Clinical updating study at 3 years on 278 patients treated by modern artificial hair implant technique (automatic biofibre®).

In this study, we report our multicentric experience of synthetic medical certified polyamide hair implants in male androgenetic, female menopausal, and chronic alopecia. Biofibre hair implantation was performed by means of a standardized, mini-invasive technique followed by regular postoperative care along 3 years. From May 2015, 278 patients were enrolled and 253 completed the trial; 202 men (79.9%) versus 51 women (20,1%). The average age was 43(± 4.29); 179 patients (70.1%) had taken previous treatments for alopecia. We evaluated efficacy (as judged by Hamilton scale grading, covered area percent, surgeon, and patient's subjective evaluation) and safety (as judged by adverse events). The overall scalp surface restored with artificial hair (mm2 spaced) and pre-postoperative general customers' satisfaction (by Hamilton scale grading) are reported, showing a significant (98,14%) subjective and objective improvement of the self-image. Twenty-two cases (8.75%) declared minor side effects generally counteracted by topical or short course systemic antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment. The average number of implanted fibers was 2,295 (SD 2.805; SE 200.9) ranging from 300 to 16,000. The average duration of pain and tenderness at the implant area was 2.2 days (SD 4.096; SE 0.2933) ranging from 1 to 20 days. A diagrammatic comparison of the Hamilton scale grading before and after the trial showed a dramatic improvement with the majority of the patients being in Hamilton grade II after implantation.

Review of the molecular mechanisms in wound healing: new therapeutic targets?

The restoration of the skin barrier in acute and chronic wounds is controlled by several molecular mechanisms that synergistically regulate cell kinetics, enzymatic functions, and neurovascular activation. These pathways include genetic and epigenetic activation, which modulate physiological wound healing. Our review describes the genetic background of skin repair, namely transcription-independent diffusible damage signals, individual variability, epigenetic mechanism, controlled qualitative traits, post-translational mechanisms, antioxidants, nutrients, DNA modifications, bacteria activation, mitochondrial activity, and oxidative stress. The DNA background modulating skin restoration could be used to plan new diagnostics and therapeutics.

Relation between oxidative stress and climacteric symptoms in early postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relation between climacteric symptoms or other risk factors for cardiovascular disease and oxidative status of postmenopausal women. METHODS: Cross-sectional investigation performed at the outpatient service for the menopause at the University Hospital, on 50 apparently healthy women in physiological postmenopause. The whole-blood free oxygen radical test (FORT), free oxygen radical defence (FORD), age, months since menopause, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, estradiol, lipids, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance (glucose/insulin and HOMA-IR), and fibrinogen were evaluated. The Greene Climacteric Scale with its subscales was used to evaluate climacteric symptoms. The pulsatility index, an index of downstream blood flow resistance, was determined for both the internal carotid artery and the brachial artery. RESULTS: The waist-to-hip ratio (r = 0.540; p = 0.0001), estradiol (r = 0.548; p = 0.0004) and waist circumference (r = 0.345; p = 0.02) were independently related to blood FORT. The score in the Greene vasomotor subscale was the only parameter independently related to blood FORD (r = 0.554; p = 0.0001). FORT was not related to the artery pulsatility index, while FORD was negatively related to the pulsatility index of both the internal carotid (r = 0.549; p = 0.0001) and the brachial (r = 0.484; p = 0.0001) arteries. DISCUSSION: In postmenopausal women, abdominal adiposity and hypoestrogenism increase oxidative stress. Climacteric symptoms, particularly vasomotor symptoms, markedly reduce antioxidant defences. Lower antioxidant defences are associated with higher resistance to blood flow in the great arteries. In women early after the menopause, visceral fat, hypoestrogenism and climacteric symptoms may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease.

Anti-hemorrhagic agents in oral and dental practice: an update.

Many oral surgeons in their daily practice have the problem of controlling postoperative bleeding. In surgical, oral and maxillofacial practice, standard anti-hemorrhagic protocols, especially in high risk patients, are obviously required and need to be continuously updated. The purpose of this review is to give a rational insight into the management of bleeding in oral and dental practice through modern drugs and medical devices such as lysine analogues and serine protease inhibitors, desmopressin, fibrin sealants, cyanoacrylates, gelatins, collagen and foams, protein concentrates, recombinant factors, complementary and alternative medicine and other compounds.

