Seasonally-induced alterations of some facial signs in Caucasian women. Impact of a daily application of a photo-protective product

Abstract

Objectives

These were two-fold: i) to record through standardized pictures, the possible changes in 14 facial signs induced, in a 6-month period, by the periodical shift from winter to summer in a group of 42 Caucasian women residing in Paris and ii) to appraise the preventive effects of a strong photo-protective product, daily applied to their face by an additional group (N=40) of women of same age-range and presenting same severities of facial signs in winter.

Methods

Facial signs (structural and pigmentation-related) were graded in blind by a panel of 12 experts from photographs taken under standard conditions. Grading was performed under specific scales as previously published. A global and focused analysis of the skin colour or dark spots, when present, was carried out through spectro-radiometry under diffuse and standardized visible light, using the L*, a*, b* referential system.

Results

The unprotected group showed significant changes in summer as compared to winter on 10 facial signs (2/3 of the studied signs) that presented an increased severity, of variable respective amplitude. 5 signs among the 10 were particularly and significantly affected by the seasonal transition, of an amplitude above the precision of the grading scale. Three of these 5 signs concerned structural elements (wrinkles), the two others being related to vascular disorders (redness). These season-induced alterations appear efficiently alleviated in the photo-protected group. The colour of the facial skin then appears more homogeneous, less red, less dull, all criteria being quantified by the L*, a*, b* referential system. The comparison with a previous work carried out on Chinese women, through a similar protocol, shows that the photo-protective product brings, in Caucasian women, a more important effect upon structural and vascular features than upon pigmentation disorders, inversely to the results previously observed in Chinese women.

Conclusion

The alterations in some facial signs occurring in a 6-month period between winter and summer are confirmed in Caucasian women, mostly related to structural (wrinkles) and vascular elements. Such changes appear alleviated or prevented by daily applications of a strong sun photo-protective product.

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