Fluhr, J.W., Miteva, M., Primavera, G., Ziemer, M., Elsner, P., & Berardesca, E. (2007). Functional assessment of a skin care system in patients on chemotherapy. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 20, 253–259.

To evaluate the effectiveness of concomitant treatment with a cleanser (slight acidic washing) and a slightly acidic emollient (both pH 5.5) in improving symptoms of xerosis in patients receiving chemotherapy.

• The study reported on a sample of 30 adult patients.
• Patients had gastrointestinal, breast, prostate, and lung cancers, and lymphoma; were receiving chemotherapy; and were experiencing dry, sensitive skin.

This study was conducted at Friedrich-Schiller University in Jena, Germany, and at Istituto Dermatologico San Gallicano in Rome, Italy.

This was a controlled, monocentric, three-week treatment trial.

• Patients were assessed on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 with four electronic devices.
  • Skin pH-Meter^® PH 900 to assess skin pH
  • Tewameter^® TM 300 to measure transepidermal water loss (TEWL)
  • Corneometer^® CM 825 to measure capecitabine-based skin hydration
  • Sebumeter^® SM 815 to measure casual surface sebum content
• Physician clinical assessment included the following.
  • Estimation of dryness symptoms with an original scale from 0 to 4
  • Visual assessment of perceived skin change with a 10-point scale
  • Physicians and patients gave subjective assessment on a questionnaire about the tolerability of both products.

• A significant reduction in TEWL (p < 0.007) was noted over time on the treated forearm.
• Compared to baseline, sebum content hydration values increased significantly until the end of the study (p < 0.001).
• Casual skin surface lipids increased significantly on the treated forearm (p < 0.03).
• No significant difference existed in pH values on both the treated and untreated forearms.
• For the physicians' clinical assessment, a progressive improvement of all skin symptoms was recorded in the course of treatment, whereas the lowest values (e.g., the best results) were obtained on the last examination day (p < 0.001).
• The visual assessment of the perceived change in skin state showed a significant improvement over the course of the study.
• Both the physicians and patients considered the application of the treatment tolerable enough with a good cleansing effect, leaving a nice sensation after use.

Concomitant treatment with a cleanser (slight acidic washing) and a slightly acidic emollient (both pH 5.5) was effective in improving symptoms of xerosis in patients receiving chemotherapy.

• The study was not randomized or double blinded.
• The study was funded by Sebapharma, whose products were used.