Fixed combination of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin-sulphate oral formulation in a randomized double blind, placebo controlled study for the treatment of symptoms in patients with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux.

BACKGROUND: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a major breakthrough in the medical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In several patients with non erosive reflux disease symptoms (NERD) the response to PPIs is partial or limited and symptoms relief needs the administration of additional medications. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a new medical device, based on an oral fixed combination of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin-sulphate (HA+CS), in a bioadhesive carrier, in adults with symptoms of non erosive gastroesophageal reflux and with a low response to PPIs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty patients who had experienced heartburn and/or acid regurgitation for at least 3 days during a 7 day run-in period, without endoscopic mucosal breaks, were randomized in a double blind crossover study to receive four daily doses of a fixed oral combination of HA+CS and placebo for 14 days. Relief of cardinal symptoms of GERD was evaluated at the end of each period. RESULTS: A significant greater Sum of Symptoms Intensity Difference, compared to placebo, was observed after HA+CS treatment (-2.7 vs 0.5 - p < 0.01), being both heartburn (-1.6 vs 0.5 - p < 0.03) and acid regurgitation (-1.1 vs 0.1 - p < 0.03) significantly improved by the medical device. A speed of action ≤ 30 min was significantly more frequently reported by patients during HA+CS administration than with placebo (60% vs 30% - p = 0.05). Total disappearance of symptoms was observed in 50% of the patients compared to 10% during placebo administration (p = 0.01 between group comparison). CONCLUSIONS: A fixed combination of HA+CS has demonstrated to be effective in gastroesophageal reflux control, with a rapid onset of action.

The "Swiss-cheese Doppler-guided laser tonsillectomy": a new safe cribriform approach to intracapsular tonsillectomy.

Outpatient laser ablation of palatine tonsils is a very interesting procedure that has been recently introduced as a routine in head and neck surgery departments. The aim of this study was to describe a new strategy using a Doppler-guided fibre optic neodymium-yttrium-aluminium-garnet (YAG) laser to remove up to 80 % of tonsillar tissue, as assessed in the long-term postoperative clinical evaluation of the volume of the tonsils at the follow-up, and leaving the capsule in place, thus avoiding any haemorrhagic complication and minimize pain. A total of 20 patients (men, n=13; women, n=7), aged between 6 and 63, were recruited for the procedure. They were affected by chronic hypertrophic tonsillitis with a recurrent fever and other symptoms that were related to oral inflammation. Among the 20 patients, no serious adverse events, including haemorrhage-related complications, were observed. Treatment was well tolerated, even in patients displaying an overall low pain threshold. No dropout or uncompleted procedure occurred in the present study. Minor complications included sore throat, moderate oedema, mild acute pharynx inflammation, slight peritonsillar exudate and local burning. The postoperative pain, measured by Scott-Huskisson visual analogue scale, was between 5 and 40 mm and was easily counteracted by means of external ice packages and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to the individual patient's need. During the 12-36-month follow-up patients showed improved symptoms (n=7) and complete recovery (n=13). A relapse episode was observed in two patients. This study supports fibre optic laser neodymium-YAG tonsil surgery, named "cribriform intracapsular tonsillectomy" or "Swiss-cheese laser tonsillectomy", as an effective alternative to the traditional cold knife approach or electrosurgery. This approach could become the gold standard for tonsil surgery in the third millennium for safety reasons, acceptable cost-benefit ratio, the precise targeting of the beam across the affected tissues and the short- and long-term recovery.

Oral THC: CBD cannabis extract in main symptoms of Alzheimer disease: agitation and weight loss.

