Evaluating the efficacy of local anesthetic techniques during scalp microneedling.

INTRODUCTION: An increasing interest in minimally invasive procedures hassled to a demand for an effective local anesthetic algorithm. The scalp presents a challenge in achieving effective anesthesia due to the presence of hair shafts. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of different methods during a microneedling procedure, including 25 mg lidocaine and 25 mg prilocaine cream, skin spray with 10% lidocaine, and cold gel compresses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-two men aged between 20 and 50 years underwent three microneedling treatments, each using a different method of anesthesia. The treatment area was divided into two equal parts, with one part exposed to a specific anesthetic method. Patients were asked to rate their pain on a 0-10 verbal analog scale. An attempt was made to objectify the results using algometry. RESULTS: A negative correlation was observed between the algometry results and the VAS score after the application of the cream and cold compresses. DISCUSSION: When choosing monotherapy, it is recommended to use cold gel compresses for scalp microneedling after considering the advantages and disadvantages of different methods.

Detection of Steroids in Topical Fairness Preparations Using Histamine Wheal Test.

Topical corticosteroid (TC) abuse is a common, worldwide, problem. One of the recent emerging concerns is the adulteration of TC in fairness cream. The presence of TC in skin-whitening cosmetic creams can be detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Since HPLC is expensive, time-taking and not easily available, we suggest the use of histamine wheal test as a simple and inexpensive test to detect the presence of topical steroids in fairness cream.

Fabrication and Stability Improvement of Monoglyceride Oleogel/Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate-Stabilized W/O High Internal Phase Pickering Emulsions.

To decrease the lipid content in water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions, high internal phase Pickering W/O emulsions (HIPPE) were fabricated using magnetic stirring using a combination of monoglyceride (MAG) oleogel and polyglycerol polyacrylate oleate (PGPR) as stabilizers. Effects of MAGs (glyceryl monostearate-GMS, glycerol monolaurate-GML and glycerol monocaprylate-GMC) and internal phase components on the formation and properties of HIPPEs were investigated. The results showed that milky-white stabilized W/O HIPPE with up to 85 wt% aqueous phase content was successfully prepared, and the droplet interfaces presented a network of MAG crystals, independent of the MAG type. All HIPPEs exhibited great stability under freeze-thaw cycles but were less plastic. Meanwhile, GML-oleogel-based HIPPEs had larger particle size and were less thermal stable than GMS and GMC-based HIPPEs. Compared to guar gum, the internal phase components of sodium chloride and sucrose were more effective in reducing the particle size of HIPPEs, improving their stability and plasticity, and stabilizing them during 100-day storage. HIPPEs presented great spreadability, ductility and plasticity after whipping treatment. This knowledge provides a new perspective on the use of oleogels as co-stabilizers for the formation of W/O HIPPEs, which can be used as a potential substitute for creams.

Development of a versatile optical pH sensor array for discrimination of anti-aging face creams.

The certification of cosmetic products has always been a prominent concern. Here, we have developed a pH sensor and applied it in the field of cosmetic safety. Initially, we designed two probes, CH with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect and the near-infrared fluorophore derivative CYTYR. By encapsulating them with DSPE-PEG2000-NH2, we obtained the CHCY-lipo nano-micelles with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) response. By combining them into a sensor array called pC, we achieved sensitive detection of a wide pH range, ranging from 4.69 to 9.25. To validate the performance of the pC sensor array, we employed a multi-channel mode and applied it to differentiate commercial anti-aging creams. Through linear discriminant analysis and 3D fingerprint analysis, the pC sensor array successfully distinguished anti-aging creams from different countries, providing a rapid and accurate method for cosmetic safety identification. The results of this study demonstrate the potential of the pC sensor array for quick authentication of cosmetic products, offering significant support and application prospects in safeguarding consumer health.

Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Reducing Perceived Pain and Anxiety Among Patients Within a Hospital System: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Within hospital systems, diverse subsets of patients are subject to minimally invasive procedures that provide therapeutic relief and necessary health data that are often perceived as anxiogenic or painful. These feelings are particularly relevant to patients experiencing procedures where they are conscious and not sedated or placed under general anesthesia that renders them incapacitated. Pharmacologic pain management and topical anesthetic creams are used to manage these feelings; however, distraction-based methods can provide nonpharmacologic means to modify the painful experience and discomfort often associated with these procedures. Recent studies support distraction as a useful method for reducing anxiety and pain and as a result, improving patient experience. Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that provides an immersive user experience and can operate through a distraction-based method to reduce the negative or painful experience often related to procedures where the patient is conscious. Given the possible short-term and long-term outcomes of poorly managed pain and enduring among patients, health care professionals are challenged to improve patient well-being during medically essential procedures. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this pilot project is to assess the efficacy of using VR as a distraction-based intervention for anxiety or pain management compared to other nonpharmacologic interventions in a variety of hospital settings, specifically in patients undergoing lumbar puncture procedures and bone marrow biopsies at the oncology ward, patients receiving nerve block for a broken bone at an anesthesia or surgical center, patients undergoing a cleaning at a dental clinic, patients conscious during an ablation procedure at a cardiology clinic, and patients awake during a kidney biopsy at a nephrology clinic. This will provide the framework for additional studies in other health care settings. METHODS: In a single visit, patients eligible for the study will complete brief preprocedural and postprocedural questionnaires about their perceived fear, anxiety, and pain levels. During the procedure, research assistants will place a VR headset on the patient and the patient will undergo a VR experience to distract from any pain felt from the procedure. Participants' vitals, including blood pressure, heart rate, and rate of respiration, will also be recorded before, during, and after the procedure. RESULTS: The study is already underway, and results support a decrease in perceived pain by 1.00 and a decrease in perceived anxiety by 0.3 compared to the control group (on a 10-point Likert scale). Among the VR intervention group, the average rating for comfort was 4.35 out of 5. CONCLUSIONS: This study will provide greater insight into how patients' perception of anxiety and pain could potentially be altered. Furthermore, metrics related to the operational efficiency of providing a VR intervention compared to a control will provide insight into the feasibility and integration of such technologies in routine practice. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/52649.

Comparative analysis of heavy metal content of unregulated facial whitening creams and branded facial whitening creams.

The present study was conducted to evaluate potential health risks of Omani cosmetics considering the dangers and adverse effects on health caused by unregulated and unlabelled cosmetic products. Therefore, this current study is to examine the toxic heavy metals of unregulated facial whitening creams that are available in the Omani market and compare them with branded facial whitening creams. A total twenty-two samples were purchased from the Souqs/markets of all eleven governorates of Oman and their heavy metals content was determined by using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The sample was digested by using ultra wave microwave at 180 °C. The percentage of heavy metals present in the unregulated whitening creams were compared with the heavy metals content of two randomly selected and branded whitening creams. The results showed that most of the unregulated samples contain significant amount of chromium, cooper and lead. In comparison, the branded face creams contained only the permissible amount of the heavy metals tested. The maximum arsenic content was found in a sample collected from Al Batinah South region (1.74 ppm). The maximum cadmium content was found in a sample collected from Al Wusta region (2.02 ppm). The maximum cobalt and chromium content were found in the samples collected from Al Buraimi region (0.10 ppm) and Dhofar region (8.04 ppm) respectively. In conclusion, unregulated face creams are not safe for human consumption because they contain significant levels of heavy metals that exceed the permissible limits.

Prospective Study on the Influence of Occupational Hand Protection Products on the Efficacy of Hand Disinfection.

BACKGROUND: To prevent occupational skin diseases, employees are instructed to periodically apply hand protection products as a barrier to protect their hands from water, cleaning agents or other irritants. The aim of this work was to investigate whether bacteria present on the skin at the time of protection product application are enclosed underneath this protective layer, if they can be transferred to other surfaces and if a standard isopropanol-based skin disinfectant can nonetheless reduce the bacterial burden. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in human volunteers based on the European Standard (EN 1500) to assess the burden of microorganisms before and after the application of various protection product formulations and subsequent hand disinfection. RESULTS: All protection products, with the exception of alcohol-based gels, enclosed bacteria underneath a lipid layer which could be transferred onto other surfaces. Still, the hand disinfectant efficiently reduced the bacteria burden. DISCUSSION: In occupations where proper hand hygiene is vital, alcohol-based gels might be the best option for the protection of the skin barrier as well as for reducing the contamination risk. CONCLUSION: An alcohol-based disinfection agent can dissolve the lipid film of protection products following the standard protocol for hygienic hand disinfection.

