Time-dependant intercellular delamination of human stratum corneum

Time-dependent intercellular delamination behavior of human stratum corneum (SC) is explored. We demonstrate that SC is susceptible to such time-dependent subcritical delamination at loads below the critical delamination energy. Hydration of the SC together with chemical treatments using selected surfactants were shown to affect both critical and subcritical delamination behavior. Increased tissue hydration resulted in accelerated delamination growth rates consistent with behavior anticipated from critical delamination testing. Chemical treatments including 10% wt/wt sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and chloroform-methanol (2:1 v:v) soaks that remove lipid were shown to suppress growth rates compared to untreated controls. Possible mechanisms for subcritical delamination involving extrinsic mechanisms of moisture-assisted reaction process at the intercellular delamination tip or intrinsic mechanisms involving kinetic relaxation processes in the SC are discussed.