Abstract: Objective To analyze the skin barrier function in patients with facial steroid dermatitis. Methods Ninety-five patients with facial steroid dermatitis were enrolled into this study along with 25 healthy volunteers as controls. Transepidermal water loss （TEWL） and skin hydration were measured in 8 facial regions, including lesional skin in forehead, nasal tip, submaxilla, both cheeks and angulus oris, and non-lesional skin in the left posteior ear. Results Compared with the healthy group, the patients with steroid dermatitis had a significant higher value of TEWL on lower mandible, both angulus oris and cheeks （t = 4.90, 2.60, 2.57, 2.54, 3.77, respectively, P < 0.01）, while a significant lower level of skin hydration was noted on both angulus oris, right cheek and forehead （t = 3.27, 3.81, 2.02, 2.78, respectively, P < 0.05）. Among the 8 test sites in both patients and controls, TEWL value decreased in the following order : submaxilla and both angulus oris > both cheeks and forehead > non lesional skin on the posteroir ear, and the decrease in skin water content was highest in submaxilla and both angulus oris, followed by cheeks and forehead, and finally by left posterior ear. Conclusions In patients with facial steroid dermatitis, skin barrier function is disturbed on submaxilla, both angulus oris and cheeks, and TEWL value is found to be higher in perioral area, while cheeks have a lower level of skin hydration.

Key words: corticosteroid addictive dermatitis, skin barrier function, skin hydration, transepidermal water loss