Pycnogenol® is effective for skin hyperpigmentation

What is hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation describes increased melanin production and can occur because of sun damage or - post-inflammation - after an injury or an inflammatory condition such as acne (1, 2).

During prolonged exposure to UV-light, a common cause of skin hyperpigmentation, reactive oxygen radicals are generated, and pro-inflammatory processes are triggered. In addition, UV radiation from the sun may cause sunburn as well as premature aging.

Skin is the body’s largest organ and protects us from environmental impacts, such as solar radiation, humidity, changes in temperature or air pollution. Therefore, skin care extends well beyond beauty as it plays a key role in our overall health.

Both topical and oral skin care can help improve skin health and appearance. Oral skin care offers additional benefits as it reaches the dermis (inner layer of the skin) of the entire body.

In over 20 published dermatological clinical investigations, Pycnogenol® was shown to provide numerous health benefits to the skin. These benefits include decreased pigmentation, reduced dark spots, melasma, limited photo-ageing and achievement of an even skin tone (3-9), as well as increased skin hydration (7, 10) and greater skin elasticity (10-12). Pycnogenol® was also shown to have anti-inflammatory effects (11, 13, 14), to be effective against acne (15), and to improve skin microcirculation and better blood perfusion (16-19).

Pycnogenol® reduces melasma development and limits photo-ageing

Melasma is a common form of hyperpigmentation. Melasma may be caused by UV exposure, female hormones or by predisposed genetic background (20). Pycnogenol® was shown to reduce over-pigmentation and melasma resulting in a more even, healthier looking skin and limited photo-ageing, in addition to sun-protective measures (3-9).

A first study found that Pycnogenol® dose-dependently suppressed pigment formation (melanogenesis) in melanocytes (pigment producing cells) (3). The authors attribute this property to its anti-oxidative action and to its ability to suppress tyrosinase activity. Tyrosinase is an enzyme that activates the production of melanin - the skin’s pigments.

Another, recently published study investigated this action further and found that Pycnogenol® significantly reduced 66.5% of the tyrosinase activity and downregulates other pigmentation-related mediators in UV-light treated human melanocytes (4). From their results, they conclude that Pycnogenol® “contribut[es] to the inhibition of pathways associated with skin hyperpigmentation”.

These findings of Pycnogenol®’s ability to counteract skin hyperpigmentation were clinically validated in another study (5). In this clinical trial with 20 women, oral supplementation with Pycnogenol® was shown to significantly lower UV-induced expression of the pigment synthesizing enzymes tyrosinase-related protein 1 by 75% and tyrosinase by 51%, which are both linked to long-lasting pigmentation.

In a clinical study, the oral intake of Pycnogenol® has been observed to reduce the “melasma area and severity index” by 58% in 31 Brazilian women after 90 days (6). Additionally, the “melasma quality of life scale” was significantly improved by 29% and 94.5% of the patients experienced subjective improvement.

In another, recently published randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study, Pycnogenol®’s effects on the skin of urban outdoor workers was investigated (7). During the dry autumn season, Pycnogenol® helped achieving a more even skin tone by 7.2% after 6 weeks and by 13.8% after 12 weeks of supplementation. These effects were statistically significant versus the placebo control. In the placebo group, subjects experienced a decrease in skin tone regularity because of sun radiation during the dry season, and pollution, reflecting a significant increase in irregular skin. Skin tone was assessed on the cheeks of the participants by the individual typology angle (ITA°), which is an objective classification of the skin tone in dermatology and cosmetology.

A study with 30 women with melasma reported a more regular and even skin complexion with 22% lower pigment intensity following four weeks intake of Pycnogenol® (8). Additionally, Pycnogenol® was shown to effectively decrease the area of over-pigmented skin spots by 38%, leading to smaller spots.

Skin ageing processes are highly accelerated by exposure of skin to UV radiation. In a clinical trial, Pycnogenol® was shown to increase the resistance of participant’s skin to solar UV exposure, needed to trigger skin redness (minimal erythema dose) (9). Different doses of oral Pycnogenol® supplementation to 21 healthy volunteers showed significant photo-protective effects, increasing the minimal dose of light needed to produce erythema (skin reddening) dose-dependently by 60% and 85% respectively.

