Skin sensitivity was assessed by stinging test (lactic acid) and skin
barrier recovery was evaluated by measuring trans-epidermal
water loss following barrier disruption induced by repeated tapestripping at D1, D29 and D57. The results demonstrated that the
volunteers who applied the cream with bacterial extract had a
significant decrease in skin sensitivity at the end of the treatment.
Moreover, the treatment led to increase skin resistance against
physical and chemical aggression compared to the group of
volunteers who applied the control cream. Notably, the number of
strippings required to disrupt skin barrier function was
significantly increased for volunteers treated with the active cream.
Clinical and self-assessment scores revealed a significant decrease
in skin dryness after 29 days for volunteers treated with the cream
containing the 10% bacterial extract. Since in vitro studies
demonstrated that, on one hand, isolate sensitive neurones release
less CGRP under capsaicin stimulation in the presence of the
bacterial extract and, on the other hand, increased skin resistance
in volunteers applying the test cream, we speculate that this new
ingredient may decrease skin sensitivity by reducing neurone
reactivity and neurone accessibility. The results of this studies
demonstrate that this specific bacterial extract has a beneficial
effect on reactive skin. These findings suggest that new
approaches, based on a bacteria lysate, could be developed for the
treatment and ⁄ or prevention of symptoms related to reactive skin