Dihydroavenanthramide D Enhances Skin Barrier Function through Upregulation of Epidermal Tight Junction Expression.

Skin barrier dysfunction and thin epidermis are hallmarks of sensitive skin and contribute to premature aging. Avenanthramides are the primary bioactive components of colloidal oatmeal, a commonly used treatment to enhance skin barrier function. This study investigated the relationship between skin barrier function and epidermal characteristics and explored the potential of dihydroavenanthramide D (dhAvD), a synthetic avenanthramide, to improve the skin barrier.

Effects of ultraviolet rays and particulate matter on hair porosity in damaged hair.

Background: With growing interest in hair health, researchers are exploring aspects beyond the surface qualities of hair, such as its porous inner structure. While previous studies have focused on the effects of treatments such as perming and hair dying on hair porosity, less emphasis has been paid to the effects of harmful environmental factors such as ultraviolet (UV) rays and particulate matter on the porous nature of hair.

Aims: The aim of this study was to bridge this gap by investigating how UV rays and particulate matter affect hair porosity in different ways.

Study of the soothing effects of troxerutin in alleviating skin sensitivity.

Background: Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is associated with skin sensitivity and mainly activated by capsaicin and heat. Interestingly, troxerutin can inhibit TRPV1 activation. However, its efficacy in reducing skin sensitivity remains undetermined.

Penetration rates into the stratum corneum layer: A novel quantitative indicator for assessing skin barrier function.

Background: The stratum corneum (SC), the outermost layer of the skin epidermis, acts as an effective bi-directional barrier, preventing water loss (inside-outside barrier) and entry of foreign substances (outside-inside barrier). Although transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is a widely-used measure of barrier function, it represents only inside-outside protection. Therefore, we aimed to establish a non-invasive method for quantitative evaluation of the outside-inside barrier function and visually present a skin barrier model.

Novel human skin surface antimicrobial peptide quantification method using a skin patch test chamber: A pilot study.

Introduction: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) on the skin surface are related to the innate immunity of the skin in preventing external infection. Skin rinsing and tape stripping (TS) are acceptable methods for analyzing AMPs on the skin surface but have limitations, such as causing skin damage. In this study, we proposed a noninvasive method to measure AMPs on the skin surface with minimal skin damage.

Effect of the skincare product on facial skin microbial structure and biophysical parameters: A pilot study.

Daily use of cosmetics is known to affect the skin microbiome. This study aimed to determine the bacterial community structure and skin biophysical parameters following the daily application of a skincare product on the face. Twenty-five Korean women, who used the same skincare product for four weeks participated in the study.

Validation of the elastic angle for quantitative and visible evaluation of skin elasticity in vivo.

Background: Reduction in skin elasticity due to aging causes skin sagging and wrinkles. Although there are various objective and reliable techniques for measuring skin elasticity, it is difficult to obtain a visual representation of skin elasticity with them. Therefore, we developed a novel device, the Swing anglemeter, and analyzed its effectiveness for measuring skin elasticity of the cheek.

Development of the facial glycation imaging system for in situ human face skin glycation index measurement.

Background: The accumulation of advanced glycation end products has been proposed as a causative agent of skin aging, but there are no conventional devices for quantifying advanced glycation end-product accumulation in facial skin.

Aims: This study aimed to develop a convenient and accurate in situ advanced glycation end-product measurement system for the human face.

Methods: We developed a facial glycation imaging system, which consisted of illumination (white light-emitting diode, ultraviolet light-emitting diode) and image acquisition modules to capture face images.

Influence of quarantine mask use on skin characteristics: One of the changes in our life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The influence of various environmental factors on skin properties is well known. However, there is a lack of research into the effect of quarantine masks on skin properties, even though the use of masks has significantly increased after the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the influence of mask use on skin properties.

Inhibition of melanogenesis by piceid isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum.

Piceid (5,4'-dihydroxystilbene-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside) is one of the stilbenes found in Polygonum cuspidatum. Previous studies have shown that this compound has little effect on tyrosinase inhibition when compared with other stilbenes in a cell-free tyrosinase assay. Furthermore, its role for melanogenesis in melanocytes is relatively unknown.