Cosmetic camouflage improves health-related quality of life in women with systemic lupus erythematosus and permanent skin damage: A controlled intervention study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of cosmetic camouflage in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and permanent facial skin damage. METHODS: This is a randomized controlled clinical trial (Universal Trial Number: U1111-1210-2554e) with SLE women from outpatients using ACR/1997 and/or SLICC/2012 criteria, aged over 18 years old, with modified SLEDAI 2k < 4 and permanent facial skin damage, recruited in two tertiary centers to use cosmetic camouflage (n = 36) or no intervention (n = 20). Endpoints were score variations in SLE Quality of Life (SLEQoL) (total and each domain), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Rosenberg self-esteem scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), after daily use of cosmetic camouflage for 12 +/-2 weeks (Phase I), "as needed" use of cosmetic camouflage for another 12 +/-2 weeks (Phase II), and during total follow up (24 +/-2 weeks). Univariate and multivariate linear regressions were conducted by protocol analysis. RESULTS: Both groups were similar at baseline regarding age, disease duration, socio-demographic, clinical, laboratory and treatment characteristics. The comparison of score variations between intervention and control groups showed an independent HRQoL improvement in total SLEQoL score after using cosmetic camouflage in Phase I [ß -27.56 (CI 95% -47.86 to -7.27) p = 0.009] and total follow up [ß -28.04 (CI 95% -48.65 to -7.44) p = 0.09], specifically in mood, self-image and physical functioning domains. Also, there was an improvement in DLQI scores during Phase I [ß -7.65 (CI 95% -12.31 to -3.00) p = 0.002] and total follow up [ß -8.97(CI95% -12.99 to -4.94) p < 0.001). Scores for depression [ß -1.92 (CI 95% -3.67 to -0.16) p = 0.033], anxiety [ß -2.87 (CI 95% -5.67 to -0.07] p = 0.045] and self-esteem [ß 2.79 (CI 95% 0.13 to 5.46) p = 0.041] improved considering the total follow up. No significant changes occurred in the control group scores. CONCLUSION: The use of cosmetic camouflage improved the HRQoL in female SLE patients with permanent facial skin damage.

Bacterial cellulose skin masks-Properties and sensory tests.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a versatile material produced by microorganisms in the form of a membranous hydrogel, totally biocompatible, and endowed with high mechanical strength. Its high water-holding capacity based on its highly porous nanofibrillar structure allows BC to incorporate and to release substances very fast, thus being suitable for the preparation of skincare masks. AIMS: The preparation and characterization of cosmetic masks based on BC membranes and active cosmetics. METHODS: The masks were prepared by the simple incorporation of the cosmetic actives into BC membranes, used as a swelling matrix. The masks were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), sensory tests, and skin moisture tests on volunteers. RESULTS: The results of sensory tests revealed the good performance of BC, being considered effective by the panel of volunteers, specially for adhesion to the skin (7.7 at the score scale), and improvement of the skin moisture (the hydration effect increased 76% in 75% of the volunteers that used vegetable extract mask formulation [VEM]), or a decrease in skin hydration (80% of the volunteers showed 32.6% decrease on skin hydration using propolis extract formulation [PEM] treatment), indicating the BC nanofiber membranes can be used to skincare applications. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate the BC can be used as an alternative support for cosmetic actives for skin treatment.

Essential Oils of Oregano: Biological Activity beyond Their Antimicrobial Properties.

Essential oils of oregano are widely recognized for their antimicrobial activity, as well as their antiviral and antifungal properties. Nevertheless, recent investigations have demonstrated that these compounds are also potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and cancer suppressor agents. These properties of oregano essential oils are of potential interest to the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The aim of this manuscript is to review the latest evidence regarding essential oils of oregano and their beneficial effects on health.

Dermocosmetic care for rosacea

ABSTRACT Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that primarily affects the central area of the face; it is characterized by erythema, papules, pustules, nodules, and telangiectasia. This condition arises between 30-60 years of age, and it usually occurs in fair-skinned people. Rosacea is characteristic of sensitive skin, as it is a disease marked with punctuated phases of exacerbated signs and symptoms that alternate with periods of remission. Humans have long incorporated cosmetics in their daily habits; given the scientific and technological developments that emerged in cosmeceuticals or dermocosmetics, the current cosmetic options are now used for much more than adornment or cleansing. The purpose of cosmetic care in rosacea is to restore the balance of the skin, while reducing the underlying inflammation, sensitivity, and dehydration. This review aims to highlight the various dermocosmetic care options that can reduce discomfort for and bring benefit to patients who have reactive and sensitive skin associated with rosacea. Additionally, this report discusses how pharmacists - public health agents - can and should offer counseling and support interventions to patients once oral or topical medications are dispensed to this pathology.

