The effect of a vitamin A palmitate and antioxidant-containing oil-based moisturizer on photodamaged skin of several body sites

Background: Cumulative lifetime sun exposure is accepted as having a very important role to play in the expression of the signs of photoaging, which is then superimposed on the intrinsic processes involved in the chronological aging of skin. Many groups have evaluated the effects of emulsion-based products, mostly although not exclusively, on the face using a variety of actives including retinoids and antioxidants. Nevertheless, the effect of a topical anhydrous product on photodamaged skin has not been reported in the literature.

Aims: The objective of this study was to clinically evaluate the effect of a vitamin A palmitate and antioxidant-containing oil-based moisturizer on facial, neck, decolletage, arms, and lower leg body sites.

Methods: In a randomized, controlled and efficacy grader-blinded clinical study conducted over 12 weeks, while at the same time recording the changes in skin condition for a no-treatment group over the same time period, live clinical expert grading of all body sites and also grading of photographs for the face and neck assessed changes in the signs of photodamage was performed for the treatment and no-treatment groups.

Results: Compared to the no-treatment group, and to baseline, the oil improved fine lines, coarse wrinkles, mottled pigmentation, uneven skin tone, roughness, firmness, and clarity of the skin on the face and neck and was also shown to improve crepey skin texture, dryness, scaling and roughness on the decolletage, arms and lower legs at the primary end point at 12 weeks (P < 0.001). Moreover, improvements in a variety of parameters were observed as quickly as 2 weeks. In general, the degree of improvement was greatest in the order legs > arms > decolletage > face > neck.

Conclusions: Collectively, these results show the cumulative improvements in the signs of photoaging compared to a no-treatment control group for the oil-based antiaging moisturizer for the first time. The differences in the efficacy of the vitamin A palmiate and antioxidant oil-based moisturizer on different body sites probably reflect the differences in likely photodamage.