Why does excessive soaking of skin cause increased permeability to irritants?

💡 Explanation

Keratin in the stratum corneum absorbs water during soaking, which swells the cells and disrupts the normally tight lipid and protein organization of the skin barrier; because of this disruption, irritants penetrate more easily. Therefore, increased permeability results from water absorption, rather than lipid oxidation, melanin production, or sebum changes.

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