Hardening-Effect .1. Review and state of the art

Abstract

This review summarizes the literature on the subject `'Hardening-Effect'' of the last 100 years. The aim of this article is to focus on the neglected approaches to determinating factors of individual skin-sensibility rsp. desensibility. There is no common definition of the terminus `'Hardening-Effect'' (here: the adaptation of the skin to continually applicated irritants), it's occurence is frequently described on the basis of empirical observations. By the description of historical investigations it is shown that our actual knowledge about patho- rsp. salutogenetic mechanisms has not had any growth. A few investigations for the last years show that there seems to be the possibility of inducing a Hardening-Effect by irritants. In a following publication we will present the results of own studies on this subject. These results will enlarge the spectrum of the actual discussed possibilities of induction-mechanisms.