Daily Cosmetic Research Analysis

Ultrasound has emerged as a versatile, non-invasive imaging technique in dermatology, offering real-time, high-resolution visualization of cutaneous structures. By employing high- and ultra-high-frequency probes, skin ultrasound enables detailed assessment of the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue, while Doppler modalities provide complementary information on vascularity. This review synthesizes current evidence on the role of ultrasound across the spectrum of dermatologic conditions, including malignant and benign tumors, inflammatory skin disorders, connective tissue diseases, and cosmetic interventions. In skin cancer, high-frequency ultrasound supports preoperative planning by estimating lesion depth, margins, and risk stratification, with particular value in basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. In benign tumors such as epidermal cysts and lipomas, sonographic features help avoid unnecessary invasive procedures. Ultrasound also refines disease staging and monitoring in chronic inflammatory dermatoses, notably hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, while enabling quantification of fibrotic involvement in systemic sclerosis and morphea, besides assessing the degree of inflammatory activity. Beyond clinical dermatology, ultrasound provides critical guidance in aesthetic medicine, enhancing the safety and precision of filler injections and facilitating early detection and management of complications. Recent advances include integration with dermoscopy, and artificial intelligence for automated disease classification, which promise to reduce operator dependency and improve reproducibility. Taken together, these findings highlight the pivotal role of skin ultrasound as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool with a growing range of applications in dermatological and cosmetic practice.

HYPOTHESIS: Cellulose-based nanomaterials have potential to act as renewable and versatile additives for tailoring properties of aqueous surfactant systems. This study compares the effect of negatively charged cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), and their molecular counterpart, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), on the rheological properties and microstructural organization of aqueous aggregates of cationic di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethylammonium chloride. Their lamellar phases can be assumed as representative of those found in cosmetics, fabric softeners, and related formulations. EXPERIMENTS: Samples were prepared with an excess of cationic surfactant relative to the anionic additives while maintaining a constant surfactant/additive mass ratio for both surfactant concentrations. The surfactant was slowly added to pre-existing (nano)cellulose suspensions or solutions, allowing lamellar phase formation to occur in the presence of nanoparticles or polymer chains. Rheological measurements were performed alongside differential scanning calorimetry, small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering experiments. FINDINGS: The rigidity and yield stress of the samples depend on the type of additive (CNC, CNF, or CMC) and the surfactant/additive ratio. With CNC, these properties increase with concentration, reaching a maximum at a surfactant/additive ratio of 100 (0.05 and 0.1 wt% CNC for 5 and 10 wt% surfactant, respectively), and then decrease at higher additive contents. The rheological behavior is closely linked to changes in lamellar organization, including variations in bilayer repeat distance and the coexistence of multiple lamellar phases in samples with CMC. These findings reveal the general colloidal outcome of hybrid oppositely charged lamellar-particle networks in aqueous surfactant systems, opening new opportunities for exploiting cellulose nanomaterials in concentrated surfactant formulations.

BACKGROUND: Hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is a complication of many anticancer therapies and negatively affects patients' quality of life (QoL). Currently, little data are available on using non-pharmacological skin products as standard therapy for HFS. AIM: This study aims to investigate whether a specific set of cosmetic products is effective for managing HFS skin side effects in cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This single-arm study involved 53 cancer patients with grade 1 of HFS undergoing chemotherapy, targeted, or hormonal treatments at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO). The study included a baseline visit and a follow-up visit 45 days later. All enrolled patients were prescribed a set of four cosmetic products for skin treatment. Patients underwent instrumental measurement to evaluate skin hydration and erythema while their QoL was assessed using the Skindex-16 self-questionnaire. Additionally, physicians clinically evaluated the HFS severity, using the CTCAE (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) scale and by comparing patient photographs. RESULTS: No patients worsened. After 45 days, the application of the cosmetic set increases skin hydration by 33% (p < 0.0001), while skin erythema decreases by 82,9% (p < 0.0001). Patients also showed a significantly lower mean Skindex-16 score at 45 days (-35.5%, p < 0.0001) compared to baseline. These findings were associated with clinical improvement in HFS-related skin symptoms in 58.5% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that a set of cosmetic products specific for cancer skin care can effectively manage HFS-related symptoms, resulting in improved QoL for patients, regardless of the anticancer treatment received.