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Research Article
Expert Perspectives on Acne, Melasma, Polymorphic Light Eruption, and Role of Sunscreens: A Nationwide Survey
Manjula Suresh*
,
Krishna Kumar Manjunath
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 2, December 2026
Pages:
102-110
Received:
23 July 2026
Accepted:
7 August 2026
Published:
24 August 2026
Abstract: Objective: To assess clinical practice patterns, treatment preferences, safety monitoring practices, and clinicians' perceptions of a botanical extract-based sunscreen formulation containing multiple plant-derived extracts, octinoxate, and titanium dioxide in the management of acne, melasma, and polymorphic light eruption (PLE) among dermatologists in India. Methods: A cross-sectional, nationwide, questionnaire-based survey was conducted among practicing dermatologists across India using a structured 22-item questionnaire. The survey evaluated clinical practice patterns in the management of acne, melasma, and PLE, including treatment preferences, photoprotection strategies, safety monitoring practices, and clinicians' perceptions of the extract-based sunscreen formulation containing multiple plant-derived extracts, octinoxate, and titanium dioxide. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 623 dermatologists participated in the survey. Oily skin was reported by 46% of respondents as the most common presenting complaint among patients with acne, while 50% indicated that acne was more frequently encountered in female patients. Clindamycin (45.75%) and benzoyl peroxide (44.30%) were the most commonly preferred first-line treatments for teenage acne. The majority (70.95%) reported occasionally encountering topical antibiotic resistance in acne vulgaris during routine practice. Malar melasma (48.64%) was identified as the most frequently encountered clinical subtype, and melasma was considered the most common cause of facial pigmentation by 67% of respondents. Approximately 64% of dermatologists reported regularly monitoring patients for treatment-related adverse effects and medication-associated complications. Based on the 5-point Global Improvement Scale, around 46% of respondents observed marked improvement in sun-induced hyperpigmentation, ultraviolet protection, PLE, and solar urticaria with the extract-based sunscreen formulation. Conclusion: This nationwide survey highlights clinical practice patterns in the management of acne, melasma, and PLE among Indian dermatologists. The extract-based sunscreen formulation is perceived to provide clinical benefits in photoprotection and the management of sun-induced dermatoses, supporting its use as an adjunctive sunscreen in routine dermatological practice.
Abstract: Objective: To assess clinical practice patterns, treatment preferences, safety monitoring practices, and clinicians' perceptions of a botanical extract-based sunscreen formulation containing multiple plant-derived extracts, octinoxate, and titanium dioxide in the management of acne, melasma, and polymorphic light eruption (PLE) among dermatologists...
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Research Article
Disease Spectrum Characteristics and Differences Between Internal Medicine and Surgery in 1285 Elderly Inpatients with Dermatological Consultation
Zou Xiaofang,
Lu Xiaojuan,
Wu Haotian*
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 2, December 2026
Pages:
111-117
Received:
23 August 2026
Accepted:
2 September 2026
Published:
20 September 2026
Abstract: Objective to analyze the disease spectrum, demographic and departmental distribution characteristics of dermatological consultations among elderly inpatients, and compare the differences between internal medicine and surgical departments, so as to provide evidence for multidisciplinary management of cutaneous disorders in older adults and clinical teaching. Methods Clinical data of dermatological consultations for elderly inpatients aged ≥60 years at Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital from January to December 2024 were retrospectively collected. Patient age, gender, requesting department and consultation diagnosis were recorded. Diseases were classified uniformly, and comparisons were performed between the internal medicine system and surgical system. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0. Results A total of 1,285 patients were enrolled with a male-to-female ratio of 1.38:1 and a mean age of (76.2 ± 9.3) years. Dermatitis and eczema ranked first (32.8%), followed by sexually transmitted diseases (12.9%) and viral dermatoses (8.7%). With advancing age, the proportions of dermatitis/eczema and pruritic dermatoses increased, while the proportion of drug eruptions decreased (all P < 0.05). No significant gender-based difference was observed in the disease spectrum (P > 0.05). The top 10 departments requesting consultations all belonged to the internal medicine system. The proportion of sexually transmitted diseases in surgical departments was significantly higher than that in internal medicine departments (21.2% vs 10.6%, P < 0.001). Dermatitis and eczema were more prevalent in internal medicine, whereas drug eruptions were more common in surgery (both P < 0.05). Conclusion Dermatoses encountered during dermatological consultations for elderly inpatients exhibit distinct age- and department-specific distribution patterns. Clinicians should strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration, prioritize the prevention and management of infectious and drug-related cutaneous diseases, standardize basic skin care for hospitalized older adults, and adjust the focus of dermatology residency training accordingly.
