Milk Thistle Extract: An Effective Approach to Acne Management in Young Patients
Dermocosmetic products are often used to maintain or enhance the tolerance and effectiveness of medical acne therapies. Recent discoveries regarding the pathophysiology of acne-prone skin suggest that skincare products can contribute to maintaining homeostasis around sebaceous gland progenitor cells, thus preventing the formation of microcomedones.
The aim of this multicenter, international, real-world observational study was to assess the tolerance and effectiveness of a dermocosmetic product containing Silybum marianum fruit extract (Milk Thistle) in adolescents and young adults with acne-prone skin.
This study was conducted on patients aged 12 to 25 with mild to moderate acne. Patients (N = 4230) used the product twice a day for 8-12 weeks, either on its own (“initial group”) or after an anti-acne therapy (“maintenance group”), or in conjunction with regularly prescribed anti-acne therapies (“combination group”). Tolerance, effectiveness, and cosmetic properties of the product were evaluated, as well as patients’ quality of life.
Dermatologists rated the product’s tolerance as “good” or “very good” in approximately 95% of patients and the Milk Thistle-based product’s effectiveness as “effective” or “highly effective” in about 80% of patients, with a significant reduction in the average Global Acne Assessment (GAA) score (-36% ± 39%, p < 0.0001) at the study’s conclusion.
The quality of life for the majority of patients (80%) improved by the end of the study, and most patients (from 79% to 94%) appreciated the cosmetic properties of the product. Overall, the product was a clinical success in >84% of patients.
This dermocosmetic product can be used by adolescents and young adults with acne-prone skin to reduce the initial or chronic use of medical anti-acne therapies.
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Source: Bageorgou F, Li L, Beausillon C, Stennevin A, Ortiz-Brugués A, Saurat JH. Tolerability and effectiveness of a dermocosmetic product containing Silybum marianum fruit extract in adolescents and young adults with acne-prone skin: An international, phase IV, longitudinal study. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023 Aug;22(8):2259-2267. doi: 10.1111/jocd.15705. Epub 2023 Mar 27. PMID: 36973603.
