Shake-Induced Temporary Ion-Pairing Between Lecithin and Glycolic Acid for Enhanced Exfoliation in a Novel Biphasic Serum: Comparative Ex Vivo and in Vivo Randomised Studies.
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Abstract
Background: Chemical exfoliation efficacy is significantly limited by pH-dependent permeability reduction above the pKa of glycolic acid (3.83), constraining consumer product development.
Objective: To develop and evaluate a biphasic serum utilizing temporary lecithin-glycolate ion-pairing to enhance stratum corneum permeation while maintaining safety at pH 3.9.
Methods: A biphasic formulation containing 10 wt% (weight percent) glycolic acid and 0.1 wt% lecithin was developed. Temporary ion-pairing was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. Ex vivo permeation and exfoliation were evaluated using porcine skin models. A 2-week double-blind, split-face clinical study (n = 37) assessed efficacy using instrumental probes (Visioscan, Corneofix, VISIA-CR, and ANTERA 3D) for exfoliation-related parameters and sensitive skin compatibility.
Results: FT-IR analysis confirmed lecithin-glycolate bonding via red-shifted C = O peaks, with spectral comparisons before and after shaking demonstrating the reversible nature of the change. The biphasic serum achieved 4.19-fold higher epidermal glycolic acid delivery compared to conventional formulations with minimal deep penetration. Clinical evaluation demonstrated superior exfoliation (45.52% improvement, p < 0.001), enhanced skin brightness, texture, and hydration. Redness and transepidermal water loss, assessed for sensitive skin suitability, showed significant improvements.
Conclusion: The biphasic system successfully overcomes pH-dependent limitations of glycolic acid through temporary ion-pairing, providing enhanced exfoliation efficacy with a superior safety profile for consumer applications.
期刊介绍：
Skin Research and Technology is a clinically-oriented journal on biophysical methods and imaging techniques and how they are used in dermatology, cosmetology and plastic surgery for noninvasive quantification of skin structure and functions. Papers are invited on the development and validation of methods and their application in the characterization of diseased, abnormal and normal skin.
Topics include blood flow, colorimetry, thermography, evaporimetry, epidermal humidity, desquamation, profilometry, skin mechanics, epiluminiscence microscopy, high-frequency ultrasonography, confocal microscopy, digital imaging, image analysis and computerized evaluation and magnetic resonance. Noninvasive biochemical methods (such as lipids, keratin and tissue water) and the instrumental evaluation of cytological and histological samples are also covered.
The journal has a wide scope and aims to link scientists, clinical researchers and technicians through original articles, communications, editorials and commentaries, letters, reviews, announcements and news. Contributions should be clear, experimentally sound and novel.
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