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| Newsletter | Medical acne therapy and additional use of skin care products | Frank Rippke |
Acne vulgaris is one of the most frequent dermatoses in the Western industrialized nations. Pathophysiological factors associated with acne vulgaris are an increased sebum production, a hornification disorder in the excretory ducts of the sebaceous glands as well as inflammatory reactions caused by Propionibacterium acnes. In the case of mild forms of acne (Acne comedonica), hyperkeratosis plays a decisive role, especially on the grounds of an increased follicular reactivity to comedogenic substances. The treatment with keratolitically effective substances may, however, especially in sensitive skin, cause irritations, and skin dryness. Therefore, a comedolytic treatment of the skin is recommendable, i.e. using mildly effective, non-comedogenic skin care products with an excellent skin compatibility in addition to medicinal acne therapy products.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness and skin compatibility of a medicinal facial skin care series for impure, acne-prone skin (Eucerin® Unreine Haut), and to find out if it is compatible with pharmacological acne medication.
1,033 patients (78 percent female, 22 percent male, average age: 23.3 years) with acne vulgaris were integrated into an open, controlled multicenter study which was carried out in Germany, Austria, Belgium, and Thailand. From the Eucerin® Unreine Haut skin care range, the patients received a cleansing gel and a facial tonic for skin cleansing, and for additional skin conditioning, a cream gel (tinted and not tinted) as well as a covering cream. The products were used as directed by a physician. In 610 patients, acne was additionally treated with medication. After two and six weeks of treatment the skin condition was assessed and compared with the initial state of the skin and a compatibility of the skin care products with the drugs used was conducted. In addition, the patients evaluated of the skin compatibility and the application properties of the products used at the end of the study test.
The physicians’ assessment made at the final examination showed an improvement or normalization of the skin’s condition in eighty percent of the patients (Figure 1). When compared with the initial findings, the decrease of the symptom score was both highly significant in the group of patients with and without treatment with additional drugs. The skin compatibility of the products was in most cases rated as “good” or “very good”, independent of the fact whether a treatment with medication had occurred or not. Properties such as smell, color, consistency and distribution of all products were often rated as “good” or better. Patient satisfaction with the products was extremely high and, in the large majority of patients, their continued use was recommended by physicians.
Figure 1: Development of skin state of patients after a 6-week treatment with Eucerin® Unreine Haut skin care range with our without medical acne therapy
Source:
www.gd-online.de, Jahrestagung Bonn, Abstracts 2003. |
As a consequence, products of the Eucerin® Unreine Haut range have shown to be effective and highly skin compatible in patients with light acne vulgaris, if used alone or in combination with an additional medication.
Author
Dr. med. Frank Rippke
Beiersdorf AG
Geschäftsbereich Dermatologie
Medizinische Abteilung (Fkt. 2228)
Unnastraße 48
D-20245 Hamburg
E-mail: frank.rippke@beiersdorf.com
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