Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease, and it is especially characterized by the occurrence of red, itchy, and scaly eruptions on the skin. The quality of life of patients with psoriasis is decreased because this disease remains incurable, despite the rapid progress of therapeutic methods and the introduction of many innovative antipsoriatic drugs. Moreover, many patients with psoriasis are dissatisfied with their current treatment methods and the form with which the drug is applied. The patients complain about skin irritation, clothing stains, unpleasant smell, or excessive viscosity of the preparation. The causes of these issues should be linked with little effectiveness of the therapy caused by low permeation of the drug into the skin, as well as patients’ disobeying doctors’ recommendations, e.g., concerning regular application of the preparation. Both of these factors are closely related to the physicochemical form of the preparation and its rheological and mechanical properties. To improve the quality of patients’ lives, it is important to gain knowledge about the specific form of the drug and its effect on the safety and efficacy of a therapy as well as the patients’ comfort during application. Therefore, we present a literature review and a detailed analysis of the composition, rheological properties, and mechanical properties of polymeric gels as an alternative to viscous and greasy ointments. We discuss the following polymeric gels: hydrogels, oleogels, emulgels, and bigels. In our opinion, they have many characteristics (i.e., safety, effectiveness, desired durability, acceptance by patients), which can contribute to the development of an effective and, at the same time comfortable, method of local treatment of psoriasis for patients.

Background: Despite the variety of treatment methods for wounds and scars after burns, there are still few effective preparations that can be used in a non-invasive therapy. Recent years have seen significant development of nanomedicine and nanotechnology in the treatment of infection in burn wounds. Proposal: The aim of this work was to develop a formula of a nanoemulsion gel for skin regeneration after burns, and to compare its rheological and sensory properties, as well as the effectiveness of post-burn skin regeneration with preparations available on the market. Methods: At the first stage of studies the composition and parameters of the preparation of sea buckthorn oil-based O/W (oil-in-water) nanoemulsion containing hyaluronic acid and aloe vera gel, as the active ingredients were optimized. Then, the nanoemulsion was added to the gel matrix composed of carbomer (1%) and water which resulted in receiving nanoemulgel. The physicochemical parameters of the obtained samples were characterized by means of dynamic light scattering method and scanning electron microscope. Rheological, sensory and influence on skin condition analysis was conducted for selected market products and developed nanoemulgel. Results: Nanoemulsion gel (d = 211 ± 1.4 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) = 0.205 ± 0.01) was characterized by semi-solid, non-sticky consistency, porous structure, law viscosity, good “primary” and “secondary” skin feelings and pleasant sensorical properties. It improves the condition of burned skin by creating a protective layer on the skin and increasing the hydration level. Conclusion: Due to the fact that the obtained nanoemulsion gel combines the advantages of an emulsion and a gel formulation, it can be a promising alternative to medical cosmetics available on the market, as a form of formulation used in skin care after burns.

Psoriasis is a chronic disorder that causes a rash with itchy, scaly patches. It affects nearly 2–5% of the worldwide population and has a negative effect on patient quality of life. A variety of therapeutic approaches, e.g., glucocorticoid topical therapy, have shown limited efficacy with systemic adverse reactions. Therefore, novel therapeutic agents and physicochemical formulations are in constant need and should be obtained and tested in terms of effectiveness and minimization of side effects. For that reason, the aim of our study was to design and obtain various hybrid systems, nanoemulgel–macroemulsion and nanoemulgel–oleogel (bigel), as vehicles for ursolic acid (UA) and to verify their potential as topical formulations used in psoriasis treatment. Obtained topical formulations were characterized by conducting morphological, rheological, texture, and stability analysis. To determine the safety and effectiveness of the prepared ursolic acid carriers, in vitro studies on human keratinocyte cell-like HaCaT cells were performed with cytotoxicity analysis for individual components and each formulation. Moreover, a kinetic study of ursolic acid release from the obtained systems was conducted. All of the studied UA-loaded systems were well tolerated by keratinocyte cells and had suitable pH values and stability over time. The obtained formulations exhibit an apparent viscosity, ensuring the appropriate time of contact with the skin, ease of spreading, soft consistency, and adherence to the skin, which was confirmed by texture tests. The release of ursolic acid from each of the formulations is followed by a slow, controlled release according to the Korsmeyer–Peppas and Higuchi models. The elaborated systems could be considered suitable vehicles to deliver triterpene to psoriatic skin.

Background: The use of herbal extracts as the source of antioxidant substances capable of neutralizing free radicals and providing protection from ionizing radiation appears to be an alternative therapy for radiodermatitis. As concerns the prevention and treatment of side effects, a lot of recommendations are based on proper experience of radiotherapy centers. We summarize recent research aiming at reducing radiation-induced skin injuries by use of proper skin care, using topical preparations with herbal extracts including onco-cosmetics. Methods: This article is limited to a critical analysis of scientific and professional literature. It concerns preparations in different physicochemical forms, e.g., gels, emulsions, ointments. We stress the connection between the type of applied skin care (type of preparation, its composition, the dose), the properties of the herbal extract and the evaluation of its efficiency in preventing and treating radiation reaction on skin. Conclusions: Herbal extracts can be added to recipes because they are part of a category of cosmeceutical supplements and can be introduced into preparations without prescription. The effectiveness evaluation for herbal extracts in radiotherapy is not an easy task since there are no strict guidelines. Studies should be preceded by the analysis of herbal extracts and recipe in terms of physicochemical, dermatological and performance characteristics.

Introduction. With the current increases in occupational skin diseases, literature data attesting the decreasing efficiency of barrier creams with respect to the manufacturer’s declarations and legal regulations granting skin protection gels for employees, research is required to analyse and evaluate the recipes used for hydrophilic skin protection gels based on polyacrylates. Methods. This study investigated the rheological properties, pH and sensory perception of hydrophilic barrier gels based on polyacrylates. Results. The acrylic acid derivatives used were good thickeners, and helped to form transparent gels of adequate durability. They could be used to create hydrophilic films on the surface of the skin to protect it against hydrophobic substances. A correlation was shown between the results of the rheological properties and the barrier properties of the gels. This confirms the possibility of monitoring the quality of the gels at the stage of recipe development. Conclusions. Polyacrylates are viable for use in industry to produce hydrophilic barrier creams suitable for skin protection.