Topical formulation improves skin fragility, bruising of aged skin on arms
Key takeaways:
- The arms treated with the topical saw less transepidermal water loss vs. the ceramide moisturizer-treated arms.
- Histology results also confirmed improved collagen formation in most arms treated with the topical.
Topical formulation repairs skin thinning, fragility and bruising as a result of aging, according to a press release.
“Everyone recognizes osteoporosis. It is very well known,” Alan D. Widgerow, MBBCh, MMed, FCS, FACS, chief scientific officer of Galderma and head of the skin science center for innovation at Alastin Innovations, told Healio. “But few people know that there is the equivalent on the skin called dermatoporosis, also known as skin thinning.”
Dermatoporosis is the result of chronic extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation which can occur in individuals aged anywhere from 40 to 90 years. As blood vessels are supported by the ECM, patients with dermatoporosis often report unsightly bruising as the vessels become more vulnerable to damage.
“We originally thought this was due to capillary fragility that occurred with aging,” Widgerow, who is also professor of plastic surgery and division chief of research at the center for tissue engineering at the University of California, Irvine, said. “We’ve now discovered that the vessels are vulnerable because of lack of support caused by the ECM degradation and thinning with less collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.”
In this study, the researchers tested the efficacy of ReFORM & RePAIR COMPLEX with TriHex Technology (R&R, Alastin Skincare Inc.) compared with a ceramide moisturizer for reducing the signs of dermatoporosis in the arms.
The 24-week study included 38 participants (mean age, 71.5 years; age range, 58-85 years; 32 women). Each participant was instructed to apply the R&R solution to one arm and the ceramide moisturizer to the other arm twice daily. Subjects were then evaluated at weeks 4, 8, 12, 16 and 24.
According to ultrasound results, 83% of participants demonstrated improvement in rete pegs and dermoepidermal junction undulation in the arms that received R&R treatment vs. the 17% improvement seen in the ceramide moisturizer-treated arm.
The R&R-treated arms also experienced less transepidermal water loss vs. the ceramide moisturizer-treated arms with a mean change from baseline to week 24 of –0.624 vs. 0.327, respectively, in the extensor arm and –0.556 vs. 0.794 in the volar arm.
Histology results also confirmed improved collagen and elastin formation in the majority of R&R-treated arms vs. comparator arms.
One participant reported an erythematous rash on the R&R-treated arm and discontinued the study. There were no other adverse events.
According to a participant questionnaire, more than half (51%) agreed that R&R improved the appearance of skin bruising and discoloration, whereas only 35% agreed that the ceramide moisturizer did the same. Another 46% reported that they experienced less bruising and tearing of the skin in their R&R-treated arms vs. 30% reporting the same of the ceramide moisturizer-treated arm.
According to Widgerow, one of the most surprising findings of the study included the changes taking place in the basement membrane, which forms the support system between the dermis and epidermis, at such an early timepoint.
“Skin thinning takes place over many, many years and 24 weeks is really early particularly for clinical changes to be noticeable,” Widgerow told Healio. “But we were able to see substantial changes in that small period of time. I suspect if we carry on looking at this over a longer time period, we are going to find even more changes taking place.”