skin cutaneous atrophy due to corticosteroids limits the long-term use of highly potent topical glucocorticoids which are the treatment of choice for many inflammatory skin diseases. This atrophy results in fragile skin, delay of healing, purpura, irreversible striae, telangiectasia and secondary infections. Up to now, no treatments can prevent efficiently skin atrophy.~The mineralocorticoid receptor, belonging to the superfamily of nuclear receptors, is expressed in human epidermis but its actual function is unknown. Experimental results in animals obtained in INSERM unit U772 by Dr N FARMAN suggest that spironolactone which is a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist 1- might limit epidermal atrophy and 2- might promote healing.~Study description We propose to test clinically these hypotheses for the first time on humans, at the CIC in BICHAT's hospital on healthy volunteers: 1- by applying on the skin a highly potent cutaneous corticosteroids in association or not with spironolactone, 2- by applying or not spironolactone on wounds after 3-mm punch biopsies.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether spironolactone could significantly reduce cutaneous atrophy due to corticosteroids.