The results of these studies suggest that Pycnogenol® provides potent photo-protective and melasma-reducing effects from inside out, in addition to topical skin protection and shadowing.

Pycnogenol® improves skin hydration and elasticity

Healthy skin is well hydrated and shows a high level of elasticity to be able to better deal with external stress such as sun irradiation.

Pycnogenol® was shown to increase skin elasticity and reduce skin fatigue by stimulation of the synthesis of new collagen in the skin and arresting the activity of enzymes that break down collagen and elastin (7, 10-12).

Additionally, clinical investigations of Pycnogenol® supplementation for 12 weeks with female volunteers, aged 55 to 68 years revealed increased hyaluronic acid synthase levels within the skin by 44%, leading to improved skin hydration (10). Hyaluronic acid synthase is the natural source of water-binding hyaluronic acid in the dermis, which moisturizes the skin and keeps it taut and smooth. Consequently, an average skin-hydration increase by 21% in the group of Pycnogenol® supplementation was found, particularly in women presenting with dry skin prior to Pycnogenol® intake. In this study, Pycnogenol® was also shown to improve skin elasticity by 25% and decrease skin fatigue by 30%. Interestingly, the results were paralleled by Pycnogenol®’s ability to generate skin´s connective tissue collagen in average by 40%.

In addition to stimulating the synthesis of new collagen, Pycnogenol® metabolites can inhibit the release and activity of destructive enzymes (metalloproteinases 1,2 and 9), which break down dermal tissue proteins, like collagen or elastin (11, 12). The reduced activity of these lytic enzymes saves the connective tissues from degradation, representing the basis for maintaining an elastic, smooth and youthful looking skin.

In another study with 78 subjects, who work outdoors in an urban area, the water loss of the skin during the hot summer season could be reduced by 14% with Pycnogenol® supplementation for 3 months and only by 5% with placebo (7). In this placebo-controlled double-blind study, the skin elasticity was shown to be improved by 13% after supplementation, compared to an increase of 1% in the placebo group.

Pycnogenol® improves microcirculation and reduces inflammation

Pycnogenol® has the property of enhancing blood-microcirculation in dermal capillaries (16). In several clinical studies, Pycnogenol® was shown to improve endothelial function, thus relieving capillary constriction, owed to enhanced generation of vasodilating nitric oxide (17-19). This leads to improved skin blood perfusion and hydration, better nutrient and oxygen supply as well as more efficient waste removal. A proficient perfusion of the dermis represents the core requirement for physiologically competent and healthy skin, with nutrition, hydration and detoxification fully operational.

In addition, Pycnogenol® acts as a natural anti-inflammatory ingredient, effective in improving acne and the development of other inflammatory skin diseases (15). In several studies, it was shown that Pycnogenol® has potent anti-inflammatory activities (11, 13, 14). Already after 5 days of daily intake, a study reported that Pycnogenol® significantly prevented the up-regulation of the pro-inflammatory enzymes 5-LOX and COX-2 (13). In another ex vivo study, plasma samples of volunteers after intake of Pycnogenol® showed to statistically significantly inhibit NF-κB activation by 15.5% and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) release by 25%, two important regulators in the inflammation process (11). In a similar study, statistically significant inhibition of inflammatory molecules COX-1 and COX- 2 was observed after intake of 300 mg Pycnogenol® (14).

Pycnogenol® French maritime pine bark extract is effective in reducing skin over-pigmentation. Pycnogenol® supplementation is associated with reduced melasma development and limited photo-ageing. Additionally, Pycnogenol® contributes to skin health and beauty by stimulating new collagen synthesis, increasing hyaluronic acid generation, inhibiting the activity of destructive enzymes and by enhancing microcirculation in dermal capillaries. These mechanisms lead to an increase in skin elasticity and smoothness, a reduction of skin fatigue, increased moisture of the skin, as well as a healthy, well perfused dermis.

Pycnogenol®

Pycnogenol® French maritime pine bark extract is a safe, natural, and evidence-based solution to support a healthy skin. For a complete list of scientific research and for further information, please visit www.pycnogenol.com.

Article written by Dr. Franziska Weichmann, Manager of Scientific Communications and Product Development at Horphag Research.

References

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