New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for ad hoc human health risk assessment of food and non-food products - Proceedings of a workshop.

RIVM convened a workshop on the use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for the ad hoc human health risk assessment of food and non-food products. Central to the workshop were two case studies of marketed products with a potential health concern: the botanical Tabernanthe iboga which is used to facilitate mental or spiritual insight or to (illegally) treat drug addiction and is associated with cardiotoxicity, and dermal creams containing female sex hormones, intended for use by perimenopausal women to reduce menopause symptoms without medical supervision. The workshop participants recognized that data from NAM approaches added valuable information for the ad hoc risk assessment of these products, although the available approaches were inadequate to derive health-based guidance values. Recommendations were provided on how to further enhance and implement NAM approaches in regulatory risk assessment, specifying both scientific and technical aspects as well as stakeholder engagement aspects.

Stimuli-Responsive Polymers for Engineered Emulsions.

Emulsions are complex. Dispersing two immiscible phases, thus expanding an interface, requires effort to achieve and the resultant dispersion is thermodynamically unstable, driving the system toward coalescence. Furthermore, physical instabilities, including creaming, arise due to presence of dispersed droplets of different densities to a continuous phase. Emulsions allow the formulation of oils, can act as vehicles to solubilize both hydrophilic and lipophilic molecules, and can be tailored to desirable rheological profiles, including "gel-like" behavior and shear thinning. The usefulness of emulsions can be further expanded by imparting stimuli-responsive or "smart" behaviors by inclusion of a stimuli-responsive emulsifier, polymer or surfactant. This enables manipulation like gelation, breaking, or aggregation, by external triggers such as pH, temperature, or salt concentration changes. This platform generates functional materials for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, oil recovery, and colloid engineering, combining both smart behaviors and intrinsic benefit of emulsions. However, with increased functionality comes greater complexity. This review focuses on the use of stimuli-responsive polymers for the generation of smart emulsions, motivated by the great adaptability of polymers for this application and their efficacy as steric stabilizers. Stimuli-responsive emulsions are described according to the trigger used to provide the reader with an overview of progress in this field.

Probing the effectiveness of barrier creams against human skin penetration of nickel powder.

OBJECTIVE: Barrier creams (BCs) are marketed as locally applied medical devices or cosmetic products to protect the skin from exposure to chemicals and irritants. Generally, the mechanism of action of such products is mainly due to the formation of a superficial thin film between the skin and the irritant or sensitizer, thus reducing or totally blocking the cutaneous penetration of such agents. Specifically, studies focusing on the effectiveness of commercial protective creams to prevent nickel cutaneous penetration are extremely scarce. The aim of the current work, therefore, is to evaluate the protective role of a commercially available barrier cream for nickel and compare the results with a simple moisturizing, following exposure to Ni powder. METHODS: Marketed BCs were evaluated and tested. Human skin absorption of Ni was studied in vitro using static Franz diffusion cells. RESULTS: Our results demonstrate that the application of both formulations caused a reduction of Ni inside the skin (8.00 ± 3.35 µg cm-2 for the barrier cream and 22.6 ± 12.6 µg cm-2 for the general moisturizing product), with the specialized barrier cream being statistically (p = 0.015) more efficient on forming a protective barrier, thus evidencing the importance of some ingredients in such formulations on the nickel dermal accumulation. CONCLUSIONS: The composition of the formulations based on film-forming or chelating agents may play an imperative role in reducing the cutaneous penetration of Ni.

