Abstract
Influence of Softy, a mildly acidic skin cleanser containing synthetic pseudo-ceramide on elderly skin was studied. 16 nursing home residents and 5 physically independent old-age home residents, whose contents were obtained, were asked to use Softy for 3 weeks as a cleanser of their body when they took a bath. The moisture level and, pH of the skin surfaces of the forearm, the total amount of ceramide in stratum corneum, of the lower leg, and the number of resident bacteria and dermatological findings of the forearm and lower leg after using Softy were compared with those before usage.
As a result, increase in skin moisture, decline of skin pH, decrease in number of resident bacteria and improvement of dermatological findings were observed and these changes were more prominent in old-age home residents that took a bath almost daily than in nursing home residents that took a bath twice a week. Therefore, these finding were thought to be caused by Softy. For the mechanism for these improvement of skin condition by Softy, it is suggested that keeping skin pH mildly acidic by washing with Softy resulted in improvement of barrier and moisture function and prevention of bacterial overgrowth and that lower irritation to skin of Softy also play a role to maintain skin function.
However, a discrepancy was observed between skin condition and the total amount of ceramide, as it decreased after using Softy. Therefore, further investigation on the underlying mechanisms, such as changes in the turn over and types of ceramide, is required.