Objectives: Ten million new cases of dementia are recorded annually worldwide, with agitation and idiopathic weight loss being the most common symptoms. Several pharmacological therapies have emerged in recent years, but the clinical use of cannabis extracts in older patients with AD is constantly growing. This retrospective, analytical, observational, spontaneous trial aimed to enhance the clinical action of THC: CBD cannabis extract administration in AD patients with severe symptoms such as agitation, weight loss, cognitive impairment, and sleep disturbance. Methods: Thirty patients (9 men and 21 women) diagnosed with mild, moderate, or severe AD, aged 65-90 years, appealing to our Second Opinion Medical Consultation (Modena, Italy), were enrolled and required to use oil-diluted cannabis extract, Bedrocan® (22% THC, 0.5% CBD, Olive Oil 50 ml), twice a day for 12 weeks. The efficacy of cannabinoid therapy was evaluated at baseline and 12 weeks after therapy, employing three self-administered questionnaires completed by the parents of the enrolled patients: NPI-Q, CMAI, and MMSE. Key findings: The NPI-Q demonstrated a reduction (p<0.0001) in agitation, apathy, irritability, sleep disturbances, and eating disturbances, consequently improving caregiver distress. Levels of physically and verbally aggressive behaviours, measured using the CMAI questionnaire, were lower (p<0.0001) in all patients. The MMSSE questionnaire confirmed a significant decrease (p<0.0001) in cognitive impairment in 45% of the patients. Conclusion: Our anecdotical, spontaneous, and observational study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of oil-diluted cannabis extract in patients with AD. The limitations of our study are: 1) small patient cohort, 2) absence of control group, 3) self-administered questionnaires that are the most practical but not objective instruments to assess the neurologic functions of AD patients.

The role of Carcinine treatment on glico-lipidic imbalance of patients with altered blood glucose pattern.

Objective: Several studies support the active role of Carcinine, an L-carnosine metabolite, in insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia, to modulate the insulinemic/glycaemic profile and fat metabolism. Materials and methods: 100 (50 women and 50 men) volunteers, aged between 40 and 85 years with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 34,9 kg/m2, spontaneously addressed to our "Second Opinion Medical Consulting Network" (Modena, Italy) between 2019 and 2020, were included in this anecdotal, observational, retrospective trial. The aim of the study was to find an adequate possibly natural treatment for unbalanced insulin resistance pattern notwithstanding ongoing administration of statins, and hypoglycaemic chemical agents in healthy overweight/obese subjected. All the patients were divided in two groups: 1) the first group included 50 patients that were admi-nistered with a specific galenic nutraceutical product containing 20 mg of carcinine, and 2) the second group included 50 patients, which were administered with lithothamnion calcareum alga (190 mg) and three-time day for two months. The waist circumference, glycaemia, homeostasis model asses-sment (HOMA-IR), glycated haemoglobin, total cholesterol values were detected at time 0, and time 1 (after treatment). At the same time, the pre versus post treatment, Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs), that play an important role in the development of diabetic va-scular complications, were instrumentally measured at time 1 and 2. Results: After 60 mg/day of Carcinina treatment, glycaemia (p=0,001), glycated haemoglobin (p<0,001), total cholesterol (p<0,003), serum insulin (p<0.05) were significantly reduced, respect to placebo period. Abdominal circumference (p<0.2), HOMA index (p<0.03) progressively were reduced as well. No cardiovascular risk and untoward effects were observed at the prescribed dosages. The AGE reader test showed a statistically meaningful reduced risk due to reduced amount. Conclusions: Carcinine, at the daily dose of 60 mg/day, was able to modify, safely, the AGEs that induced cardiovascular risk, the waist circumference, and some glycolipid-metabolic parameters in over-weight/obese patients with altered blood glucose pattern, improving significantly the impending metabolic syndrome.

A pilot study to compare two different hyaluronic acid compounds for treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is characterized by progressive articular cartilage degeneration, changes in subchondral bone and synovial inflammation, leading to pain and disability. Viscosupplementation with hyaluronic acid has been widely investigated due to the viscoelastic properties of this compound to manage pain improving the ability to perform daily activities in patients affected by osteoarthritis. In the present study we investigated the clinical effectiveness of viscosupplementation with a new highly cross-linked hyaluronic acid, Variofill, in patients affected by bilateral knee osteoarthritis in comparison with the widely used Synvisc. A total of 20 patients, aged between 24-74 years and affected by bilateral knee osteoarthritis, participated in this pilot randomized triple-blind clinical study. They received two injections (2 ml each) of Synvisc in their left knee and 2 injections (2 ml each) of Variofill in their right knee spaced 15 days apart. Visual Analogue Scale and Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score were used to evaluate the efficacy of hyaluronic acid injections before and 3 and 6 months after treatment. Both treatment regimens resulted in a significant improvement vs baseline in all endpoints at 3 and 6 months (p less than 0.001). Treatment with Variofill resulted in a high percentage improvement in Visual Analogue Scale pain, Western Ontario McMaster universities Osteoarthritis Index score pain and physical activity, when compared to Synvisc viscosupplementation, at 6 months (p less than 0.05). These results are encouraging for larger clinical trials with Variofill in larger cohorts of patients affected by osteoarthritis of the knee.

