Diffusion barriers in skin—a new method of comparison

Abstract

Using a method which allows the net barrier potential of skin to be expressed in terms of a penetration half-life, skin barriers to nandrolone and allyl estrenol penetration were compared in human, rat and hamster skin. The ranking order in terms of the net barrier was: human = haired rat .gtoreq. hairless rat > hairless hamster. Using the same principles, the net barrier effects of the various layers in whole human skin were also compared. The dermis was only slightly less effective than the stratum corneum as a barrier to diffusion.