Evidence suggest that probiotics contribute distinct advantages for skin disorders, owing to their anti-inflammatory activities, anti-oxidation properties, ultraviolet protection and tyrosinase activity inhibition.

A new study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology investigated the effects of synbiotics supplement on improving melasma.

In this prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial, 57 Thai participants were divided in two groups – 29 for the experimental and 28 for the placebo groups. The participants were aged 30-50 years old, had Fitzpatrick skin type III-VI, with facial melasma on both sides of the face. Participants were randomly treated with oral synbiotics or placebo –one sachet daily for 12 weeks. Melasma severity and skin health were evaluated at four visits for each participant – baseline, weeks 4, 8 and 12, respectively.

The results showed that the severity of melasma scored by mMASI of the synbiotics group was 7.54±0.79, 7.36±0.80, 7.16±0.73 and 6.98±0.72 at baseline, weeks 4, 8 and 12, respectively, and 7.51±0.86, 7.52±0.88, 7.54±0.86 and 7.54±0.89 at baseline, weeks 4, 8 and 12, respectively, in the placebo group. Comparatively, at week 12, melasma score in the synbiotics supplement group was significantly lower than that in the placebo group.

Therefore, the findings indicated that oral synbiotics supplementation for 12 weeks improved the severity of melasma score.

Source: Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2021 Jan 21. doi: 10.1111/jocd.13955.