Miami Beach, FL (March 5, 2010) – Research presented by
P&G Beauty & Grooming scientists at the 68th Annual Meeting
of the American Academy of Dermatology (Miami Beach, FL, March 5-9)
examines skin care science from multiple perspectives, offering
insights into how ingredient formulations, care regimens and gene
expressions impact skin condition. Eleven studies are on display,
discussing a wide range of topics, including lipid metabolism
pathways in the stratum corneum, skin elasticity and male shaving
regimens.
"This year, P&G Beauty & Grooming is presenting a
diverse research portfolio covering topics such as male and female
skin condition, whole body anti-aging treatments and skin care
genomics," said Emma Kohring, Global Director, P&G Beauty &
Grooming Science. "The 2010 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)
Annual Meeting is the ideal venue for P&G Beauty & Grooming
scientists to share their research and discuss the findings with
leaders in the world of dermatology."
The following research summaries are just a sample of the
P&G Beauty & Grooming science that will be shared at the
AAD Annual Meeting.
Hexamidine, a Protease Inhibitor, Promotes Stratum Corneum
Lipid Biomarkers In Vitro (P104, PD 01)
Skin aging is a result of unrepaired damage as well as
age-related physiological changes. The factors that accelerate skin
aging are both intrinsic, such as free radicals, and extrinsic,
such as UV exposure. In both intrinsically and extrinsically aged
skin, there is a down-regulation of the gene expression involved in
stratum corneum (the outer layer of the skin) lipid biosynthesis
and metabolism, resulting in decreased levels of key lipids
available for maintenance and repair.
P&G Beauty & Grooming scientists evaluated how
hexamidine impacts the gene expression of stratum corneum (SC)
lipid metabolism pathways in vitro. Using gene chip technology,
scientists examined RNA from skin biopsies of young and older study
subjects. In intrinsically and extrinsically aged skin, the
epidermal cholesterol, fatty acid and sphingolipid synthetic
pathway genes were down-regulated. Skin equivalents treated with
hexamidine showed the opposite effect, with up-regulation of these
pathways. Researchers concluded that the down-regulation of these
pathways is consistent with previously reported global decreases in
SC lipids in aging skin, and likely contributes to the decreased
ability of aged skin to maintain and repair the skin barrier. By
increasing the expression of genes involved in lipid biosynthetic
pathways, hexamidine has the potential to increase the levels of
these key lipids available for skin maintenance and repair. Thus,
using hexamidine, P&G Beauty & Grooming scientists
significantly increased expression of pathways essential for the
production of lipids such as cholesterol, sphingolipids and fatty
acids that have the potential to restore the stratum corneum and
moisture content of aging skin.
Effect of Anti-Aging Products on Stratum Corneum Thickness
and Barrier Integrity (P1009)
The outer layer of the skin, known as the stratum corneum (SC),
helps keep the skin hydrated by absorbing moisture and preventing
water evaporation. P&G Beauty & Grooming scientists used
Confocal Raman Microspectrometry (CRM) and Transepidermal Water
Loss (TEWL) measurements to assess the effect of three different
anti-aging products on SC thickness. The products tested included a
moisturizing cream containing niacinamide and hexamidine, a
moisturizing serum containing niacinamide, Lys'lastine, peptides
and caffeine and a lotion containing alpha lipoic acid. After four
weeks of treatment, study results demonstrated that the SC
thickened relative to baseline with each product. The
niacinamide/hexamidine cream and niacinamide/Lys'lastine serum both
produced statistically significant plumping of the SC relative to
no treatment and treatment with the niacinamide/Lys'lastine serum
thickened SC significantly more than alpha-lipoic acid lotion
treatment. Additionally, all products significantly reduced TEWL
after four weeks of treatment relative to no treatment, but the
niacinamide containing products reduced TEWL significantly more
than the alpha-lipoic acid lotion. Overall, products containing
niacinamide and hexamidine or niacinamide and Lys'lastine plumped
the SC and improved barrier function. Researchers believe the
changes in SC thickness may be associated with the improvement in
skin barrier function.
Petrolatum Depositing Body Wash Improves Skin Elasticity and
Cohesion (P1637)
Daily activities can cause an increase in dryness and subsequent
skin flaking, as well as a general loss of skin elasticity. In an
effort to improve the health and viability of aging skin, P&G
Beauty & Grooming scientists developed a petrolatum depositing
body wash that is aesthetically pleasing to use and delivers
benefits beyond typical moisturization. In developing the
anti-aging wash, P&G Beauty & Grooming scientists combined
fundamental body wash components with additional elements that
remove dry skin cells and improve skin elasticity and cohesiveness.
To assess the effect of the wash on dry skin, treatment was
conducted over a three week period. Women with dry leg skin were
separated into two groups: the first had their legs washed once
daily with the randomly assigned body wash products. The other used
a water alone treatment as a study control. Results of clinical
testing indicated that the body wash delivered significant
improvements in all standard moisturization measures and skin
elasticity, supporting the conclusion that the petrolatum
depositing body wash improves the overall condition of skin.
Male Facial Shaving Regimen Improves Overall Skin Condition
(P1151)
As millions of men around the world shave their facial hair
regularly, each individual's shaving technique, quality of razor
and grooming products, and skin and facial hair characteristics
shapes the quality of each shaving experience. To investigate the
impact of an advanced shaving regimen on overall skin condition,
researchers conducted a clinical study to compare an advanced
3-step shaving regimen to a typical male shaving regimen. The study
found that the use of an advanced shaving regimen, which included
cleansing the skin with a gentle cleanser, applying shave gel
designed for sensitive skin, shaving with a 5-blade razor and
hydrating the skin after shaving, can have a positive impact on
skin condition and shave quality through improved hydration.
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