Effects of repeated short‐term skin contact with proteolytic enzymes

Abstract

The objective was to investigate effects on the hand of protease used in dishwashing liquids (DWL). A group of 30 Koreans (normal skin) and 24 Japanese (12 atopic and 12 normal) were employed for two different studies, respectively. The 30 Koreans were divided into three groups. Each group immersed their hands for 15 min a day for 9 days into DWL containing 0.005% protease, 0.02% protease, or non-enzyme DWL. The 24 Japanese immersed their hands for 15 min a day for 4 days into 0.005% protease-containing or a non-enzyme DWL. The hand skin was evaluated by measuring overall and dry skin grades, estimated before and after exposures to the test products. The Korean study shows that 0.005% and 0.02% protease-containing DWL are less irritating to the skin than non-enzyme control, as measured by better overall skin grades and less dry skin. The Japanese study shows that 0.005% protease-containing DWL are less irritating to the skin than non-enzyme control in both atopic and normal subjects. The 0.005% protease use did not cause any adverse dermatological effects to atopic subjects compared with non-enzyme control. Both studies indicate that 0.005% and 0.02% protease resulted in better skin mildness profile, without causing adverse dermatological complications to the subjects.

Trends in stratum corneum research and the management of dry skin conditions

“…The most recent is the work of P&G investigating the effects of proteases in hand dish‐washing liquids. Immersing the hands of Korean or Japanese subjects for 15 min in products containing 0.005–0.02% protease for 4–9 days, the protease‐containing dish‐washing liquid was less irritating to skin as judged by less dry skin [114]. Topical application of cathepsin D enzyme from mushroom extract has also been shown to be beneficial for the treatment of xerosis [115].…”