Randomized,
placebo-controlled, double blind study on the clinical efficacy of a cream
containing 5% alpha-lipoic acid related to photoageing of facial skin.
Department
of Dermatology, Karolinska Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden.
harry.beitner@ks.se
BACKGROUND:
alpha-lipoic acid (LA) or the reduced form dihydrolipoate (DHLA) is a potent
scavenger with anti-inflammatory properties. Previous uncontrolled studies with
topical treatment with 5% LA-containing creams indicate a beneficial effect on
photoageing skin. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate
whether a cream containing 5% LA showed any advantages concerning a number of
the criteria associated with ageing of the facial skin, compared with an
identical cream lacking LA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-three women, mean age
54.4 years, were included in this controlled study. After randomization half
the face was treated twice daily for 12 weeks with the LA cream and the other
half with the control cream. The following methods of assessment were used:
self-evaluation by the test subjects, clinical evaluation, photographic
evaluation and laser profilometry. Profilometry was performed before the start
of treatment and at the end. RESULTS: All four methods of assessment showed a
statistically significant improvement on the LA-treated half of the face. Laser
profilometry, the most objective method used, showed an average decrease in
skin roughness of 50.8% (44.9-54.0) on the LA-treated side, compared with 40.7%
(32.4-48.7) on the placebo-treated half of the face P < 0.001 (Wilcoxon
matched pairs test). CONCLUSIONS: It is indicated that 12 weeks of treatment
with a cream containing 5% LA improves clinical characteristics related to
photoageing of facial skin.
PMID: 14616378 [PubMed - indexed
for MEDLINE]
