What might cause osmotic stress on the skin?

Osmotic stress on the skin occurs when there is an imbalance in solute concentrations between the skin cells and their surrounding environment. High salt levels in the environment can lead to osmotic stress because the concentration of salts outside the skin (in the surrounding fluids) becomes greater than that inside the cells. This situation causes water to move out of the skin cells in an attempt to balance the solute concentrations, leading to cell shrinkage and dehydration.

When skin cells lose water due to the high external salt concentration, it can result in dryness, irritation, and potential damage to the skin barrier. This osmotic effect is why high salt concentrations are particularly challenging for organisms, including humans, as it creates conditions where the natural moisture balance is disrupted.