TITLE:
Carbocysteine: A New Way for Stretch Marks Treatment
AUTHORS:
Francesco Scarci, Federico Mailland
KEYWORDS:
Striae Distensae, Stretch Marks, Emollient, Carbocysteine, Sweet Almond Oil
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications,
Vol.5 No.4,
December
1,
2015
ABSTRACT: Background/Purpose: Although stretch marks (or striae) do not represent a
medical problem, they are considered as the cause of psychological distress for
women of any age that need to be treated. There are many cosmetic products or
procedures claiming to improve the appearance of striae, but most of them are
able to affect only striae appearance rather than physical characteristics or, even
worse, they are provided with untoward effects. Our aim was to find a more
efficacious and safe alternative to the existing tools. Methods: A randomized,
blind observer study was conducted on 33 women to test the efficacy and safety
of P-3059, a new product containing carboxymethylcysteine, Vitamin E and sweet
almond oil. P-3059 was applied twice daily for 8 weeks and it was tested
intra-subject in a split-body design versus an untreated area (negative
control), comparing two symmetric areas with striae selected on the body/legs
of each subject. The main study endpoint was the visual evaluation of striae,
by means of the validated POSAS scale (consisting of two parts, OSAS and PSAS),
at the end of treatment in comparison with baseline. Results: The comparison of
the individual parameters of OSAS, showed significantly improved mean values
for striae thickness, relief and pliability at the end of treatment (p