Background: Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy is widely used for skin rejuvenation, but often impairs the skin barrier, causing discomfort and prolonging recovery.
Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel moisturizer containing saccharide isomerate in restoring skin barrier function and alleviating symptoms after IPL treatment in Chinese population.
Methods: In this split-face study, thirty subjects with skin aging received a single IPL treatment. Each participant applied the test moisturizer containing saccharide isomerate to one randomly assigned cheek and the control moisturizer to the contralateral side twice daily for 7 days. Key barrier function parameters were measured at baseline and repeatedly during study period. Adverse events were assessed at each of these follow-up time points. Additionally, overall subject satisfaction was evaluated at the end of the study.
Results: The test side showed significantly greater improvement in all biometric parameters (all p < 0.05) and was associated with significantly less subjective discomfort. Both formulations were well-tolerated with no related adverse events.
Conclusion: The saccharide isomerate-based moisturizer significantly accelerates skin barrier recovery, improves hydration, reduces erythema, alleviates discomfort and has a good safety profile with high subject satisfaction, making it a promising new option in the field of post-photoelectric surgery care.
Keywords: Saccharide isomerate; intense pulsed light; post-photoelectric surgery care; skin barrier.