Xerosis and Use of Topical Moisturizer

Plain-language summary

The primary hypothesis is that routine measurement of trans epidermal water loss (TEWL) rates and stratum corneum (SC) hydration levels will promote patient adherence to maintenance moisturizer therapy and prevent disease relapse. The project will consist of a trial in which thirty subjects with xerosis receive moisturizer therapy and are randomized to receive either no intervention, a weekly electronic survey to assess patient's response to daily moisturizer, or daily monitoring of the effectiveness of a moisturizer with a portable hydration measurement device. The study team will measure adherence to daily moisturizer use objectively in all three groups with electronic monitors attached to the containers of the moisturizer. The adherence measure will allow the study determine how well moisturizers work for xerosis when that are well used. The study team anticipate that in the no intervention group, adherence will be abysmal and that in the group reporting their response to treatment weekly, adherence will be much better. This will give the study team negative and positive controls for assessing the effect of home barrier monitoring on treatment adherence.

Who can participate

What they're measuring

Trial details