Role of free radicals and antioxidant defences in oral cavity-related pathologies.

Free radicals play a key role in the development of several pathological conditions. Therefore, several methods have been developed to measure oxidative stress from bodily fluids including blood, urine and, more recently, saliva. Free radical and antioxidant defences within the oral cavity may play a key role in odontostomatological pathologies. This review provides an update of the literature concerning the association of oxidative stress with pathological conditions associated with the oral cavity. It focuses on the diagnostic and therapeutic importance of the tests based on saliva specimens in a preventive perspective.

Insomnia treatment: a new multitasking natural compound based on melatonin and cannabis extracts.

OBJECTIVES: Our main aim was to investigate the short-term thera-peutic effects, safety/tolerability of natural compound, composed of melatonin (1,5 mg) and cannabis extracts (2.5 mg CBD) in patients with sleep disorders. METHODS: In this spontaneous, anecdotal, retrospective, "compas-sionate-use," observational, open-label study, 20 patients (age 43-96 years) were appealed to our "Second Opinion Medical Consulting Net-work" (Modena, Italy), because of a variable pattern of sleep disorders and anxiety and were instructed to take sublingually the compound (20 drops) overnight for 3 months of treatment. Tolerability and adverse effects were assessed monthly during the treatment period through direct contact (email or telephone) or visit if required. RESULTS: PSQUI and HAM-A scores evidenced reduction in mood alterations, including anxiety, panic, paranoia, depression (P < 0.03), in pain (P < 0.02) and good general health perceptions. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the formula CBD-melatonin could be competitive with the classic hypnotic synthetic drugs, the antioxidant activity of melatonin offers a further benefit to the brain network, restoring the biological clock functions, while CBD, redu-cing chronic pain perception, helps to complete the neuromuscular relaxation and to relieve anxiety fulfilling a very balanced sensation of wellbeing during the sleep.

A preliminary study of the local treatment of preneoplastic and malignant skin lesions using methyl jasmonate.

BACKGROUND: Jasmonates are plant stress hormones. These small hydrophobic compounds exhibit anti-cancer activities, in vitro and in vivo, against cancer cells of various histological origins. Moreover, they show a selective activity against transformed cells and affect drug-resistant cells as well. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of a powerful jasmonate derivative, that is methyl jasmonate. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Methyl jasmonate was applied topically on cancerous and pre-cancerous skin lesions from eight patients. RESULTS: Methyl jasmonate did not cause any meaningful local or systemic side effects. Three patients exhibited positive responses. Two patients had complete recovery and one had a recurrence of the lesion three months post treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Methyl jasmonate is a potentially promising novel topical treatment for prcancerous and cancerous skin lesions. Methyl jasmonate should be evaluated in a larger series of patients.

[Overweight and surgical procedures: a proposal for a compatible dietary regimen]. / Il sovrappeso nel percorso chirurgico: proposta per un trattamento dietetico compatibile.

INTRODUCTION: The very low calorie protein diet essentially supplies a low content of carbohydrates and lipids, and a higher protein intake to produce a rapid weight loss. AIM: This study aims at evaluating the effect of a high protein low calorie diet on glycaemia, creatinine, triglycerides, cholesterol, VLDL, HLDL, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have selected 30 surgical patients with a body mass index equal to 30-50 who underwent a high protein low calorie diet for 40 days a s a complications-preventive strategy before operation. The calories supplied have been in the range of 800-1200 accordingly to the individual workload and urgent need to lose weight. RESULTS: After a diet of 40 days, all the patients showed a definite weight loss and significant glycaemia, creatinine, triglycerides, cholesterol, VLDL and HLDL improvement. In the hypertensive patients, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly. DISCUSSION: The very low calorie diet is quite effective to lose [corrected] weight before surgical procedures. This dietary regimen, from a physiological perspective, improves electrolyte balance supporting lean mass preservation and reducing the patient's weakness and hunger,without any wound healing impairiment or weakness. Therefore it is an excellent preventive measure against overweight-due complications and it is advisable and safe as prophylactic measure.

[Deep Oscillation: therapeutic-rehabilitative experiences with a new electrostatic device]. / Deep Oscillation®: esperienze terapeutico-riabilitative con un nuovo innovativo strumento ad azione elettrostatica.