OBJECTIF: Les crèmes de barrière (CB) sont commercialisées en tant que dispositifs médicaux ou produits cosmétiques appliqués localement pour protéger la peau contre l'exposition aux produits chimiques et irritants. En général, le mécanisme d'action de ces produits est principalement dû à la formation d'un film mince superficiel entre la peau et l'irritant ou le sensibilisant, réduisant ainsi ou bloquant totalement la pénétration cutanée de ces agents. Plus précisément, les études portant sur l'efficacité des crèmes protectrices commercialisées pour prévenir la pénétration cutanée du nickel sont extrêmement rares. L'objectif du projet en cours est donc d'évaluer le rôle protecteur d'une crème barrière disponible dans le commerce contre le nickel et de comparer les résultats à un simple hydratant après une exposition à la poudre de Ni. MÉTHODES: Des CB commercialisées ont été évaluées et testées. L'absorption cutanée du Ni dans la peau humaine a été étudiée in vitro à l'aide de cellules de diffusion statiques de Franz. RÉSULTATS: Nos résultats démontrent que l'application des deux formulations a entraîné une réduction du taux de Ni à l'intérieur de la peau (8,00 ± 3,35 µg·cm-2 pour la crème barrière et 22,6 ± 12,6 µg·cm-2 pour le produit hydratant ordinaire), la crème barrière spécialisée étant statistiquement (p = 0,015) plus efficace pour former une barrière protectrice, démontrant ainsi l'importance de certains ingrédients dans ces formulations sur l'accumulation dermique du nickel. CONCLUSIONS: La composition des formulations basées sur des agents de formation de film ou de chélation peut jouer un rôle nécessaire pour réduire la pénétration cutanée du Ni.

A comprehensively validated IVRT method reliably discriminates sameness and differences between several topical clotrimazole creams.

In vitro release testing (IVRT) has gained increasing acceptance for use as a biowaiver for topical products intended for local action. Whereas the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has issued product specific guidances (PSGs) recommending IVRT for several products, the PSG for clotrimazole cream does not include an IVRT option. However, an important requirement to include supplemental selectivity in the validation process as described in the recent FDA draft guidance on IVRT studies for topical drug products has generally been conspicuously absent in the published literature describing the application of IVRT as a biowaiver. Supplemental selectivity involves the comparison of a reference product and altered formulations containing the same strength of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). In order to demonstrate supplemental selectivity, cream formulation containing the same API (clotrimazole), at the same strength (1 %) and in the same dosage form (cream) but manufactured using different excipients were used. This will help assess the impact that excipients may have on the release rate of clotrimazole and whether the method is capable of identifying differences in the microstructure and arrangement of matter (Q3) as an important performance parameter. In addition, products containing <30 % or >40 % clotrimazole to serve as negative controls were also included for the discriminatory power assessment. Hence, the primary objective was to develop and validate a simple, reliable, reproducible, and cost-effective in vitro technique in accordance with the recent draft FDA guidance to assess the "sameness" of topical creams containing 1 % clotrimazole. An in vitro release testing (IVRT) system was used and an IVRT method was developed and accordingly validated. The validated IVRT method showed the potential to accurately measure the release from 1 % clotrimazole creams and demonstrated supplemental selectivity and appropriate discriminatory power to identify "sameness" and/ or differences.

Macrocystis pyrifera ferment-containing creams for optimizing facial skin rejuvenation.

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing demand for facial skin rejuvenation. Specialized aesthetic skincare treatments may be one of the first steps to help prevent or treat facial signs of aging. This article discusses aesthetic skin care for facial skin rejuvenation, particularly data on two creams containing Macrocystis pyrifera ferment. METHODS: The authors convened a dermatology advisory board to discuss challenges and practices in using skincare for facial rejuvenation, combining their expert opinion and experience on facial rejuvenation with preclinical and clinical data on two creams containing Macrocystis pyrifera ferment and a review of the literature. RESULTS: Preclinical and clinical studies on Macrocystis pyrifera ferment and two creams containing the ferment exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and healing properties. In preclinical studies, the ferment demonstrated collagen type I enhancing properties in ex vivo skin models, and skin cells treated with the ferment migrated faster than untreated cells in the in vitro study. In clinical studies measuring visible anti-inflammatory activity, the ferment alone and the ferment-containing products significantly decreased erythema, and in anti-aging studies, they improved visible skin aging parameters. Finally, in clinical studies on the stratum corneum, the two creams increased moisture levels and decreased transepidermal water loss (TEWL), reflecting healing by enhancing barrier strength and recovery. CONCLUSIONS: The Macrocystis pyrifera ferment and creams containing the ferment are effective skin care treatment products to decrease the visible effects of inflammation and signs of aging while promoting healing by enhancing barrier resilience and recovery.

