Efficacy of pH-regulating barrier cream on mild atopic dermatitis

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Created On: 05/12/2024

Increased skin pH in atopic dermatitis (AD) impairs skin barrier function, making it more prone to irritation and dryness. Most topical treatments fall short of managing pH. This randomized controlled study examined the efficacy of a new zinc lactobionate formula to see if it could lower skin pH and improve lesional skin.

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Key take away

Skin-soothing, novel zinc lactobionate (pH 4.0) emollient cream lowers skin pH, reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and enhances hydration, crucial for alleviating the symptoms of atopic dermatitis.

Background

Method

Eligible patients with mild AD and moderate local lesions were male or female volunteers aged 4 to 65, with at least two comparable lesions (mean local SCORing Atopic Dermatitis [SCORAD] of 6 or higher) diagnosed by a dermatologist, ideally on contralateral sides. The test product was applied to the randomly assigned arm twice daily for two weeks. The scoring index, SCORAD, was used to gauge the local severity of AD. The capacitance measurement evaluated the dryness of the skin.

Result

The test product lowered the skin's pH and lessened AD lesions from moderate to mild after a two-week period. Skin pH decreased by approximately 0.85 units, and the local SCORAD score improved considerably from an average of 8.3 to 4.0 in the treated area, compared to a reasonable change from 8.2 to 6.4 in the untreated area.

Conclusion

The observed improvements in AD can be due to the combined effects (pH-lowering + emollient properties) of the test product. Additional research comparing it with other therapies would help elucidate the exact role of pH modulation in these benefits.