Effective Skin Care Guidance for Patients with Acne Vulgaris after Standard Treatment

With the introduction of new drugs, the treatment of acne vulgaris has improved dramatically;however, there remains a considerable gap between treatment outcomes and patients’ treatment goals. This study aimed to determine whether dermatologists’ guidance on appropriate skincare for skin symptoms such as post-inflammatory erythema and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), which are not covered by acne treatment, leads to an improvement in patients’ skin condition and patient satisfaction. Japanese women who had completed standard treatment for acne vulgaris and those with mild symptoms not requiring treatment were included in the study. The participants received instructions about skin care at the beginning of the study, which they continued to apply for 6 weeks. At the start and end of the study, participants were examined by a dermatologist;afterward, skin measurements, including skin color, skin surface lipid content, and image analysis by VISIA® Evolution, analysis of stratum corneum obtained from the skin surface, and Skindex-16 questionnaire for assessing quality of life (QOL), were performed. The following showed significant improvements: PIH score, number of inflammatory acne lesions, and number of non-inflammatory acne lesions observed via skin examination;skin surface lipid content and values of L* and a* obtained via instrumental measurement;n number of pore, texture, red spot, and pigmented spot obtained via by image analysis;and degree of multilayer exfoliation and interleukin-1α determined by analysis of epidermal stratum corneum. QOL measurement using Skindex-16 also improved significantly. Appropriate skin care guidance following standard acne vulgaris treatment is helpful in achieving patients’ treatment goals. .

Makeup Activates Brain Activity in Visually Impaired Persons: Evaluation by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Cosmetics are used to improve physical appearance, but the benefits may be limited to people without visual impairment. The importance of attractiveness among blind persons has not been assessed. We investigated the influence of makeup on brain activity of blind persons using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants were 7 blind females (BFs) who learned to fully apply makeup and 9 mostly age-matched normally sighted females (NSFs). Brain activity was measured using fMRI before and after application of makeup and during a makeup image task in each state. In the default mode network at rest, there was no difference between the BFs and NSFs. However, a lateral visual network to the opposite side was observed in the NSFs, whereas no such network was noted in the BFs. A weak network was noted in the BFs in the occipital fusiform gyrus and temporal occipital fusiform cortex, and an extensive visual area network defect was noted. Also, activity after makeup application was significantly higher in the nucleus accumbens, pallidum, and hippocampus. Activity in the right middle cingulate gyrus, right cerebral white matter, and right anterior cingulate gyrus was higher before makeup in both BFs and NSFs, and the activity was significantly higher and more extensive in the BFs. In conclusion, applying makeup is a personally rewarding activity, even for BFs, as it strongly activates the reward system and the reward/memory system network, even in the absence of a visual area network.

Clinical Evaluation of Moisturizers with Physiological Analysis of Stratum Corneum TARC and TSLP

To verify the usefulness of moisturizers, a multi-center study was conducted on patients with atopic dermatitis who visited 3 university hospitals in Japan between November 2009 and March 2012. Thirty-seven patients with dry skin and stable symptoms who were receiving topical and oral treatments were given moisturizers for 8 weeks. The moisturizers contained components such as glycerin and seawater minerals in 3 forms: lotion, emulsion, and cream. The moisturizers were chosen by physicians based on the degree of dryness of the patients’ skin. In addition to observing the skin condition of the entire body, high-frequency conductance as a parameter of skin surface hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in the buccal region and the medial side of the forearm were measured, and those of the back were used for comparison. Furthermore, stratum corneum levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), both of which were objective parameters for atopic dermatitis skin lesion severity, were analyzed using the tape stripping method. At the beginning of the study, TSLP showed a correlation with skin symptoms (dryness, itching) and high-frequency conductance, whereas TARC showed a correlation with skin symptoms (erythema, dryness, itching) and TEWL. In addition, a correlation was noted among TSLP, TARC, and itching. At the end of the study, erythema, dryness, itching, TEWL,TSLP, and TARC were significantly reduced, whereas high-frequency conductance was significantly increased. The moisturizers clearly improved the dry skin symptoms of these patients with atopic dermatitis and improved the physiology of their sensitive and damaged skin. These findings also support the involvement of cytokines/chemokines in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis lesions.

Improvement of Scalp Condition and Quality of Life through Proper Skin Care of Dry Scalp

Introduction: Appropriate skin care for dry scalp includes treatment for dandruff and itchiness. However, little is known about the appropriate washing methods for subjects with dry scalp. Me- thods: A scalp moisturizing lotion was used for 8 weeks on 30 outpatients at the Tokushima University Hospital who had dry scalp. All subjects were given the same hair shampoo/conditioner and instructions on how to wash their hair. Scalp symptoms were observed before and after the testing period. Indigenous bacteria were collected from the scalp for quantitative assessment. A survey was conducted to assess the quality of life (QOL). Results: All scalp condition items (dryness, scales and desquamation, itchiness, excoriation, and erythema) improved significantly after the testing period;the levels of Malassezia and bacterial colonization also decreased significantly. The QOL evaluation indicated significant improvements in “symptoms”, “emotions”, and “global” measures. A correlation was found between the extent of dryness at the start of the test and the level of Malassezia colonization, as well as QOL scores. Conclusion: Using a scalp moisturizing lo- tion, washing hair with a shampoo and conditioner that cause low irritation levels, and using a hair washing method that avoids irritation led to improvement in scalp condition, QOL, and pa- tient satisfaction.