Incremento na dissolução da caffeine em base de ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer: desenvolvimento farmacotécnico de géis anti-celulite / Dissolution enhancement of caffeine in the ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer base: pharmaceutical development of anti-cellulite gels

A hidrolipodistrofia ginóide (HLDG), popularmente conhecida como ?celulite?, consiste em uma alteração patológica do tecido adiposo e da função veno- linfática. Géis contendo caffeine tem sido empregados no tratamento não-invasivo da HLDG, oferecendo resultados satisfatórios a baixos custos. Devido a baixa hidrossolubilidade da caffeine, este gel apresenta como principal inconveniente a formação de precipitados/ grumos, oriundos da precipitação da caffeine na base hidrofílica (gel). Este trabalho tem como objetivo o incremento na dissolução da caffeine em gel de Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, através da adição de adjuvantes como o citric acid e o sodium benzoate, além de solução hidroalcoólica, empregada como co-solvente da caffeine. O incremento na dissolução da caffeine foi verificado através da determinação do seu teor nos géis. Além disso, todas as amostras foram submetidas a análises macroscópicas e determinações de pH e viscosidade. A análise macroscópica permitiu a nítida visualização dos precipitados/grumos nos géis preparados sem os adjuvantes, enquanto que o emprego dos mesmos originou géis sem a presença de precipitados. A determinação do teor de caffeine demonstrou que os adjuvantes e co-solvente quase dobraram a concentração deste ativo nos géis. O pH do gel e a concentração de citric acid não influenciaram na dissolução da caffeine. Por outro lado, esses parâmetros influenciaram negativamente na viscosidade dos géis, o que parece ter sido ocasionado pela instabilidade do ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer em valores baixos de pH. Com isso, o aumento na dissolução da caffeine no gel anti-celulite parece ter sido ocasionada pela formação de sais hidrossolúveis com os adjuvantes empregados.(AU)

Gynoid hydrolipodystrophy, popularly known as cellulite, is a pathological alteration of the adipose tissue and the venous-lymphatic system. Gels containing caffeine has been used as a non-invasive treatment of cellulite offering satisfactory results at low costs. Due to the low aqueous solubility of caffeine, this gel has a major drawback, which is the formation of a drug precipitate in the hydrophilic excipient (ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer gel). The aim of this work is to increase the dissolution of caffeine in the gel by adding adjuvants such as citric acid and sodium benzoate, as well as a water-alcohol solution as a co-solvent for caffeine. The increase in the dissolution of caffeine was verified by determining its content in the gel. In addition, all samples were subjected to macroscopic analysis, pH determinations and viscosity measurements. Macroscopic analysis allowed a clear visualization of a white precipitate in the gels prepared without the adjuvants, whereas the use of both adjuvants and the water-alcohol solution avoided the precipitation of caffeine. Determination of caffeine content showed that the adjuvants and co-solvent nearly doubled the concentration of this drug in the gels. The pH of the gel and the concentration of citric acid did not influence the dissolution of caffeine, whereas the viscosity of the gel was negatively influenced by these parameters, which seems to be caused by the instability of ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer at low pH. Thus, the increase in the dissolution of caffeine seems to have been caused by the formation of water-soluble salts with the adjuvants used.(AU)

Efficacy of HPA Lanolin® in treatment of lip alterations related to chemotherapy.

UNLABELLED: The side effects of chemotherapy on the lips may cause esthetic and functional impact and increase the risk of infection. HPA Lanolin® is an option for supportive therapy because it has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and moisturizing properties. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of this product in the prevention of lip alterations in a population of patients undergoing chemotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients undergoing chemotherapy (n = 57) were examined and distributed into two groups: study (used HPA Lanolin®) and control (without supportive therapy on the lips). We evaluated the patients two weeks after chemotherapy, registering oral alterations, symptoms of pain, discomfort, limitation of mouth opening and dehydration, classified according to a visual analogue scale. RESULTS: Patients who used HPA Lanolin® had lower dehydration and experienced improvement of lip dryness (p<0.001). The main symptoms were dehydration, discomfort, limitation of mouth opening, pain. The main clinical signs were dry lips, mucositis, cheilitis, hematoma, swelling and cracking. We found no difference concerning the variables of pain, discomfort, and limitation of mouth opening between the study and control group. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that HPA Lanolin® is effective in reducing the symptoms of dehydration and the signs of lip dryness resulting from toxicity of chemotherapy, proving to be an interesting alternative supportive therapy for cancer patients.