AIM: Deep Oscillation® is an apparatus that produces low frequency electromagnetic radiations able to modulate immune reactions and, therefore, applicable to pain, tumour and inflammation treatments. The aim of this study is to evaluate how the Deep Oscillation® therapy works on conventional therapy resistant patients as the apparatus can be applied either to trauma derived fom surgical wounds or on sports post-traumatic oedema, low back pain and/or sciatalgic pain and cervicobrachial pain. METHODS: In the first part of the study, 34 cases of recent surgical wounds have been treated with Deep Oscillation® with 3 times a week visits for 20 minutes. In the same way 30 cases of sports post-traumatic oedema, 20 cases of low back pain and/or sciatalgic pain and 10 cases of cervicobrachial pain were treated. Among these patients, 15 cases had also undergone contemporaneous nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs intravenous drip, electrolytes and vitamins to verify the probable synergetic efficacy of both treatments. RESULTS: The results confirm that in some cases the Deep Oscillation® treatment is effective since the first/third therapy up to the restitutio ad integrum. It has also been demonstrated that the maximum efficiency of the Deep Oscillation® and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs synergetic treatment is probably due to the electromagnetic radiations able to facilitate the pharmacological uptake. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the capacity of the electrostatic energy, released by Deep Oscillation®, to stimulate the patient's neurosensory system, raising his pain threshold and facilitating his pharmacological uptake and restoring his functional recovery more quickly.

[Food intolerance: reliability and characteristics of different diagnostic alternative tests]. / Le intolleranze alimentari: caratteristiche e attendibilità dei test diagnostici alternativi

The expression "food intolerance" dates back to the ancient Greece and can be generally defined as a sum of unpleasant symptoms of varying etiology that can onset in some patients after the ingestion of various food products. Adverse reactions to food can be divided into toxic and non-toxic. The last ones are classified as immunologically mediated, called "allergies", and non-immunologically mediated, commonly defined as "intolerances". The gut wall is directly involved in these adverse reactions to some foods, since it plays a key role in food absorption and in the regulation of the immunitary system. In this paper we discuss food intolerances and allergies, evaluating the available diagnostic methods and their scientific reliability and focusing on IgG analysis based immunoenzymatic test which is the most relevant test for intolerance diagnosis.

Short review on face rejuvenation procedures: focus on preoperative antiseptic and anesthetic delivery by JetPeel™-3 (a high pressure oxygen delivery device).

AIM: Nowadays there is great attention in trying to slow and reverse the facial aging process. Esthetic medicine has been primarily based on the surgical approach for many years, but now, in order to solve the problem of aging skin, there is an increasing interest into non-invasive, possibly painless, procedures that can guarantee the patient a quick recovery. In this perspective the use of chemical peeling and dermabrasion, to achieve skin rejuvenation, is growing worldwide. These techniques are also relevant to treat skin pigmentation irregularities and to remove keratoses, lentigines, acne and other skin related conditions. One of the most interesting, safe and painless devices, useful for the effective antiaging face treatment, is JetPeel™-3. The aim of this study was to assess the device efficacy starting from a short review on face rejuvenation procedures. METHODS: The basic action mechanism of this medical device is a constant high pressure air flux delivery, including oxygen, mixed with different chemical compounds such as peeling molecules, antioxidants, vitamins and hyaluronic acid, which are mechanically forced across the skin surface. Here we report a new approach in the clinical use of JetPeel™-3, tested in 20 adult volunteers, consisting in the addition to the standard protocol of an anesthetic, carbocaine and a sterilizing and disinfectant agent, that is chlorexidine. In fact disinfection and sterilization of the skin surface is a peculiar step for every antiaging or therapeutic procedure. The procedure has been completed with multiple hyaluronic acid injections of the skin in order to achieve face rejuvenation. The anesthetic power of the JetPeel™-3-carbocaine protocol has been compared to the Emla cream one. RESULTS: The spontaneous pain sensation perceived by the patients in the hemiface treated with JetPeel™-3 was significantly lower compared to the hemiface treated with Emla cream (P<0.001) showing, consequently, that JetPeel™-3-carbocaine protocol had the best anesthetic performance either in dermal, subdermal or subcutaneous injections compared with Emla cream. CONCLUSION: JetPeel™-3 has proved to be a good non-invasive approach and its use is recommended since it induces local anesthesia in a short time.

