Comparison of the effect of glycerol and triamcinolone acetonide on cumulative skin irritation in a randomized trial.
BACKGROUND
So-called anti-irritants are added to cosmetic formulations because of their alleged beneficial effect on irritated skin. Documentation for these claims is often limited. However, glycerol has shown anti-irritant properties in experimentally induced irritation from sodium lauryl sulfate and nonanoic acid (NON). This study was designed to further substantiate that glycerol added to cosmetic formulations has an anti-irritant effect on experimentally induced skin irritation.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to compare glycerol with triamcinolone acetonide as treatments for cutaneous irritation in human volunteers.


METHODS
Irritation was induced by 3 daily arm washes for a week with 10% sodium lauryl sulfate on one arm and 30% NON on the other. To maintain irritation, for the next 12 days volunteers washed their arms twice daily with the irritants. Treatments were applied immediately after washing. The treatments (including vehicle and no treatment) were randomized to sites using a Latin square design. The reactions were evaluated clinically and instrumentally.


CONCLUSIONS
Study was designed to only detect potent anti-irritants.


CONCLUSIONS
Glycerol reduced the irritant effect of both sodium lauryl sulfate and NON, whereas triamcinolone acetonide appeared to have beneficial effect only on the irritation induced by NON. The study provided experimental documentation for the claim that glycerol has anti-irritant effect in a cosmetic formulation.
Andersen
Flemming
F
Department of Dermatology and Allergy Center, Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark.
Hedegaard
Kathryn
K
Petersen
Thomas Kongstad
TK
Bindslev-Jensen
Carsten
C
Fullerton
Ann
A
Andersen
Klaus Ejner
KE
D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003124:Colorimetry; D003358:Cosmetics; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005990:Glycerol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects*; D023422:Skin Irritancy Tests; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003358:Cosmetics; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide; D005990:Glycerol