Terapia de estrógenos vaginales y riesgo de recurrencia en mujeres con antecedente de cáncer de mama

El cáncer de mama sigue siendo la neoplasia maligna más frecuente y una de las mortales en mujeres, considerándose un importante objetivo de la salud global y prioridad en salud pública. Con el uso de terapias innovadoras, ha mejorado la supervivencia, apareciendo condiciones asociadas, como el síndrome genitourinario menopaúsico. La terapia hormonal, se utiliza para el manejo de esta condición, mejorando sustancialmente la sintomatología, e incluso, siendo en algunos casos la única solución. La más utilizada, es la terapia de estrógenos vaginales. Sin embargo, se ha descrito un posible riesgo de recurrencia de cáncer de mama con su uso. En habla hispana, no existe evidencia que haya discutido este tópico. Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda en las bases PubMed, ScienceDirect y MEDLINE, utilizando los términos "Terapia de estrógenos vaginales", "Recurrencia" y "Cáncer de mama". Se encontró, que, de forma global, la terapia de estrógenos vaginales es una opción terapéutica eficaz y segura en el manejo del síndrome genitourinario menopaúsico en mujeres con antecedente de cáncer de mama, sin incrementar el riesgo de recurrencia, a excepción de aquellas tratadas con inhibidores de la aromatasa, en quienes se recomienda el uso de otras terapias para evitar acarrear este riesgo.

Breast cancer remains the most common malignant neoplasm and one of the leading causes of mortality in women, making it a significant target for global health efforts and a public health priority. Through the use of innovative therapies, survival rates have improved, leading to the emergence of associated conditions such as genitourinary menopausal syndrome. Hormonal therapy is employed for managing this condition, significantly alleviating its symptoms and, in some cases, serving as the sole solution. The most commonly utilized approach is vaginal estrogen therapy. Nevertheless, there have been reports of a potential risk of breast cancer recurrence associated with its use. In the Spanish-speaking context, there is limited evidence discussing this topic. A search was conducted across PubMed, ScienceDirect, and MEDLINE databases, using the terms "Vaginal Estrogen Therapy", "Recurrence" and "Breast Cancer." It was determined that, on a global scale, vaginal estrogen therapy is an effective and safe therapeutic option for managing genitourinary menopausal syndrome in women with a history of breast cancer. This therapy does not appear to increase the risk of recurrence, with the exception of those undergoing treatment with aromatase inhibitors. For these individuals, alternative therapies are recommended to mitigate this potential risk.

Antibacterial activity, quality and stability study of creams with new potential silver(I) complexes and in vivo case report.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity, quality and stability of creams (at 1 % concentration) prepared with synthesized silver(I) complexes: [Ag(Nam)2]NO3·H2O ( AgNam), [Ag2(HGly)2]n(NO3)2n (AgGly) (Nam - nicotin-amide, Gly - glycine) and silver(I) sulfadiazine (AgSD), which is commercially available. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by agar well diffusion method and in in vivo case. The pure silver(I) complexes as well as all three tested creams loaded with AgGly, AgSD and AgNam showed antibacterial potential. Moreover, the creams loaded with AgGly and AgNam showed higher antibacterial effects against S. aureus and B. subtilis than the cream loaded with AgSD. In terms of appearance, all cream samples were opaque and odourless, and no phase separation was observed. Creams were soluble in water (o/w emulsions) and they had a pseudoplastic behaviour. The pH of the creams was in the range of 4.87-5.75. No visible changes were observed in the case of commercially used AgSD cream during one month testing period at conditions -16 ± 1 °C; 6 ± 1 °C and 56 % relative humidity; 20 ± 1 °C and 58 % relative humidity and 40 ± 1 °C and 75 % relative humidity. However, creams containing AgGly and AgNam changed their colour depending on the tested conditions.

