Bakuchiol vs retinol : a comparison in their ability to improve photoaging

Abstract

Topic Overview: The skin is one of the body’s most important organs. However, with time and exposure to UV rays, photoaging occurs over the skin. Wrinkles, mottled pigmentation, rough skin, decreased skin tone, dryness, sallowness, deep furrows, severe atrophy, telangiectasias, laxity, leathery appearance, solar elastosis, actinic purpura, precancerous lesions, skin cancer, and melanoma are all clinical signs of photoaging. Topical Retinol is the traditional course of treatment for photoaging. However recently Bakuchiol, a more natural form of topical treatment, has been tested and shows signs of being a viable alternative to Retinol and exhibits less side effects. In this study Retinol and Bakuchiol will be compared to see if Bakuchiol may be a viable alternative to Retinol. For this purpose, the Research Question: Is Bakuchiol better than Retinol in the prevention and management of photoaging? PICO elements: The Population (P) included adults wanting to prevent or manage signs of photoaging. The Intervention (I) was the use of topical Retinol, while the Comparison (C) was the use of topical Bakuchiol. The Outcome (O) of interest was better prevention and management of photoaging. Method: After identifying key elements using PICO elements, MeSH terms and synonyms were retrieved to start the search strategy. Boolean operators, wildcard operators were then added to form a comprehensive search strategy which was then inputted in reputable databases to retrieve articles. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to the retrieved articles which included articles being written in English and which have been published in the last 10 years. This resulted in a total of 5 articles included in this dissertation. The Joanna Briggs Institution (JBI) critical appraisal tool was used to critically appraise these studies. Results: All 5 studies highlighted the work of Bakuchiol and its benefits. Bakuchiol is seen to act on photoaging symptoms in a significant manner but take different pathways on the skin to render its result. When compared to Retinol, Bakuchiol outperformed it in certain tests, while underperformed in others. The decreased amount of side-effects from Bakuchiol was highlighted by the studies. Conclusion: Bakuchiol may be a viable alternative to Retinol when it comes to the prevention and management of photoaging symptoms. Implications and Recommendations: Further studies on the long-term effects on Bakuchiol need to be conducted. Studies on whether Bakuchiol may be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding still need to be conducted. Dissemination strategies should be promoted, especially taking into consideration the high UV index in the Maltese Islands.