The obese patient: clinical effectiveness of a high-protein low-calorie diet and its usefulness in the field of surgery.

Obesity has become a concern of epidemic proportion involving globally both children and adults. Although genetically linked, lack of physical activity and the outstanding growing of the food market are the main behavioral causes of obesity. Furthermore, it is related to several diseases which may impair the life quality, but also lead to death. Atkins nutritional approach has become really popular since the publication of Dr Atkins' first book "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution" in 1972. This approach, although very criticized by some dieticians, has been used as a model for a lot of high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets that are nowadays widely used. The evidence that obese people experience a more adverse outcome in a medical and surgical Intensive Care Unit, compared with non-obese pairs, has risen the issue of the importance of an appropriate feeding. Could obese people benefit from a high-protein diet? Is this approach related to adverse effects? Can a high-protein diet bring benefits to obese patients undergoing surgery? This review deals with this matters reporting the use of high-protein diets in clinical trials involving obese subjects.

A Proposal for Clinical Biomarkers in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is increasingly widespread disease, characterized by non-specific and recurring symptoms from various organs associated with exposure to common chemicals, even if inhaled at low concentrations, usually harmless for normal people. MCS is not yet well recognized from common point of view and for this reason affected patients risk marginalization and their symptoms are often trivialized. It is actually a devastating chronic disease that affects not only the patients in the daily routine but partly conditions their survival. Despite more than 50 years of research, the action mechanisms of MCS is still undefined. In this study we examine the theories about the etiopathogenesis of multiple chemical sensitivity that include genetic susceptibility factors, immunological factors, neurological factors and psychiatric factors. Since no specific diagnostic markers are currently available for the MCS, the diagnosis can only be supposed on the basis symptomatic criteria and patient's medical history. However new biochemical markers and diagnostic imaging techniques have emerged, useful to postulate at least the clinical-diagnostic hypothesis of MCS and in this paper we discuss a list of biomarkers studied for the diagnosis of MCS, based on the available scientific literature. At last but not least, we propose four-levels MCS tests that could help the clinician in the diagnosis of the pathology both through the use of quantifiable serological parameters, both through diagnostic tools, genetic testing and through clinical observation of symptoms.

Skin scars and wrinkles temporary camouflage in dermatology and oncoesthetics: focus on acetyl hexapeptide-8

OBJECTIVE: The aim of study is to evaluate the aesthetic outcome of specific formulated cosmeceutical product to mask and reduce the appearance surgical scars or unappealing skin tags in chronic diseases, such as cancer METHODS: In a spontaneous, anecdotal, retrospective study, 26 patients with skin disorders appealed to Second Opinion Medical Network (Modena, Italy), required masking and improving the skin appearance. To evaluate the aesthetic improvement of skin imperfections, a gelcream containing 10% of acetyl hexapeptide-8 (registered trademark Argireline®) was selected, that can be applied directly upon the lesion, followed by a light massage in the treated area for a few minutes RESULTS: The skin quality parameters (hydration, elasticity, sebum), photographs and investigators clinical assessment have been performed before and after the treatment and demonstrated that this cream significantly improved the skin values and the self-image expectation of each patient. No allergic reactions were documented during the period treatment CONCLUSIONS: The topical administration of this cosmeceutical cream is a safe and effective alternative to the invasive procedures, to improve the quality of life in patients with some skin disorders such as cancer, surgical scars, hidradenitis, aging wrinkles

Antioxidant therapy effectiveness: an up to date.

Antioxidants are chemical compounds that giving an electron to free radical molecules convert them to an harmless configuration, avoiding damaging chain reaction, which can involve lipids, proteins enzymes carbohydrates, DNA, cell and nuclear membranes up to the cell death. Being either exogenous or endogenous they are addressed to prevent the oxidation induced damage, a process that causes damage in all tissues through free radicals chemical reactivity. A lot of natural, nutraceutical or chemical compounds are being actually marketed with a lot of different claims and are prescribed by doctors or sold over the counter. Unfortunately, in the medical literature many heterogeneous published articles support the use of this class of drugs, but most of them cannot be compared or pooled to achieve statistical significance of effectiveness. Our review aims at defining the state of the art of antioxidant therapy, with specific reference on the evidence based clinical use.