Skin pores (SP), as they are called by laymen, are common and benign features mostly located on the face (nose, cheeks, etc) that generate many aesthetic concerns or complaints. Despite the prevalence of skin pores, related literature is scarce. With the aim of describing the prevalence of skin pores and anatomic features among ethnic groups, a dermatoscopic instrument, using polarized lighting, coupled to a digital camera recorded the major features of skin pores (size, density, coverage) on the cheeks of 2,585 women in different countries and continents. A detection threshold of 250 μm, correlated to clinical scorings by experts, was input into a specific software to further allow for automatic counting of the SP density (N/cm2) and determination of their respective sizes in mm2. Integrating both criteria also led to establishing the relative part of the skin surface (as a percentage) that is actually covered by SP on cheeks. The results showed that the values of respective sizes, densities, and skin coverage: 1) were recorded in all studied subjects; 2) varied greatly with ethnicity; 3) plateaued with age in most cases; and 4) globally refected self-assessment by subjects, in particular those who self-declare having “enlarged pores” like Brazilian women. Inversely, Chinese women were clearly distinct from other ethnicities in having very low density and sizes. Analyzing the present results suggests that facial skin pore’s morphology as perceived by human eye less result from functional criteria of associated appendages such as sebaceous glands. To what extent skin pores may be viewed as additional criteria of a photo-altered skin is an issue to be further addressed.
Green tea (Camellia sinensis) and Ginkgo biloba extracts in cosmetic formulations have been suggested to protect the skin against UV-induced damage and skin ageing. Thus, it is very important to assess the human skin penetration of their major flavonoids to verify if they penetrate and remain in the skin to exert their proposed effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the human skin penetration of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and quercetin from green tea and G. biloba extracts vehiculated in cosmetic formulations. This study was conducted with fresh dermatomed human Caucasian skin from abdominal surgery mounted on static Franz diffusion cells. Skin samples were mounted between two diffusion half-cells and 10 mg/cm2 of formulations supplemented with 6% of green tea or G. biloba extract were applied on the skin surface. The receptor fluid was removed after 6 and 24 h and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography for the quantification of the flavonoids. The stratum corneum was removed by tape stripping and immersed in methanol and the epidermis was mechanically separated from the dermis and triturated in methanol to extract EGCG and quercetin. The results showed that the flavonoids under study penetrated into the skin, without reaching the receptor fluid. The majority of EGCG was quantified in the stratum corneum (0.87 μg/cm2), which was statistically higher than the EGCG concentrations found in viable epidermis (0.54 μg/cm2) and in the dermis (0.38 μg/cm2). The majority of quercetin was quantified in the viable epidermis (0.23 μg/cm2), which was statistically higher than the EGCG concentration found in the stratum corneum layer (0.17 μg/cm2). Finally, it can be concluded that EGCG and quercetin from green tea and G. biloba extracts vehiculated in cosmetic formulations presented good skin penetration and retention, which can favor their skin effects.
The beneficial photoprotective effects of topical formulations containing combined extracts of Ginkgo biloba (GB) and green tea (GT) have not been investigated. The present study aims to assess the photoprotective effects of topical formulations containing GB and GT combined or not by applications on the dorsal skin of hairless mice prior to UVA/B irradiation. After 20 h, skin barrier damage (TEWL), erythema, histological alterations and sunburn cell formation were evaluated. The results showed that only extract supplemented formulations protected the skin against the UV-induced damage. Formulations containing GB provided total protection of the skin barrier function avoiding UV radiation damage such as TEWL and erythema and were more effective than those containing GT. However, it is suggested that formulations containing combined GB and GT may provide substantial photoprotective effects since different aspects of skin damage were influenced by each extract.
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