Patent ID: 8496917

Claim:
A method of ameliorating and/or treating diseases affecting skin hydration and barrier homeostasis, selected from the group consisting of eczema, psoriasis, hereditary ichthyosis, and atopic dermatitis, comprising applying to those areas of the skin afflicted with such conditions or diseases a remedially effective amount of a topical composition comprising at least one monoalkyl-, dialkyl-, monoalkanoyl- or dialkanoyl-isohexide having the general formula (I) or (II): wherein R 1 and R 2 , which may be the same or different, are independently selected from straight chain or branched; saturated or unsaturated alkyl groups having from 4 to 30 carbon atoms, said carbon number including the carbonyl carbon atom in the case of structure (II), provided that when R 1 and R 2 are different, one of R 1 or R 2 may also be hydrogen or a straight chain or branched; saturated or unsaturated alkyl group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.