Does DMSO improve absorption of L-ascorbic acid into skin, and is it a good idea for cosmetic use?

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OxC
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Does DMSO improve absorption of L-ascorbic acid into skin, and is it a good idea for cosmetic use?

Post Number:#1  Post by OxC » Mon Nov 18, 2019 11:51 am

Over the years I’ve come across the suggestion many times that a solution of ascorbic acid in water plus DMSO is a great skin care serum. Saw it recently on this forum. Since most people believe DMSO “carries” substances into the skin, and since AA only penetrates skin very slowly when diluted in water or other solvents often used in cosmetics, it seems to make sense. So I did some research on the matter, and without getting too detailed, I’ll just post here the conclusions I’ve come to. Down below are some statements drawn from literature I’ve reviewed with links to those studies.

  • A very strong DMSO solution might very well increase the permeation of AA into the skin, but it apparently would need to be about 67% DMSO or greater. Essentially, the mechanism by which DMSO enhances penetration is not that it “carries” substances with it. Instead, in the stratum corneum, a strong solution swells proteins (presumably keratin) and dissolves lipids (presumably ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids). Thereby disrupting the permeability barrier of the epidermis and allowing many kinds of substances to permeate the skin more easily.
  • For daily, cosmetic use it doesn’t appear desirable because: The permeability barrier is what prevents transdermal water loss and keeps the skin moisturized; Strong solutions of DMSO apparently make the skin appear more wrinkled, stretched and swollen, and less pliable; Strong solutions might be sufficient to raise the DMSO concentration in the dermis to levels that are detrimental to fibroblasts, the very same cells we hope to stimulate with AA for collagen production.
  • It may be desirable for occasional, therapeutic use. For example, to help increase permeation of AA into a skin lesion such as basal cell carcinoma. But I’ve yet to find any specific study that conclusively shows that DMSO improves AA permeability through stratum corneum.
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.454.9262&rep=rep1&type=pdf
It can be concluded from these results, in agreement with others, that large concentrations of DMSO are required before appreciable enhancement of penetration can occur.
It was also observed in these experiments that those skin membranes which had been in contact with the greater concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide appeared more wrinkled and stretched and swollen, yet much less pliable than those skin membranes which had been in contact with buffer or lower concentrations of DMSO. A literature search revealed that this observation had been made by others.
In order to establish conclusively that DMSO does not "carry" picrate through the skin, experiments were performed in which the rates of penetration of picrate and DMSO were studied. The results of this isotope experiment show that the absolute rate constant for the in vitro diffusion of dimethyl sulfoxide through the skin membrane was approximately 100 times greater than that of the picrate ion, thus clearly demonstrating their independent transfer through the skin.

http://www.btsjournals.com/assets/2017v8p78-82.pdf
Fibroblast cells are present primarily in dermis layer of skin. They are responsible for generating connective tissue and allowing skin to recover during injuries.
Dimethyl sulfoxide is a preferred solvent for a wide range of compounds. It is used as a solvent of drugs for in vitro toxicity testing using cell lines. Determination of safe solvent concentration for cell type to be used is a pre-requirement. Here we show that 0.1% DMSO in growth media is the safest concentration for skin fibroblast cell line used in this study. The low concentrations (0.01-0.001%) enhance proliferation of cells when cultured in-vitro on plastic surfaces for a 4-day period, whereas higher concentrations (0.5-3%) lead to reduction in cell-viability on a dose dependent manner. No cell survived beyond 3% DMSO.

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.557.2360&rep=rep1&type=pdf
It now appears that DMSO alters the skin barrier through some combination of protein swelling and lipid extraction.
The absolute rate constant for the passage of C14-DMSO does not dramatically increase until the concentration of DMS0 exceeds 60%.

https://www.gaylordchemical.com/literature/dmso-health-safety/
Although DMSO readily penetrates human skin in concentrations of 70-100%, at concentrations of 67% or less, DMSO molecules are hydrated, which greatly reduces dermal penetration.

https://www.jacionline.org/article/0021-8707(66)90026-8/fulltext
The penetrant-carrier capacity of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) through intact human skin was studied with allergens of varying molecular sizes and compositions. Results showed that only with DMSO 90 per cent and penicillin could positive Prausnitz-Küstner (P-K) reactions be produced. Larger sized allergens in DMSO applied directly over sensitized sites failed to penetrate sufficiently to produce positive P-K reactions. Removal of stratum corneum permitted the production of positive P-K reactions with allergens of all molecular sizes and in simple buffered saline.

http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?pr09023
Chemical substances temporarily diminishing the barrier of the skin and known as accelerants or sorption promoters can enhance drug flux…Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) is one of the earliest and most widely studied penetration enhancers… Although DMSO is an excellent accelerant, it does create problems. The effect of the enhancer is concentration-dependent and generally cosolvents containing > 60% DMSO are needed for optimum enhancement efficacy. However, at these relative high concentrations, DMSO can cause erythema and wheal of the stratum corneum. Denaturing of some skin proteins results in erythema, scaling, contact uticaria, stinging and burning sensation.
Douglas Q. Kitt, founder of ReCverin LLC, sellers of stabilized dehydroascorbic acid solutions.

pamojja
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Re: Does DMSO improve absorption of L-ascorbic acid into skin, and is it a good idea for cosmetic use?

Post Number:#2  Post by pamojja » Sat Nov 30, 2019 11:44 am

OxC wrote:
The effect of the enhancer is concentration-dependent and generally cosolvents containing > 60% DMSO are needed for optimum enhancement efficacy. However, at these relative high concentrations, DMSO can cause erythema and wheal of the stratum corneum. Denaturing of some skin proteins results in erythema, scaling, contact uticaria, stinging and burning sensation.


Thanks for your search. Though it doesn't convince me - beside all the invitro studies - since 70% solution transdermal never caused wrinkles, erythema, scaling, dry skin, or etc. for me.

Some are concerned about this study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24327606

Though I honestly believe such concentration are never reached in the eye, if not applied directly.


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