ABSTRACT
This study aimed to develop a new method of increasing water content in the cutaneous stratum corneum under a dry skin condition. For this purpose, the experiments were performed using 10 healthy women (age: 20 ± 5 years, height: 158 ± 4 cm, weight: 50 ± 6 kg) in winter to ensure the dry condition. The subjects immersed the right hand into a 42˚C bath for 10 min. Skin surface temperature and water content in the stratum corneum of the left forearm were simultaneously measured during and for 1 h after the hand warming. The skin surface temperature began to increase (P<0.05) 15 min after the hand warming and thereafter remained increased for 1 h. Similarly, the water content in the stratum corneum began to increase immediately after the hand warming and remained increased throughout the experiment. The present results suggest that warming of one hand is effective in enhancing skin moisture in the other forearm and thereby maintaining barrier function of the skin.