Physicochemical Properties of Gold Nanoparticles for Skin Care Creams.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have now been used in skin care creams for several years, with marketed anti-aging, moisturizing, and regenerative properties. Information on the harmful effects of these nanoparticles is lacking, a concern for the use of AuNPs as cosmetic ingredients. Testing AuNPs without the medium of a cosmetic product is a typical method for obtaining this information, which is mainly dependent on their size, shape, surface charge, and dose. As these properties depend on the surrounding medium, nanoparticles should be characterized in a skin cream without extraction from the cream's complex medium as it may alter their physicochemical properties. The current study compares the sizes, morphology, and surface changes of produced dried AuNPs with a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) stabilizer and AuNPs embedded in a cosmetic cream using a variety of characterization techniques (TEM, SEM, DLS, zeta potential, BET, UV-vis). The results show no observable differences in their shapes and sizes (spherical and irregular, average size of 28 nm) while their surface charges changed in the cream, indicating no major modification of their primary sizes, morphology, and the corresponding functional properties. They were present as individually dispersed nanoparticles and as groups or clusters of physically separated primary nanoparticles in both dry form and cream medium, showing suitable stability. Examination of AuNPs in a cosmetic cream is challenging due to the required conditions of various characterization techniques but necessary for obtaining a clear understanding of the AuNPs' properties in cosmetic products as the surrounding medium is a critical factor for determining their beneficial or harmful effects in cosmetic products.

Investigating the effect of the pH of foot care product formulations on pedal skin in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.

OBJECTIVE: The use of skin care formulations with acidic pHs is seen as an effective method to maintain the acidic mantel of the skin; however, because the skin pH varies depending on the area of the body and as data are lacking for the skin pH of the feet, there was a need to examine whether this assumption holds true for skin care formulations designed for the foot. Thus, three foot creams formulated with a neutral, acidic or alkaline pH were compared with each other as well as to an untreated control group in order to analyse their impact on skin pH, hydration and general skin condition. METHODS: An exploratory clinical investigation with 60 enrolled subjects, half of whom had a diagnosis of diabetes (type 1 or type 2), was undertaken. The investigation followed a randomized, double-blind, balanced incomplete block design (BIBD) including intra-individual comparison (before and after treatment). Evaluations of skin pH and hydration were carried out using a pH meter and a Corneometer respectively. Objective evaluation of skin condition for efficacy assessment was performed by a trained grader. For tolerability evaluation, objective and subjective dermatological assessments were performed. RESULTS: At the end of the treatment period, the skin pH was largely unchanged at five out of six of the test areas, with the mean value for each treatment group using test products showing similar fluctuations as the untreated control group. Furthermore, the skin condition parameters studied all improved by a comparable magnitude for each of the treatment groups using the test products, whereas the untreated control group experienced a worsening of the skin condition parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this investigation suggest that where the skin of the foot is concerned, the pH of skin care formulations has no (physiologically) relevant influence on the skin's pH in either diabetic or non-diabetic subjects. Furthermore, the expectation that acidic formulations would be more beneficial for the skin's condition was not found to hold true for the skin of the foot, as no significant difference was observed between the performance of the three test products investigated in this study.

