The story behind PSP® …

TECHNOLOGY / PSP® in cosmetic research

Investigating an optimal follow-up regimen for treating burn and ulcer patients with a three-dimensional skin allograft comprising cultured fetal skin cells seeded onto a collagen matrix [23, 24], the research team at University Hospital of Lausanne developed a cream containing the cell lysate of the same cultured fetal skin cells as used for the graft preparation. The cell lysate was later called Processed Skin Cell Proteins (PSP®).

As an example, the right Figure illustrates the use of PSP® containing cream to improve texture and appearance of the skin in a woman 65 years of age with a healed leg ulcer. The figure shows the leg after grafting was complete and the wound closed (upper picture), and after the PSP® cream was applied daily for approximately six months (lower picture).

Together with the help of a compression bandage, the follow-up regimen aimed to improve texture and appearance of skin once the wound was closed and had completely healed.

Once the safety of PSP® was established, the cream was studied in several different applications.
In one of the initial studies, the PSP® containing cream was used on 13 patients healed from a pressure or diabetic ulcer [25]. It was applied as a follow-up procedure up to three times daily during the evaluation period. In all but one person, texture and appearance of healed skin improved significantly. In most cases, treatment with the PSP® containing cream was visible after some weeks to few months of daily application. The cream was well tolerated without occurrence of local or systemic adverse effects. In additional studies, PSP® was evaluated on eight children between 14 months and 12 years of age healed from a second or third degree burn [24, 25]. Similarly as with the ulcer patients, the cream proved beneficial in improving skin appearance in these burn patients [24, 25].

As an example (right picture), several months of daily application of a cream containing PSP® significantly improved skin appearance in an eight year-old girl healed from a burn with hot water. The upper picture was taken after the grafted wound was closed and healing was achieved, whereas the lower picture shows improved skin appearance after daily application of cream for about nine months.

These promising results suggested the use of PSP® for other topical applications …

Subsequently, PSP® was studied in an attempt to improve the appearance of other skin conditions related to sensitive or stressed skin. As post-treatment after minor burns or wounds healed either spontaneously or after medication, the cream was shown to be beneficial in improving appearance of skin [25]. In another study with 11 patients showing recent scar or keloid formation after diverse injuries, appearance of scars and keloids improved in most patients after some weeks to few months of daily PSP® cream application [25].

Wounds or scars generally ameliorate with time. Nonetheless, these studies demonstrated that PSP® may be beneficial in improving the skin’s texture, color and general appearance once the wound was closed and had completely healed.

• The story behind PSP® …