ABSTRACT
Background: The treatment of “face mask dermatitis” (FMD) is an emerging issue gaining importance due to increased use of mouth-nose protection in everyday life during COVID-19 pandemic. Cosmeceuticals, care components containing active ingredients, play a growing role in treatment plans to protect skin’s natural barrier function. However, well-designed studies on their efficacy and limitations are widely missing. Objective: Evaluation of the efficacy of a serum containing volcanic mineralizing water (VMW), probiotic fractions (Vitroscella filiformis), hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and tocopherol applied twice daily in patients with FMD employing objective and subjective methodology. Methods: A randomized, controlled trial was conducted. At baseline (visit V0) and after 4 weeks of product use (V1), dermatologic investigations were performed, using skin function tests, optical coherence tomography measurements, clinical severity assessments of facial lesions, and standardized questionnaires. Results: The patient cohort comprised 50 females with FMD (mean age 30 years ± 4.73 SD). In the intervention group (n = 40) there was a significant improvement in erythema (P =.000), scaling (P =.001) and papules (P =.000) compared with the control group (n = 10). Morever, patients in the intervention group reported a significant decrease in subjective symptoms, especially facial itching compared with the control group (P =.041). Instrumental measures showed a significant improvement of skin hydration (P =.023;P =.014) and skin elasticity (P =.024;P =.024). Conclusions: The use of a dedicated cosmeceutical cosmetic serum in a population with facial mask dermatitis resulted above all in an improvement of facial erythema and a relief of subjective symptoms especially itch.