Combination of questionnaire and capsaicin sting test to reliably assess neuron hypersensitivity in sensitive skin population

Summary: Abstract Body: Sensitive skin (SS) is a self-perceived condition, characterized by unpleasant sensations (e.g., burning, stinging, itching, etc.). Among the pathophysiological alterations related to skin sensitivity, neuron hypersensitivity is one of the most prevalent symptoms. This study evaluated the feasibility and validity of combining a sensitive skin questionnaire (SSQ) and capsaicin sting test (CST) to identify subjects with neuron hypersensitivity and evaluate skin properties compared to non-sensitive subjects. Additionally, the efficacy of a facial product was investigated. The double-blinded, randomized study was conducted with forty-nine healthy women (Age 28.5 ± 5.6 years old). The responses to the following three items were obtained to segment subjects as Group 1 (Triple negative), Group 2 (Double positive) and Group 3 (Triple positive): 1. A 14-item SSQ, 2. CST on nasolabial areas; and 3. History of diseases. Skin properties including hydration, TEWL, skin pH, and Current Perception Threshold (CPT) and response to CST, were tracked for all three groups, before and after a 4-week usage of an anti-inflammatory product.Groups 2 and 3 subjects displayed significantly higher erythema and discomfort response to capsaicin vs. Group 1 subjects (p<0.05). Group 3 subjects depicted significantly lower CPT at 5 Hz (p=0.0028) and 250 Hz (p=0.0015) compared to Group 1 subjects. At Week 4, both Group 2 and Group 3 subjects demonstrated a significant reduction (p<0.0001) in erythema upon CST compared to baseline, with Group 3 subjects showing a more reduction (p<0.05) compared to Group 2 subjects. The proposed method was proven effective to identify subjects with neuron hypersensitivity. The applied anti-irritation product improved erythema response upon CST. Based on this data, we suggest that soothing and calming efficacy will be beneficial to the management of symptoms. Qihong Zhang², Abigail Solit¹, Paolo M. Palacio², Claude Saliou², Mei Yu² 1. Research & Development, Estee Lauder Companies, Melville, NY, United States. 2. Global Clinical and Consumer Sciences, Estee Lauder Companies, Melville, NY, United States. Clinical Research: Interventional Research