OBJECTIF: L'utilisation de formulations de soins cutanés à pH acide est considérée comme une méthode efficace pour préserver le manteau acide de la peau. Cependant, comme le pH de la peau varie en fonction de la zone corporelle et comme les données manquent concernant le pH de la peau des pieds, il était nécessaire d'examiner si cette hypothèse est vraie pour les formulations de soins cutanés conçues pour le pied. Ainsi, 3 crèmes pour les pieds à pH neutre, acide ou alcalin ont été comparées entre elles, ainsi qu'à un groupe témoin non traité, afin d'analyser leur impact sur le pH de la peau, l'hydratation et l'état général de la peau. MÉTHODES: Une étude clinique exploratoire a été menée sur 60 sujets inclus, dont la moitié avait reçu un diagnostic de diabète (de type 1 ou de type 2). L'étude a suivi une conception randomisée, en double aveugle, en blocs incomplets équilibrés (balanced incomplete block design, BIBD), comprenant une comparaison intra-individuelle (avant et après le traitement). Les évaluations du pH de la peau et de l'hydratation ont été réalisées à l'aide d'un pH-mètre et d'un cornéomètre, respectivement. Une évaluation objective de l'état de la peau a été réalisée par un évaluateur formé en ce qui concerne l'évaluation de l'efficacité. Pour l'évaluation de la tolérance, des évaluations dermatologiques objectives et subjectives ont été réalisées. RÉSULTATS: À la fin de la période de traitement, le pH de la peau était en grande partie inchangé dans 5 des 6 zones de test, la valeur moyenne pour chaque groupe de traitement utilisant des produits testés montrant des fluctuations similaires à celles du groupe témoin non traité. En outre, les paramètres de l'état de la peau étudiés se sont tous améliorés dans une mesure comparable pour chacun des groupes de traitement utilisant les produits à l'étude, tandis que le groupe témoin non traité a présenté une aggravation des paramètres de l'état de la peau. CONCLUSIONS: Les résultats de cette étude indiquent qu'en ce qui concerne la peau du pied, le pH des formulations de soins de la peau n'a pas d'influence (physiologiquement) pertinente sur le pH de la peau chez les sujets diabétiques ou non diabétiques. En outre, l'attente selon laquelle des formulations acides seraient plus bénéfiques pour l'état de la peau n'a pas été confirmée pour la peau du pied, car aucune différence significative n'a été observée entre les performances des 3 produits testés étudiés dans cette étude.

Acquired Reactive Perforating Collagenosis: Case Series.

Acquired reactive perforating collagenosis (ARPC) is one of the four acquired perforating dermatoses. The condition is characterized by transepidermal elimination of altered collagen. These are rare and underdiagnosed clinical entities and a few studies are available in the Indian literature. The present study described 15 patients of ARPC with underlying comorbidities and clinical response to systemic antihistamines, doxycycline, and topical clobetasol propionate. Of total 15 patients, 10 were men and the other five were women. Except two patients, diabetes mellitus was seen in 13 patients. Three patients had mild proteinuria. Four patients were known hypertensive. Itchy, papular, nodular lesions with central keratotic plug were seen commonly on the limbs and trunk. In another five patients, lesions were seen other than limbs and trunk, on the abdomen, chest, and back. In one case, giant plaques of more than 2 cm were present on the abdomen and limbs. In another patient, psoriasis lesions were concomitantly seen with ARPC lesions. Koebner's phenomenon was observed in six patients. The histopathological features of skin lesions in all 15 patients were consistent with ARPC. In all the patients, the lesions regressed within 4-6 weeks with topical clobetasol propionate and antihistamines. In three patients, systemic doxycycline was found to hasten the regression of lesions. Recurrences were observed in six patients during the follow-up period of 3 months.

Potential Health Risks of Zn, Fe, and Pb in Medical Skin Creams and Cosmetic Products Derived from Plants in Iraq.

Medical skin creams (SC) and cosmetic products (CP) specially derived from plants have natural chemicals as ingredients which are a major source of heavy metal releases. Therefore, the presence of harmful heavy metals in these materials is a matter of concern. This study has been carried out to assess the concentrations of heavy metals such as zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and lead (Pb) in skin creams and cosmetic products that are available in Iraqi pharmacies using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Thirty-three samples from different Iraqi pharmacies of beauty creams, including 13 samples of skin creams and ten samples of cosmetic products. Health risk parameters such as chronic daily intake (CDI), total non-cancer risk (H.I.), and total cumulative cancer risk (TCCR) have been calculated. Based on the results, it is found that the average value of Zn, Fe, and Pb concentrations for SC samples in unit mg/kg were 65.33 ± 14.56, 100.52 ± 21.05, and 2.62 ± 0.64, respectively. At the same time, the average value of Zn, Fe, and Pb concentrations for CP samples in unit mg/kg were 2.30 ± 0.48, 24.18 ± 6.87, and 4.79 ± 1.18, respectively. The results of health risk exposure for SC samples were higher than those for CP samples. But, the values of health risk parameters were within acceptable limits according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Consequently, there is no potential health risk for using medical skin creams and cosmetic products in the present study by Iraqi people.