Background: New technologies, such as sonic devices, have been developed to optimize the skin cleansing process and improve its efficiency. To evaluate the effectiveness of these cosmetic procedures, skin bioengineering is an objective method to assess the biophysical parameters of the skin.
Aims: This study aimed to assess the effect of facial cleansing on the physiological properties of the skin by comparing a cleansing process with cosmetic product applied manually to cleansing with cosmetic product associated with the use of an electric sonic device.
Patients/methods: A gentle skin cleanser was applied to the entire face of 12 subjects; the sonic device was used on one half of the face and the manual process was performed on the other half. Instrumental skin analyses included sebummetry, corneometry, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), infrared thermography, and high-frequency ultrasound and were measured before and up to 90 min after cleansing. Results were compared using two-way ANOVA and Friedman tests.
Results: Data obtained from the statistical analysis of sebummetry, TEWL, thermography, and ultrasound parameters did not show any significant difference. When assessing the corneometry parameters, a significant reduction in hydration values (17.19%) was observed in the manual cleansing area, while the values remained similar to baseline values in the area where the sonic device was used.
Conclusion: The cleansing process with a sonic device did not cause a significant hydration reduction, suggesting better preservation of skin homeostasis when compared to manual cleansing.
Keywords: facial cleansing; skin barrier; skin bioengineering; sonic device.
© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.