A study of the efficacy of cleansers for acne vulgaris

• Published in: The Journal of dermatological treatment Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 201 - 205
• Main Authors: Choi, Yu Sung, Suh, Ho Seok, Yoon, Mi Young, Min, Seong Uk, Kim, Jin Sook, Jung, Jae Yoon, Lee, Dong Hun, Suh, Dae Hun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oslo Informa UK Ltd 01-05-2010; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: acne; acne treatment; Acne Vulgaris - diagnosis; Acne Vulgaris - drug therapy; Administration, Cutaneous; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; cleanser; Dermatology; Detergents - therapeutic use; Dicarboxylic Acids; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Papain - therapeutic use; Patient Satisfaction; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Probability; Salicylic Acid - therapeutic use; Severity of Illness Index; Skin Absorption - drug effects; Skin Care - methods; Skin involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous. General aspects; Skin, nail, hair, dermoskeleton; Statistics, Nonparametric; Treatment Outcome; Triclosan - therapeutic use; Young Adult; Cosmetic; Performance evaluation; Skin disease; Treatment efficiency; cleanser; Acne vulgaris; Local administration; Randomization; Treatment; acne; Efficiency; Cleaning materials; Double blind study; Clinical trial; Skin; Face; acne treatment; Topical administration
• ISSN: 0954-6634; 1471-1753
• DOI: 10.3109/09546630903401454

Abstract
Background: Acne treatments are sometimes expensive, and mild acne patients need some simpler form of treatment and, thus, the need for easier and cheaper ways of managing acne is increasing.Methods: An 8-week, double-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted to determine whether cleansers are effective at producing clinical improvements in patients with acne vulgaris. A total of 13 acne patients applied cleanser A to one half of the face and cleanser B (cleanser A plus triclosan, salicylic acid, and azelaic acid) to the other half, twice daily.Results: The numbers of inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions decreased on both sides. A rebound tendency was noted for cleanser A with respect to inflammatory lesions at 4 weeks post-discontinuation, whereas inflammatory lesions continued to decrease on sides treated with cleanser B during this period. However, non-inflammatory lesion counts were not significantly different in the two groups. Though patients were generally satisfied with both treatments, they were more satisfied with cleanser B. Moreover, histopathologic examinations showed a profound decrease in inflammatory reactions in the cleanser B group.Conclusion: These results show that acne cleansers reduced both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne lesion counts, and might be helpful for acne treatment.