Abstract: Objective to analyze the disease spectrum, demographic and departmental distribution characteristics of dermatological consultations among elderly inpatients, and compare the differences between internal medicine and surgical departments, so as to provide evidence for multidisciplinary management of cutaneous disorders in older adults and clinical ...
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Research Article
Glucuronyl Glucosyloleanolate, an AI-Discovered Saponin: From Melanocyte Assays to Clinical Skin
Lightening-Brightening in a Multi-Ethnic Panel
Yannick Quesnel*,
Michael Gold
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 2, December 2026
Pages:
118-131
Received:
7 September 2026
Accepted:
16 September 2026
Published:
29 September 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijcd.20260902.13
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Views:
Abstract: Most of the depigmenting active ingredients currently in use work by inhibiting the catalytic activity of tyrosinase, and several of them are now subject to increasingly stringent regulatory and tolerance requirements. Glucuronylglucosyloleanolate (GGO), a natural triterpene saponin, was identified from public compound databases using an AI-based discovery platform combining in-silico predictions, physchem parameters and market requirements; and was subsequently subjected to a series of stepwise experiments. In normal human epidermal melanocytes, GGO reduced melanin production by up to 86% at a concentration of 2 µg/mL without any loss of viability; in one benchmark, it scored ahead of hydroquinone, kojic acid, niacinamide and tranexamic acid on melanin reduction. An in vitro assay on melanocyte tyrosinase showed no inhibition between 0.3 and 100 µM, indicating that the compound acts on enzyme expression rather than catalysis, and that it may also interfere with melanosome transfer. In UV-stimulated human explants, melanin content decreased by 45% and tyrosinase expression was reduced by a factor of 2.4 compared with controls, whilst tissue integrity was preserved. Safety was assessed at three levels: a 48-hour semi-occlusive patch test with the pure compound on 12 volunteers yielded an average irritation index of 0.00; the validated GARD®skin test revealed no sensitizing potential up to 0.4 g/L; and a repeated-challenge test in humans (HRIPT), carried out on over 100 volunteers at a concentration ten times higher than the clinical dose, did not result in any irritant or allergic reactions. Clinical efficacy was assessed in a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial, in which 60 volunteers, stratified according to Fitzpatrick phototype, applied 0.01% GGO or a placebo twice daily for 84 days. The individual typology angle increased significantly from day 21 onwards and continued to rise until day 84, reaching 11% in phototype III, 14% in phototype IV and 24% in phototype V, with no plateau observed at the end of the study. Hyperpigmented spots responded earlier and more rapidly than the surrounding skin, lightening approximately 34% faster to achieve a 17% reduction in patch intensity by day 84 and a measurable reduction in contrast compared with the adjacent skin. GGO therefore reduces the expression of enzymes involved in melanogenesis, a mechanism distinct from that of ingredients currently on the market, while also restricting pigment distribution, an effect reported in the literature. GGO achieves clinically significant depigmentation of both the overall complexion and localized hyperpigmentation at a concentration of 0.01%, making it far more potent than all competing products.
Abstract: Most of the depigmenting active ingredients currently in use work by inhibiting the catalytic activity of tyrosinase, and several of them are now subject to increasingly stringent regulatory and tolerance requirements. Glucuronylglucosyloleanolate (GGO), a natural triterpene saponin, was identified from public compound databases using an AI-based d...
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