Evaluation of the influence of the application of a cosmetic formulation on the skin morphological characteristics by Reflectance Confocal Microscopy

Reflectance Confocal Microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive imaging technique with near-histological resolution that allows evaluation of the morphological and structural characteristics of the skin. In this context, the aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the application of a cosmetic formulation on the skin morphological characteristics by RCM. The study included six female subjects, aged 40 to 50 years. Measurements in terms of epidermis thickness, dermal papillae depth (DPD), interkeratinocytes brightness (IB), furrows morphology, skin surface homogeneity (SSH), honeycomb pattern, skin hyperpigmentation, dermal papillae and dermis morphology were performed using RCM before and after a 90-day period of formulation application on the face. The studied formulation showed a significance increase of DPD after the 90 day period, showing an improvement on the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ). In addition, an increase of IB in the granular layer and an improvement of dermis morphology were observed after the treatment. In conclusion, the obtained results by RCM showed an improvement of morphological characteristics of the skin after application of the studied cosmetic formulation for 90 day period when compared to the initial baseline, as it improved epidermis and dermoepidermal junction morphology. Keywords: Clinical efficacy, Reflectance Confocal Microscopy, cosmetic formulation