Clinical study to assess efficacy and safety of Purifying Neem Face Wash in prevention and reduction of acne in healthy adults

Background Acne vulgaris is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition of pilosebaceous units. The standard treatment involves topical and oral antibiotics, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, and other synthetic compounds, mostly associated with adverse effects. Hence, herbal skincare products are considered nowadays. Aim To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Purifying Neem Face Wash (PNFW), an herbal skincare product in the prevention and/or reduction of mild‐to‐moderate acne. Methods An open‐label, single‐center, single‐arm, four‐week clinical study was conducted with subjects having either mild‐to‐moderate acne or oily skin and non‐existent acne. The performance of PNFW in the reduction and/or prevention of acne was detected by counting cutaneous inflammatory and non‐inflammatory acne lesions in each of the four visits. Sebum level and skin hydration of both cheeks were measured via sebumeter and corneometer, respectively. Self‐assessment questionnaires were used to assess the subjects’ responses toward PNFW. Results Out of 120 study subjects, 79% and 72% showed either reduction or no new appearance of inflammatory and non‐inflammatory acne lesions, respectively, from baseline to Visits 3 and 4. Skin sebum level and skin hydration showed a statistically significant decrease (p