Naturally produced by the skin, squalane is a lipid essential for its hydration and the maintenance of its barrier function. This function is impaired in people suffering from atopic dermatitis. Could an external supply of squalane help and reduce their symptoms? Learn more by continuing to read.
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Squalane: Can it help to reduce eczema?
Summary
Published July 12, 2024,
updated on July 17, 2024,
by
Pauline, Chemical Engineer
—
5 min read
Squalane as a natural solution to eczema?
Non-contagious but challenging to live with, eczema is an inflammatory skin condition causing red patches accompanied by intense itching and progressing in flare-ups. Depending on its type, it can be genetic (atopic eczema) or acquired (contact eczema). In the former case, eczema is characterised by a fragile skin barrier, often due to a mutation in genes coding for structural proteins of the stratum corneum. The hydrolipidic film of atopic skin is also altered. Contact dermatitis, on the other hand, appears when the skin is exposed to an allergen and disappears after its removal.
Contrary to dermocorticoids often prescribed by dermatologists, the evidence for the effectiveness of squalane on eczema is limited.
Thanks to its structure, which is similar to that of sebum, squalane has a strong affinity with the skin. Through biomimicry, this lipid is able to integrate into the protective hydrolipidic film present on the skin's surface and strengthen it. Non-greasy, squalane easily penetrates the epidermis, thus providing the skin barrier with the lipids it needs. This property of squalane could potentially be interesting for people suffering from eczema. Indeed, this ingredient could possibly alleviate the characteristic skin dryness of this dermatosis, thereby helping to reduce the associated itching sensations of eczema.
However, to date, the effect of pure squalane in the case of eczema has not been studied. Only a few studies have shown that moisturising creams formulated with squalane and other humectant, restructuring and soothing active ingredients, could help to alleviate the redness and itching of eczematous skin. The results of two of these are presented in the table below. However, these clinical trials do not allow us to conclude that squalane is indeed an ally in the case of eczema. Indeed, the cosmetic formulations studied were made with many other ingredients (glycerine, ceramides, allantoin, bisabolol...): it is therefore not certain that squalane contributed to the reduction of symptoms.
| Study | Participants | Protocol | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| RING & al. (2007) | 2456 patients suffering from eczema | Application of a moisturising cream containing squalane, among other ingredients, twice a day | After 6 weeks, there was a global reduction of erythema, pruritus, and desquamation by 58.6% |
| DRAELOS & co. (2016) | 25 patients suffering from eczema | Application of a moisturising cream containing squalane, among other ingredients, three times a day | After 2 weeks, there was a global reduction in itchiness by 79% and an increase in skin hydration by 44% |
Furthermore, the only scientifically proven property of squalane that could be relevant for eczema is its moisturising action. Indeed, no study has proven that squalane can reduce skin inflammation, unlike squalene from which it is derived. In vitro, it has been shown that squalene exerts an immunomodulatory action on pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages of cells involved in skin irritation. Squalene also triggers an increase in the synthesis of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10, IL-13 and IL-4, and a decrease in pro-inflammatory signals, such as TNF-α and NF-kB. While squalene has soothing and healing effects beneficial for eczematous skin, there is currently no scientific evidence that this is the case for squalane.
It is currently impossible to assert that squalane can aid in reducing eczema. We can only hypothesise that this active ingredient might potentially help in maintaining skin hydration, thereby spacing out flare-ups.
Sources
RING J. & al. Adjunctive treatment of atopic dermatitis: evaluation of a moisturiser containing N-palmitoylethanolamine (ATOPA study). Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (2007).
SUGARMAN J. & al. The Epidermal Barrier in Atopic Dermatitis. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery (2008).
DRAELOS Z. & al. A pilot study investigating the efficacy of botanical anti-inflammatory agents in an OTC eczema therapy. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2016).
GAFORIO J. & al. Squalene Promotes a Crucial Innate Immune Cell to Enhance Wound Healing and Tissue Repair. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2018).
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