Prevention of Follicular Penetration: Barrier-Enhancing Formulations Against the Penetration of Pollen Allergens into Hair Follicles

In a study conducted on porcine skin, researchers investigated the potential of barrier-enhancing emulsions to prevent the penetration of pollen allergens into hair follicles. The skin was pretreated with four different barrier-enhancing emulsions, while one area was left untreated as a control. Following the application of fluorescein-isothiocyanate-labeled grass pollen proteins, fluorescent laser scanning microscopy revealed that the barrier-enhancing formulations significantly reduced the penetration of these exogenous proteins into the hair follicles. The effectiveness varied depending on the specific formulation used. This suggests that such formulations could be a viable strategy for protecting hair follicles from allergen penetration.