Search

Disease-related skin lesions have been reported in 8-20% of COVID-19 patients. In the literature, cutaneous symptoms associated with the disease are generally emphasized. However, there are very few studies on the effect of this new SARS-CoV-2 virus entering our lives on dermatological diseases, and none of them have used the dermatological quality of life index (DLQI). In our study, we aimed to evaluate the difficulties faced by the patients who applied to the dermatology outpatient clinic during the pandemic period and the course of their diseases with the dermatological quality of life index. The study was carried out prospectively by including dermatology patients who will apply to the outpatient clinic in June-July 2020. 282 patients were evaluated in the study. DLQI was significantly lower in the group using regular emollients (p

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent skin disease requiring long‐term management. Agents that repair the skin's barrier function are invaluable additives in topical treatments of psoriasis. This multicenter, randomized, controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of a linoleic acid‐ceramide‐containing moisturizer (LA‐Cer) for mild‐to‐moderate psoriasis vulgaris. We randomized 178 patients from both northern and southern regions of China into two groups: 81 patients in the control group received mometasone furoate (MF, 0.1%) cream, while MF in combination with LA‐Cer was administered to 86 patients in the treatment group for 4 weeks. The LA‐Cer‐MF group maintained the use of moisturizer after topical glucocorticoid administration. The primary endpoint, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 50 (PASI 50) response, revealed the superiority of LA‐Cer‐MF with lower relapse rates at week 8. The use of the LA‐Cer‐containing moisturizer as maintenance therapy resulted in a continuous improvement in the clinical state in terms of body surface area, PASI, investigators' assessment of skin dryness and desquamation, and Physician Global Assessment of Psoriasis score, and in the patients' quality of life. Thus, the LA‐Cer‐containing moisturizer is a promising agent to prevent and treat psoriasis as it enhances the therapeutic effect induced by topical glucocorticoids and delays relapse.

Moisturization is the pillar of daily skin care and has significant benefit in improving hydration, strengthening the skin barrier, and ameliorating inflammatory dermatoses. Bioactive ingredients such as endocannabinoids, bioactive lipids, growth factors, microbiome modulators, and antioxidant enzymes are increasingly being incorporated into moisturizer formulations. These novel ingredients have been shown to improve skin barrier function, upregulate barrier lipid synthesis, decrease itch and inflammation, and have antioxidative properties. In this article, we highlight evidence supporting their mechanisms of action and efficacy in atopic dermatitis, uremic pruritus, asteatotic eczema, acne vulgaris, and vitiligo.

Alterations in barrier function are associated with a number of skin diseases, including xerosis, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis. Urea, a component of the natural moisturizing factor of the skin, plays an important role in the preservation of skin hydration and integrity. Several studies have investigated the effects of urea in the clinical setting. Here, we summarize the available clinical evidence regarding the effects of urea in the maintenance of healthy skin and management of skin disorders. At lower doses (≤10%), urea-containing topical formulations act as a skin moisturizer, while at higher concentrations (>10% urea), urea-based preparations exert a keratolytic action. Urea is also useful in combination therapies with anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal drugs, due to its activity as a penetration enhancer.

This randomized 5-week study assessed the clinical benefits of a high-emollient body wash versus a regular bar cleanser in terms of improving chronic winter dry skin condition. After 4 weeks, subjects who washed daily with a high-emollient body wash exhibited a significant reduction in all dermatologist-assessed dry skin attributes and improvements in self-evaluated skin condition when compared with baseline measures. Those subjects who washed with a regular bar cleanser experienced a minimal to marked increase in dermatologist-assessed and self-assessed dry skin attributes when compared with baseline. These findings suggested that bathing with a high-emollient body wash, as opposed to a regular bar cleanser, can reduce xerosis symptoms and improve skin health and appearance without the additional use of a moisturizer.

The principles of humectancy, emolliency, and occlusion, all central to stratum corneum (SC) maintenance, continue to drive the development of novel moisturizing technologies. Humectants promote water retention within the SC, whereas occlusives generally minimize water loss to the external environment. The complementary occlusive activity of emollients contributes to SC hydration as well. Moisturization technologies, ranging from face care to hand and body care, vary in the types and levels of humectants, emollients (including lipids), and occlusives; accordingly, their therapeutic effects differ as well. Emulsification of these components into a single formulation-the technologies of which are as varied as their individual components-is thought to enhance the aesthetics of the moisturizer and its overall moisturization efficiency. The present article reviews the current approaches to SC moisturization, increasingly viewed as critical to its structural and functional integrity, and to fundamental skin care.

Acquiring or maintaining healthy skin requires a multifunctional approach: mild cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection. The clinical benefits of a daily, healthy facial skin-care regimen comprising a mild cleanser and moisturizer were evaluated on normal skin, self-perceived sensitive skin, and dermatologist-assessed sensitive skin for a period of up to 4 weeks. Subjects with normal, healthy skin were photographed with a calibrated, high-resolution digital camera, and the average improvement in overall health was calculated using image morphing and facial averaging techniques, following a 2-week period of product application. In a second study that included subjects with self-assessed sensitive facial skin, changes in skin hydration, skin dryness, and skin sensitivity (determined by means of a lactic acid sting test and subject self-assessment) were monitored during a 3-week regimen of mild cleansing and moisturizing with products designed for sensitive skin. The third study involved dermatologist-assessed highly sensitive skin patients (mostly rosacea with an atopic background in some cases). These patients underwent a 4-week skin-care regimen involving mild cleansing and moisturizing. In all three studies, significant improvements in skin health/quality were observed by means of expert assessments, instrumental evaluations, and subjective self-assessment.