Cosmetics Cleared of Acne Risk

Contributed by Jodie

Many cosmetics never deserved a reputation of causing acne, according to a California dermatologist.

"There has been the assumption that over-the-counter cosmetics aggravate acne in women," said Dr. Patricia Engasser, a dermatologist for Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Redwood City, California.

But improved methods for studying the products' effects on skin show that oil-based cosmetics do not plug the pores and are unlikely to cause acne in adult women.

In fact, according to a recent study, petrolatum and moisturizing agents in cosmetics may even deserve praise as acne-clearing aids rather than blame as acne villains. In a study published in 1996, twenty patients found that their acne improved when they used petrolatum jelly or cream on their faces for 22 weeks.

And Engasser noted that finding oils on the ingredient lists of cosmetics "isn't a good way of telling whether they aggravate acne or not. Just because something has oil in it, you can't assume it's going to aggravate acne."

The skin specialist said results of tests in the early 1970s on rabbit ears helped place the blame on cosmetics as acne inducers.

"Many people then labeled oil-containing products as bad for the skin," Engasser explained.

Recently, the researchers that originally did the work re-visited these findings, tested the products again, and concluded the problem wasn't as bad as originally thought.

"Oil-free cosmetics have no scientific basis," said Engasser in a report published in Family Practice News. These products "are not 'plugging the pores."'

In an interview with Reuters Health, Engasser pointed to other recent findings showing that the upper layer of skin -- the stratum corneum -- is not adversely affected by oily compounds, including moisturizers with glycerin. Instead, when treated with such products, cells tend to lose less water and maintain their elasticity. Moisturizing lotions can also prevent skin irritation, and help prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

"When skin becomes dry, it becomes less flexible and brittle. Glycerin may, in fact, make it more flexible, as does water," Engasser said. "Water is the primary thing that softens the stratum corneum, and usually that's how a moisturizer works -- by helping to preserve water," she added. "But there's some evidence that glycerin itself may soften the skin -- the stratum corneum -- and make it more flexible."

In her report to a recent meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in San Francisco, Engasser also told the assembled skin specialists that much of the "hype" surrounding the cosmetic ingredients alpha hydroxy acids may be exaggerated.

She said alpha hydroxy acids have "an extremely modest" effect on skin.

Engasser also noted that some cosmetics now contain benzoyl peroxide, which helps control acne. In addition, some manufacturers no longer use emulsifiers, "which are like a detergent," she said. "They're trying to make a product which is less irritating to skin."

"This is just a whole new movement in cosmetics in the last five to ten years," the dermatologist explained. "Manufacturers recognize women will complain about their skin being made sensitive (by cosmetics), and products are being aimed at reducing irritation and sensitivity," she said. "Today's cosmetics probably are less troublesome to the skin than before."

SOURCE: Family Practice News (May 15, 1997, p. 56)