Efficacy of HPA Lanolin® in treatment of lip alterations related to chemotherapy

The side effects of chemotherapy on the lips may cause esthetic and functional impact and increase the risk of infection. HPA Lanolin® is an option for supportive therapy because it has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and moisturizing properties. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of this product in the prevention of lip alterations in a population of patients undergoing chemotherapy. Material and Methods: Patients undergoing chemotherapy (n = 57) were examined and distributed into two groups: study (used HPA Lanolin®) and control (without supportive therapy on the lips). We evaluated the patients two weeks after chemotherapy, registering oral alterations, symptoms of pain, discomfort, limitation of mouth opening and dehydration, classified according to a visual analogue scale. Results: Patients who used HPA Lanolin® had lower dehydration and experienced improvement of lip dryness (p<0.001). The main symptoms were dehydration, discomfort, limitation of mouth opening, pain. The main clinical signs were dry lips, mucositis, cheilitis, hematoma, swelling and cracking. We found no difference concerning the variables of pain, discomfort, and limitation of mouth opening between the study and control group. Conclusions: We suggest that HPA Lanolin® is effective in reducing the symptoms of dehydration and the signs of lip dryness resulting from toxicity of chemotherapy, proving to be an interesting alternative supportive therapy for cancer patients.

Carotenoids and polyphenols in nutricosmetics, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals.

The market for cosmeceuticals continues with significant annual growth, but today consumers are more aware of nutritional products that contribute to both skin health and disease prevention. In the last 10 years, pharmacists, chemists, nutritionists, and physicians have been working together to develop new nutritional applications to satisfy people's needs and demands. As a recent result of convergence phenomenon between cosmetics and food industries, nutricosmetics is a blurry area unfamiliar to many consumers and sometimes even to foods and cosmetics experts. Characterized by oral supplementation of nutrients, nutricosmetics are also known as "beauty pills,""beauty from within," and even "oral cosmetics." The major claim is the antiaging effect, reducing wrinkles by fighting free radicals generated by solar radiation. Among the ingredients used in nutricosmetics, antioxidants represent the most crucial. The best-known antioxidants are carotenoids (beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin) and polyphenols (anthocyanidins, catechins, flavonoids, tannins, and procyanidins). This study presents an overview about the concept of nutricosmetics and gives us information about the difference between nutricosmetics, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. The article also discusses about carotenoids and polyphenols, two classes of ingredients often employed in such products.

Clinical use of antimicrobials / Uso clínico de antimicrobianos

Antimicrobial drugs have been employed since the last century in the treatment of various infectious conditions. They can be divided into two main classes: antibiotics and chemotherapeutic drugs. Although the use of antimicrobials in the treatment of infectious diseases may be considered one of the most important advances in modern medicine, use of these drugs should be preceded by careful assessment of the patient on an individual basis. This paper approaches the use of antimicrobials in clinical medicine, reviewing the fundamentals of treatment that should be included in any assessment for choice of therapy, including the patient, the pathogen and the drug.

Fragrance technology for the dermatologist - a review and practical application.

Cosmetic product development has increased in recent years. The value of a product is emphasized in its safety and effectiveness. The stability study in the context of product quality evaluation during shelf life becomes primordial to guarantee the integrity of the physical, chemical, and olfactory properties. In this study, aromatic compositions had been submitted to the stability normal test, at low temperature (4.0 ± 2.0°C), at room temperature (22.0 ± 2.0°C), and in oven (45.0 ± 2.0°C). The compositions were analyzed at 15, 30, 60, and 90 days versus a fresh aromatic composition 48 h after preparation, in which the organoleptic characteristics and pH value were evaluated besides undertaking sensory evaluation. The results demonstrated that at the high temperature (45.0 ± 2.0°C), in which the oxidative processes of the fragrance components are accelerated, the cosmetic preparation "A" was chosen because it showed more acceptable physical-chemical properties and in terms of sensory evaluation of perfume character and intensity was approved for commercial use.

Cosmeceuticals vitamins.

The term cosmeceutical was created over 25 years ago to define products with active substances that cannot be considered cosmetics or drugs. Cosmeceuticals are increasingly popular, with sales representing one of the largest growing segments of the skin care market. These products are found in many forms, including vitamins, peptides, growth factors, and botanical extracts. Cosmeceuticals that contain topically applied vitamins have an increasing role in skin care.

