A consistent skin care regimen leads to objective and subjective improvements in dry human skin: investigator-blinded randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Background

Dry, itchy skin can lower quality of life (QoL) and aggravate skin diseases. Moisturizing skin care products can have beneficial effects on dry skin. However, the role of a daily skin care routine is understudied.

Objective

To understand how daily skin care with a mild cleanser and moisturizer impacts skin health and patients’ QoL, in dry skin population.

Methods

A randomized, investigator-blinded study of 52 participants with moderate to severe dry skin. The treatment group (n = 39) used mild cleanser and moisturizer twice daily for two weeks whereas the control group (n = 13) used mild cleanser without moisturizer. Total Clinical Score (TCS; erythema, scale and fissures), Visual Dryness Score (VDS) and subjective itch-related quality of life (ItchyQoL) were collected.

Results

The treatment group showed significantly more improvement in TCS and VDS compared to the control group after two weeks. Among the three components of the ItchyQoL (symptoms, functioning, and emotions), symptom showed significantly greater improvement in the treatment compared to the control group. Over 80% of participants in the treatment group agreed that the regimen led to decrease in dryness/pruritus and improved skin texture.

Conclusions

A consistent skin care regimen should be an integral component of management of dry skin.

Keywords:

• Dry skin
• xerosis
• atopic dermatitis
• pruritus
• moisturizer
• quality of life

Author contributions

Study design and data analysis was performed independently by Johns Hopkins.

Disclosure statement

Sewon Kang, MD has served on the Advisory Council of Unilever and has received honorarium. No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Unilever Beauty and Personal Care, U.S. K. A. Carson’s work on the project was funded by the Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, under [grant number UL1 TR001079] from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research.