A Survey to Assess the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Lifestyle in an Adult Age Group.

Context: A healthy lifestyle has been the need of the hour during the COVID 19 pandemic. Analyzing the current lifestyle patterns of many individuals can be the basis for finding solutions toward building a healthy future for India. Objectives: The study intended to evaluate the current lifestyles of adults in an urban setting in the midst of a pandemic and to examine the diseases that people could face with respect to their current lifestyles. Design: The research team performed a cross-sectional study. Setting: The survey was conducted in an urban setting in the Pimpri Chinchwad area of Pune, India. Participants: Participants were 500 men and women between the ages of 18 and 25. Outcome Measures: The research team created a survey with 13 multiple-choice questions. Results: The pandemic has taken a toll on people's mental and physical health. Social distancing and staying indoors for long periods are factors that have affected people's mental health. Conclusions: Efforts need to be made by individuals to focus not only on their physical health but also on their mental health.

A randomized study to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of two sunscreen formulations on Indian skin types IV and V with pigmentation irregularities.

BACKGROUND: Regular exposure to ultraviolet rays is high in India, where most Indians present Fitzpatrick skin phototypes IV and V. AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy and compare the effectiveness of two sunscreen products on Indian skin types IV and V with pigmentation irregularities. METHODS: A randomized, uncontrolled and investigator-blinded, single-center study enrolled adult men and women (18-45 years) with Fitzpatrick skin phototypes IV (28° < individual typological angle <10°) and V (10° < individual typological angle < -30°) with pigmentary abnormalities seen on the face in adults (actinic lentigines and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation), who did not use sunscreens. Participants were randomized (1:1) to either of the two marketed sunscreen products, Product A (sun protection factor 50 PA+++) or Product B (sun protection factor 19 PA+++), applied twice daily before sun exposure for ≥2 h. Primary objectives aimed at assessing possible improvement in hyperpigmented spots and overall skin appearance after 12 weeks of use. Evaluation of skin radiance and skin color was done by means of L'Oréal color chart and colorimetric measurements (Chromameter®). RESULTS: Among the 230 enrolled participants, 216 (93.91%) completed the study. The clinical assessment of the density of pigmented spots and skin radiance showed significant (P < 0.001) improvement in both groups during all visits. The qualitative (participant perception) and quantitative (Chromameter®) data indicated improvement in pigmentation from Week 0 to Week 12. Both products were well-tolerated. LIMITATIONS: The study was conducted over a rather short period of time (12 weeks) at a single location. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study conducted on Indian skin phototypes IV and V under real-life conditions. It demonstrated the effect of regular sunscreen usage in the prevention of certain signs of skin photoaging such as increased pigmentation or pigmentary abnormalities, thus providing support and assistance to clinicians in suggesting the use of efficient sun-screening products to patients.

Clinical Efficacy of a Novel Two-Part Skincare System on Pollution-Induced Skin Damage.

INTRODUCTION: Air pollution continues to be a global health concern and recent studies have shown that air pollutants can cause skin damage and skin aging through several pathways that induce oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and skin barrier dysfunction. Preventive measures need to be considered to retain optimal skin health, and topical skincare products may be able to alleviate the negative effects of air pollution on skin. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical usage study was conducted to assess the efficacy and tolerability of a novel two-part skincare system (LVS) that was developed to provide protection against environmental skin aggressors including air pollution. After 8 weeks of use in subjects exposed to extremely high levels of pollution, LVS provided significant improvements compared to placebo in all clinical efficacy parameters including crow's feet wrinkles, overall skin damage, skin tone evenness, tactile roughness, and visible redness. Subject self-assessment questionnaires showed that the treatment product was highly rated in self-perceived efficacy. Decreased SQOOH and MDA content in skin swab samples suggest that LVS helped to reduce oxidative stress in patients' skin. Histological analyses of biopsy samples using biomarkers related to skin structure, damage and function (collagen IV, MMP1, CPD, and CD1a) further support the clinical benefits of LVS. Altogether, the presented study is among the first to show that topical skincare products can help to reduce pollution-induced skin damage and improve skin quality, especially when specifically formulated with active ingredients that combat the harmful effects of air pollutants. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(9):975-981.