Beneficial use of Cetaphil moisturizing cream as part of a daily skin care regimen for individuals with rosacea.

INTRODUCTION: Rosacea is a common and chronic disorder characterized by flushing, erythema, papules, pustules, and telangiectasia on the central part of the face. Because the facial skin of individuals with rosacea is particularly sensitive, irritants can trigger a worsening of the signs and symptoms of the disease. This enhanced sensitivity is thought to be linked to a deficient stratum corneum barrier function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, 20 individuals receiving twice-daily applications of metronidazole 0.75% gel for at least 15 days applied a gentle non-irritating moisturizing cream (Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream) twice daily for 15 days on one half of the face; the other side remained treated with metronidazole only and served as the control. RESULTS: Clinical assessments, confirmed by biophysical measurements (electrical capacitance, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and lactic acid stinging test), provided evidence that the moisturizer contributed to the restoration of the skin barrier: skin dryness, roughness and desquamation were much improved and skin sensitivity was significantly reduced. Skin properties and skin discomfort were also greatly enhanced and the patients were very satisfied with the product. CONCLUSIONS: It can thus be concluded that in the management of rosacea, basic skin care regimens, including daily use of a therapeutic moisturizer, offer optimal benefits.

Beneficial effect of a moisturizing cream as adjunctive treatment to oral isotretinoin or topical tretinoin in the management of acne.

Despite their beneficial effects on the treatment of acne vulgaris, topical and oral retinoids may cause severe local irritation (retinoid dermatitis) due to their mechanism of action, thereby jeopardizing patient adherence, and thus compromising treatment efficacy. Alleviating dryness and improving skin comfort by using a moisturizer concomitantly to retinoids could enhance efficacy. In the present study, 30 subjects receiving either oral isotretinoin for at least 2 months or topical tretinoin for at least one month applied a moisturizing cream (Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream) twice daily for 15 days on one half of the face while the other side remained untreated. Clinical assessments, confirmed by biophysical measurements, showed that the moisturizer provided a significant improvement in skin dryness, roughness, and desquamation. Skin properties and skin discomfort were also greatly improved and subjects were very satisfied with the product. Retinoid-induced skin irritation can be relieved by the regular use of a gentle moisturizing cream as an adjunctive treatment.

The Taylor Hyperpigmentation Scale: a new visual assessment tool for the evaluation of skin color and pigmentation.

The Taylor Hyperpigmentation Scale is a new visual scale developed to provide an inexpensive and convenient method to assess skin color and monitor the improvement of hyperpigmentation following therapy. The tool consists of 15 uniquely colored plastic cards spanning the full range of skin hues and is applicable to individuals with Fitzpatrick skin types I to VI. Each card contains 10 bands of increasingly darker gradations of skin hue that represent progressive levels of hyperpigmentation. This article describes the ongoing development of the Taylor Hyperpigmentation Scale and reports the results of a recent validation study of the use of this newly developed chart in individuals with skin of color. In the study, skin color and an area of hyperpigmentation in 30 subjects of white, African American, Asian, or Hispanic ancestry (approximately 5 from each of the 6 skin types) were evaluated by 10 investigators. The results of the study revealed significant variation among intraindividual and interindividual ratings by investigators of skin hue (P < .0001) and hyperpigmentation (P = .0008); however, most investigators rated the scale as useful and easy to use, and 60% stated they would use it in clinical practice to document the response of hyperpigmentation to therapeutic agents. A heuristic evaluation of the results of this study provided insight into essential considerations for the continued effort to develop a useful and simple scale for assessing skin color and pigmentation.

Efficacy and tolerability of combined topical treatment of acne vulgaris with adapalene and clindamycin: a multicenter, randomized, investigator-blinded study.

This multicenter, randomized, investigator-blinded study investigated the efficacy and tolerability of adapalene gel 0.1% plus clindamycin phosphate lotion 1%, compared with clindamycin plus vehicle for the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris. A total of 249 patients applied clindamycin lotion twice daily and adapalene (125 patients) or vehicle gel (124 patients) once daily for 12 weeks. A significantly greater reduction of total (P <.001), inflammatory (P =.004) and noninflammatory lesions (P <.001) was seen in the clindamycin plus adapalene group than in the clindamycin plus vehicle group. These significant treatment effects were observed as early as week 4 for both noninflammatory and total lesion counts. Both treatment regimens were well tolerated. Although the worst scores for scaling (P <.05), dryness (P <.01), and stinging/burning (P <.05) were higher in the clindamycin plus adapalene group than in the clindamycin plus vehicle group in patients with moderate or severe irritation; in most cases these symptoms were of mild intensity.

Lymecycline in the treatment of acne: an efficacious, safe and cost-effective alternative to minocycline.

A comparison of efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of lymecycline and minocycline in the treatment of acne vulgaris has been addressed. This was a multicenter, randomized, investigator-masked, parallel group trial involving patients with moderate to moderately severe acne vulgaris, receiving either lymecycline or minocycline for 12 weeks. Efficacy and safety evaluation was performed at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 12 and completed by a pharmacoeconomic analysis including week 12 data. One hundred and thirty-six patients were enrolled. At week 12, the mean percent reductions in inflammatory count were 63 % and 65 %, and for total lesions counts 58 % and 56 % for lymecycline and for minocycline respectively. Median percent reduction in non-inflammatory count were 54 % and 47 % for lymecycline and for minocycline respectively. Eighty-seven per cent of all patients tolerated the treatments well. Treatment with lymecycline was found to be 4 times more cost-effective than with minocycline. Results showed that lymecycline has a comparable efficacy and safety profile to minocycline while being 4 times more cost-effective.

Efficacy and cutaneous safety of adapalene in black patients versus white patients with acne vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris is the most common dermatologic disorder seen in American black patients (ie, African Americans and African Caribbeans, Fitzgerald skin types IV through VI). Despite its prevalence, there is a lack of data on the effects of treatments, such as the use of topical retinoids and retinoid analogs, in this patient population. Adapalene is a topical retinoid analog that has demonstrated efficacy in the reduction of noninflammatory and inflammatory lesions, along with excellent cutaneous tolerability. Most clinical studies of this agent have involved predominantly white patient populations. This meta-analysis of 5 randomized US and European studies was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adapalene in black versus white patients. The percentage reduction in the number of inflammatory lesions was significantly greater among black patients compared with white patients (P=.012). The percentage reductions in total inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts were similar in the 2 groups (P>.3). There were significantly less erythema and scaling in black patients compared with white patients (P<.001 and P=.026 for worst scores for erythema and scaling, respectively). Although the incidence of dryness was similar in both groups, a smaller percentage of black than white patients had moderate or severe scores for dryness (7% vs 18%, respectively). In summary, adapalene appears to be a viable treatment for black patients with acne vulgaris.