This pilot study, which is the first to investigate the effects of PRP on AA, suggests that PRP may serve as a safe and effective treatment option in AA, and calls for more extensive controlled studies with this method.

This review could be the basis for improvement and progression in the field of hair research.

Introduction: The inflammation storm involved in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and worsening and the psychological stress derived from current quarantine conditions can affect the course of many skin and scalp conditions. This study examined the possible effects of COVID-19 on alopecia areata (AA) relapse in patients suffering from these scalp conditions during the pandemic. Methods: The study was carried out in the form of an observational cross-sectional type using a questionnaire sent by mail to a cohort of patients affected by AA during the pandemic from March 2020 to October 2020. Results: During the pandemic, AA relapse was reported in 42.5% of the participants who also declared COVID-19 infection, confirmed by nasopharyngeal swab or hematological analysis. The relapse was reported about 2 months later COVID-19 infection (median of 2.14 months) and 74.0% of these participants continue to experience AA symptoms when the survey was proposed. Only 12.5% of participants reported AA relapse in the absence of COVID-19 infection. Conclusions: The present study reported a significant relapse in patients suffering from AA and infected by COVID-19. This phenomenon could be attributed to the inflammation storm typical of COVID-19 infection and the psychological stress derived from quarantine conditions.

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Nowadays, the most advanced skin anti-aging treatments are addressed to restore the extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis. ECM is considered the main player not only as physical support of the tegument but also at the biochemical level, thanks to its capacity to exchange nutrients, water, cellular mediators, and growth factors within and between cells. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy and aesthetic performance of a brand-new intracutaneous filler. The latter is based on novel concepts: besides filling it exerts a homeostatic balance of nutrients able to delay the skin aging process by sustaining physiological rejuvenation of the tissue and in the surrounding injection/implantation area. The brand-new intracutaneous filler was tested for in vitro capacity to stimulate extracellular matrix components production. Therefore, a single session for injection of the product under study was performed by a specialized dermatologist, using the bolus technique on the zygomatic protuberance of 20 healthy female subjects with midface volume loss, caused by aging. Results confirmed the important and long-term volumizing, anti-wrinkle, the hydrating activity of this product after one single injection session. The biological outcomes also support product effectiveness in skin structure restoration.

Introduction: Actinic keratosis (AK) consists of skin lesions with a milder degree of keratinocytic atypia. It can be also referred to as ''field of cancerization,'' which can potentially evolve to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Several therapeutic options are currently available, but not all are indicated on hyperkeratotic lesions. This study aimed to test the efficacy and tolerability of a medical device containing 2,4,6-octatrienoic acid and urea for the treatment of hyperkeratotic AK lesions. Methods: Seventy male and female subjects with grade III AK were enrolled in this randomized double-blind parallel-group study. The product was applied once daily for three consecutive months. The primary efficacy endpoint was the reduction in the mean number of AK lesions per subject from baseline (T0) to the end of the trial (T1) and 3 months after the end of the treatment period (T2). Therefore, clearance of target AK lesions at the end of the treatment period and local skin reaction score (LSR) versus baseline were evaluated.Results: There was a decrease of mean values from baseline to visit T2 in both treatment groups, but the decrease (versus baseline values) was more evident in the Kerà K2 group than in the placebo group SD 26.53, SD 31.57), and the difference was statistically significant (p \ 0.001). For 70 subjects (56.7%) in the Kerà K2 group and 3 (11.54%) in the placebo group, a significant (p \ 0.005) partial clearance was evidenced. The product was well tolerated, and no serious adverse events were reported during the duration of the trial. Subject self-assessment of acceptability, local tolerability, and the cosmetic result was good at both T1 and T2 for both groups. Conclusions: The medical device has demonstrated good efficacy in the reduction of visible AKs, encouraging its use.

The continuous research advances in the microbiome field is changing clinicians’ points of view about the involvement of the microbiome in human health and disease, including autoimmune diseases such as alopecia areata (AA). Both gut and cutaneous dysbiosis have been considered to play roles in alopecia areata. A new approach is currently possible owing also to the use of omic techniques for studying the role of the microbiome in the disease by the deep understanding of microorganisms involved in the dysbiosis as well as of the pathways involved. These findings suggest the possibility to adopt a topical approach using either cosmetics or medical devices, to modulate or control, for example, the growth of overexpressed species using specific bacteriocins or postbiotics or with pH control. This will favour at the same time the growth of beneficial bacteria which, in turn, can impact positively both the structure of the scalp ecosystem on the host’s response to internal and external offenders. This approach, together with a “systemic” one, via oral supplementation, diet, or faecal transplantation, makes a reliable translation of microbiome research in clinical practice and should be taken into consideration every time alopecia areata is considered by a clinician.

Actinic keratosis is a form of dysplastic epidermal lesion resulting from chronic and excessive UV exposure with a certain risk of becoming cancerous. Current guidelines advocated the use of sunscreens to prevent photodamage. An efficient photoprotection must involve both primary protective factors such as UV filters and secondary factors (eg, antioxidants) able to disrupt the photochemical and genetic cascade triggered by UVs. An in vitro model of human skin (Phenion FT) was used to assess the photoprotective potential of a sunscreen containing inorganic sun-filters (50+ SPF) and 0.1% octatrienoic acid (KERA’+) after UVA (10 J/cm2) and UVB (25 mJ/cm2) by means of evaluation of the number of sunburn cells (SBCs) and apoptotic keratinocytes. Also resulting alterations in the gene expression of markers involved in apoptosis (Tumor protein 53), inflammation/immunosuppression (IL-6 and IL-8), oxidative stress (oxidative stress response enzyme heme oxygenase 1), remodeling (metalloproteinase 1) and cell-cell adhesion (E-cadherin) were investigated. Gene expression was investigated using quantitative real-time PCR. This work demonstrated that the sunscreen preparations under study (with and without 0.1% octatrienoic acid, respectively) can be distinguished about their ability to prevent UVs-induced damage. Synergism between the inorganic filters and 0.1% octatrienoic acid was found (KERA’+) on all end points analyzed and this effect was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Our data revealed that topical application of a sunscreen containing inorganic filters (50+SPF) and 0.1% octatrienoic acid can protect from SBC formation, reduce the number of apoptotic keratinocytes and protect from the main molecular alterations caused by UV radiations.