Figure 1.

Schematic description of the study protocol. Four test sites were defined on the dorsum of the animal, as well as a spot-on site between the four test sites and a control site on the ventral abdomen. Tape stripping was performed on a single test site on the first day of the week corresponding to the site number (D1). Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin surface hydration (SSH) were measured before (T0) and one hour after tape stripping (D1) and on three successive days after tape stripping (D2, D3, D4). Spot-on was applied on the defined site after measurements, on D4 of Weeks 1, 2 and 3.