Desenvolvimento de formulações cosméticas hidratantes e avaliação da eficácia por métodos biofísicos / Development of cosmetic moisturizer formulations and evaluation of hydrating eficcacy by biophysical methods

Introdução: A comprovação da eficiência de formulações hidratantes deve ser criteriosa e analisada por com métodos adequados. Objetivo: O objetivo principal do trabalho foi avaliar in vivo a eficácia hidratante de formulações contendo diferentes componentes ativos por capacitância elétrica e perda de água transepidérmica. Compararam-se os desempenhos entre Corneometer® e Moisturemeter® e entre o Vapometer® e Tewlmeter®. Verificou-se o comportamento in vitro das alterações causadas pelas substâncias hidratantes, em modelo de estrato córneo alternativo. Material e Métodos: Os compostos ativos selecionados (4% p/p) para incorporação nos géis a base de carbômero foram: uréia, extrato vegetal de Imperata cylindrica; complexo contendo fatores de hidratação natural; e os derivados do açúcar, sacarídeo isomerato e a mistura de xilitilglicosídeo e anidroxilitilglicosídeo. A avaliação in vivo da eficácia hidratante, teve o delineamento experimental baseado no projeto fatorial ANOVA three way. Os tempos estudados foram: após a aplicação e 30,60, 120; 240 e 360 minutos. O estudo de estabilidade acelerada das formulações envolveu condições drásticas de armazenamento (temperatura, umidade e luminosidade) durante 90 dias. Na avaliação in vitro do comportamento das substâncias hidratantes utilizou-se a espectroscopia Raman com transformada de Fourier (FT-Raman) e Calorimetria exploratória diferencial (DSC)...

Mecanismos do envelhecimento cutâneo e o papel dos cosmecêuticos / Mechanisms of skin aging and the role of cosmeceuticals

A maioria dos mecanismos moleculares e celulares envolvidos no envelhecimento cutâneo intrínseco ou cronológico e extrínseco ou fotoenvelhecimento constitui objeto de muitos estudos de excelente qualidade e, portanto, são bem conhecidos. Contudo, existem aspectos ainda não completamente elucidados e até controversos. Por outro lado, a busca de tratamentos para prevenção, controle e reversão do envelhecimento, particularmente o fotoenvelhecimento, tem despertado muito interesse, nem sempre acompanhado do rigor científico necessário. Muitos ativos ditos antienvelhecimento são incorporados aos chamados cosmecêuticos que constituem uma classe de produtos tópicos intermediários entre os cosméticos e os medicamentos ou drogas. Como esses produtos são registrados como cosméticos, não há uma exigência rigorosa em relação aos estudos clínicos de eficácia e segurança, ou seja, são poucos os estudos controlados e randomizados. Em geral, eles não causam eventos adversos sérios, já que são utilizadas concentrações baixas dos ativos, muito aquém das que demonstram eficácia nos estudos pré-clínicos. Muitos, inclusive, não têm ação que comprovadamente possa interferir em qualquer dos mecanismos conhecidos do envelhecimento cutâneo. Não há como excluir a possibilidade de que tenham alguma utilidade, nem tampouco afirmar que possam produzir os resultados prometidos pela indústria cosmecêutica. Depende do bom senso dos dermatologistas decidir quando e qual produto indicar, assumindo com honestidade o real benefício esperado.Este artigo apresenta uma revisão dos mecanismos conhecidos do envelhecimento cutâneo e das principais substâncias ativas dos cosmecêuticos colocados no mercado nos últimos anos.

Plantas medicinais: do cultivo à terapêutica: contém formulação e modo de preparo de cosméticos / Plants medicinal: of the cultivation to the therapeutic: formulation and cosmetics preparation way

Apresenta os cuidados que se deve ter quanto à saúde, responde se essas plantas podem ser consideradas medicamentos, o modo de preparo de remédios e cosméticos e quanto ao cultivo das plantas. Traz uma ampla monografia das plantas medicinais e um glossário de termos botânicos, químicos, médicos e índices completos para a total informação do leitor

Utilización de recursos termales en la búsqueda de salud y belleza / Utilization of thermal resources in the search of health and beauty

Se explican desde una óptica bioquímica los efectos terapéuticos atribuibles a la acción de cremas dermocosméticas, preparadas a partir de sustancias naturales de origen termal. Se analizaron las experiencias clínicas reportadas por un grupo de dermatólogos con la utilización de estas, en la mejora del acné y los queloides