Skin Barrier Dysfunction and the Role of Skin Barrier Restoration

Inclusion Criteria: Aged group (\>70 years old) * In good general health * Body mass index (BMI) preferably in the healthy range (approximately 25 kg/m2) and no greater than 30 kg/m2 * Fitzpatrick skin types I-V * Disrupted skin barrier defined as transepidermal water loss (TEWL) \>5 g/m2/h on the upper arms or \>3 g/m2/h on the buttocks * Clinical signs of skin dryness as determined by the investigator. * No disease states or physical conditions that would impair evaluation of the biopsy sites * Signed, written and witnessed informed consent form * Willing to comply with study procedures Young group (18-30 years old) * Good general health * BMI preferably in the healthy range (approximately 25 kg/m2) and no greater than 30 kg/m2 * Fitzpatrick skin types I-V * Disrupted skin barrier defined as transepidermal water loss (TEWL) \>5 g/m2/h on the upper arms or \>3 g/m2/h on the buttocks * Clinical signs of skin dryness as determined by the investigator * No disease states or physical conditions that would impair evaluation of the biopsy sites * Signed, written and witnessed informed consent form * Willing to comply with study procedures Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant or lactating women or women contemplating pregnancy for the duration of the protocol (determined by self-report; if subjects are unsure of their pregnancy status, they will be excluded). * Frailty as determined by research study nurse * History of inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. * History of uncontrolled inflammatory or autoimmune disease. * History of keloids or any other condition that would complicate wound healing * History of allergic reactions to local lidocaine * Frequent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use (not including low dose aspirin) and unwilling/unable to discontinue NSAIDS for 2 weeks prior to enrollment to the end of the study. * Systemic steroids (excluding inhaled steroids for asthma) and unwilling/unable to discontinue systemic steroids for 3 weeks prior to enrollment to the end of the study. * Topical corticosteroid use within 2 weeks of enrollment. * Topical immunomodulation use such as calcineurin inhibitors within 2 weeks of enrollment * Other anti-inflammatory or immunodulatory medications (immunosuppression) * Received an experimental drug or used an experimental device 30 days prior to admission to the study.