The Effect of a Combination of Recombinant EGF Cosmetic Serum and a Crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid Serum as Compared to a Fibroblast-Conditioned Media Serum on the Appearance of Aging Skin.

Anti-aging cosmeceutical efficacy is hampered by lack of active ingredient purity and lack of dosing standardization. These are two important key factors necessary to insure consistent, reproducible, and documentable skin effects. Without this type of standardization, it is not possible for cosmeceutical science to advance. Growth factors are interesting cosmeceutical ingredients with established cosmetic skin effects that can now be standardized due to the recent ability to manufacture recombinant epidermal growth factor. The concomitant use of a recombinant epidermal growth factor with a filler grade hyaluronic acid (EGF/RHA) was studied over 12 weeks in 60 females with mild to moderate photoaging as compared to a currently marketed spent fibroblast growth media and moisturizer (TNS). Investigator, noninvasive, and subject assessments were collected at baseline and weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12. The blinded investigator noted a statistically significant preference for the EGF/RHA at week 2 in terms of smoothness (P =0.003) and firmness (P =0.003). This improvement continued into weeks 4 and 8 with continued superior EGF/RHA results in fine lines (P =0.002), radiance (P =0.014), and overall appearance (P =0.027) by week 12. Transepidermal water loss was reduced for the EGF/RHA over the TNS at week 12 (P =0.005). The subjects gave high ratings to both study products. This research demonstrates the utility of recombinant growth factors, when combined with hyaluronic acid hydration, in improving skin cosmetic attributes. The ability to manufacture consistent pure recombinant growth factors lays the foundation for improved scientific study of this category of cosmeceutical actives.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(6):738-741.