ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Esperienze Dermatologiche 2020 September;22(2-3):13-20

DOI: 10.23736/S1128-9155.20.00500-2

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Therapeutic effectiveness and tolerability of emulsion for facial seborrheic dermatitis and anti-dandruff shampoo: a multicenter retrospective observational study

Annunziata DATTOLA ✉, Luca BIANCHI, OLEOCUT Working Group 

Department of Dermatology, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy

BACKGROUND: Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) and dandruff are two related chronic conditions that require safe and effective treatment. This retrospective, multicenter, observational study assessed clinical outcomes after the use of an emulsion (Silikil complex™, nicotinamide, thermal water concentrate and microcrystalline cellulose) for the face and/or hair area or a shampoo (Silikil complex™, 4% nicotinamide, thermal water concentrate and salicylic acid) for the scalp in patients with facial and/or scalp scaling and phototype I, II.
METHODS: Patients (≥18 years) were evaluated at baseline, after 4 and 8 weeks using the emulsion (N.=556) or the anti-dandruff shampoo (N.=546).
RESULTS: Pruritus, erythema, scaling and seborrhea were significantly reduced after 4 weeks of treatment with the emulsion (P<0.001) and after 4 weeks of treatment with the shampoo (P<0.001) compared with the baseline. Statistically significant change for each symptom was found after 8 weeks of treatment with the emulsion and the shampoo compared with baseline (P<0.001) and the improvement was greater than that observed after 4 weeks of treatment. Emulsion and shampoo treatment outcomes have been considered “good/excellent” by physicians in almost 90% and over 90% of cases, respectively. In addition, the emulsion was considered “better” than other previously used treatments according to almost 80% of patients and the shampoo was reputed “better” compared with other treatments according to almost 90% of patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Definitely, the emulsion resulted useful and well-tolerated for daily routine use to control the signs and symptoms of SD, and the shampoo was effective and well-tolerated to treat SD, psoriasis, irritative and/or desquamative states of the scalp.

KEY WORDS: Dermatitis, seborrheic; Dandruff; Psoriasis; Antifungal agents; Emulsions