Skincare & dermal health
Both in vitro and clinical studies have explored the numerous benefits of fucoidan for skincare. High purity fucoidans have demonstrated cosmetic benefits when applied topically, particularly in the areas of skin protection, soothing, and microbiome balancing (Fitton 2015; Park 2021). They have also been shown to support the healthy ageing of the skin (Fitton, 2015).
Additionally, fucoidans have demonstrated beneficial dermal health properties in the context of inflammatory skin conditions, wound healing and skin cancer (Tian, 2019; Obluchinskaya, 2021; Barbosa, 2019; Ale, 2011).
Research has shown that fucoidans can:
- Protect and soothe skin by reducing water loss and reducing redness (Fitton, 2015).
- Alter gene expression relating to skin barrier function, wound healing process and fluid accumulation (Park, 2021).
- Assist in the balancing of skin microbiome (Park, 2021).
- Support healthy ageing by reducing skin degradation and promoting the formation of new skin matrix (Fitton, 2015).
- Relieve inflammatory skin conditions (Park, 2021; Apostolova, 2020).
- Support wound healing processes (Barbosa, 2019; Benbow, 2020).
Fucoidans produced by Marinova
High purity fucoidans produced by Marinova have been shown to have a number of beneficial cosmetic properties. Clinical trials have demonstrated their effectiveness in skin protection and soothing, including reductions in water loss and skin redness (Fitton 2015). The topical application of the same extracts has been shown to reduce skin roughness and wrinkle depth, and increase skin firmness, tightness and elasticity (Fitton, 2015). Additionally, a fucoidan-polyphenol complex derived from Fucus vesiculosus has been shown to have skin brightening properties (Fitton, 2015).
Both the oral ingestion and topical application of fucoidan have demonstrated beneficial skin health properties in the context of inflammatory skin conditions and wound healing. In an ex vivo model, fucoidans have been shown to inhibit the adhesion of the atopic dermatitis associated bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, and reduce the adhesion of the acne associated bacterium, Cutibacterium acnes (Park, 2021). The same study showed Marinova’s fucoidans positively altered the expression of genes associated with the wound healing process (Park, 2021). An increasing number of studies are incorporating high purity fucoidan into innovative medical devices, including nanoparticles or nanolayers for drug delivery. High purity fucoidan extracted by Marinova has successfully been utilised in the development of nanolayer films for use in wound healing (Benbow, 2020).