Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/430862
ascp and you: news notes A study conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles, has promising new implications for acne treatment. Researchers found that when resveratrol is combined with benzoyl peroxide, the acne-fighting effects last longer. 1 Resveratrol is a grape extract with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that is already a popular antiaging skin care ingredient. Red wine also contains high amounts of resveratrol. Benzoyl peroxide is very effective against P. acnes bacteria, but only kills the bacteria for a short time after application to the skin. When paired with resveratrol, and applied in vitro to cultured bacteria, the combination showed high initial antibacterial activity but, most importantly, also inhibited bacterial growth for a sustained length of time. The opportunity to extend the effects of benzoyl peroxide makes this an exciting discovery for the skin care profession. The study was sponsored by the Women's Dermatologic Society and the National Institutes of Health. NOTE 1. E. J. M. Taylor et al., "Resveratrol Demonstrates Antimicrobial Effects Against Propionibacterium Acnes In Vitro," Dermatology and Therapy (September 2014). Makeup Helps Kids with Skin Conditions Most estheticians have seen firsthand how a client's quality of life is affected by skin health and general appearance. A study published in November 2014 showed just how much camouflage makeup can improve the lives of children suffering from disfiguring skin conditions. 1 Forty-one children between the ages of 5 and 18, all under medical care for a variety of disfiguring conditions that included pigmentation issues, telangiectasia, and vascular malformations, were taught to use appropriate camouflage makeup. All but four of the participants were girls. The children were assessed one month and six months after makeup instruction using the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index, a questionnaire that allows physicians to rank how much a condition affects patients' life quality on a scale from zero (no effect) to 30 (the worst possible effect). The group improved from an average original score of 5.1 to an average of 2.1. Twenty of the children reached a life quality score of 1 within six months of starting to use the makeup, effectively reducing the impact of their condition on their life to almost nothing at all. The study, with before and after photos, can be read at www.jaad. org/article/S0190-9622(14)01759-9/fulltext. NOTE 1. M. L. Ramien et al., "Quality of Life in Pediatric Patients Before and After Cosmetic Camouflage of Visible Skin Conditions," Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 71, no. 5: 935–40. Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 45 Resveratrol and Acne NOTE 1. J. Takeshita et al., "Effect of Psoriasis Severity on Hypertension Control: A Population- Based Study in the United Kingdom," JAMA Dermatology (October 15, 2014), accessed November 2014, http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1916686. Psoriasis Linked to High Blood Pressure Need another good reminder of the importance of referring out when a client has a skin condition that needs medical intervention? A large study of medical data from the United Kingdom, conducted by researchers at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, showed a significant relationship between psoriasis and uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension). The results found people with moderate to severe psoriasis were more likely to also suffer from hypertension. The study looked at 1,322 people between the ages of 25 and 64 who had both psoriasis and hypertension, with a control group of 11,977 people in the same age range who had only hypertension. 1 Study coauthor Junko Takeshita, MD, PhD, points out the need for physicians and skin care professionals to be aware that there are many other health conditions that often accompany psoriasis. "Psoriasis, specifically severe psoriasis, is a risk factor for a variety of comorbidities, putting patients suffering with this common skin disease at an increased risk for other conditions such as heart attack and stroke," she says.