditions that are associated with impaired skin barrier function, such as atopic dermatitis. The TEWL is the amount of condensed water diffused per unit time into the skin’s surface across a fixed area of stratum corneum. The water evaporated from the skin is measured with a probe that is placed in contact with the skin's surface and contains sensors that detect changes in water vapor density. TEWL can be measured with an open chamber, non-vented chamber, or condensing chamber instrument. It is a sensitive measurement affected by the properties of the surrounding microclimated such as ambient humidity, temperature and airflow and must be measured under controlled conditions. TEWL varies greatly between anatomical sites and also depends on sweat gland activity, skin temperature, and corneocyte characteristics. Here we describe how you can optimally use TEWL measurement as a tool for in vivo and in vitro skin research.

Keywords: Transepidermal water loss, Epidermal hydration, Measurement of TEWL.