R Ghadially et al.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 26(3 Pt 2), 387-396 (1992-03-01)
Ointments (e.g., petrolatum) are thought to be occlusive, thereby blocking transcutaneous water loss and trapping water under the skin's surface. If this premise is correct, then petrolatum should delay barrier recovery after barrier perturbation, as shown previously in occluded murine