Real-World Experience to Understand the Usage of Sebamed® Antibacterial Cleansing Foam in the Prevention of Acne

Sanjiv Sanjiv¹, Gupta RP², Anil Ganjoo³, Sunil Ghate⁴, Priya Ramesh⁵, Vijay Nagdeo⁶, Nirmala Purohit⁷, Rajashree Dhar^8*

¹Department of Dermatology, Dr Kandhari’s Skin and Dental Clinic, India
²Department of Dermatology, Skinnovation Clinics, Delhi, India
³Department of Dermatology, Saroj Super Speciality Hospital, Delhi, India
⁴Dr Ghate’s Skin, Hair and LASER Center, India
⁵Department of Dermatology, Ruchera Skin Care, India
⁶Department of Dermatology, The Skin Doctors, India
⁷Nirmala’s Skin and Heart Clinic Care, India
⁸Department of Scientific Services, USV Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India

*Correspondence author: Rajashree Dhar, Department of Scientific Services, USV Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India;
Email: [email protected]

Citation: Sanjiv S, et al. Real-World Experience to Understand the Usage of Sebamed® Antibacterial Cleansing Foam in the Prevention of Acne. J Dermatol Res. 2025;6(2):1-8.

Copyright^© 2025 by Saniv S, et al. All rights reserved. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Table 1: Demographic and clinical characteristics.

Table 2: Management and outcome.

Table 3: Efficacy of Sebamed® antibacterial cleansing foam.

Figure 1: Risk factors. Other risk factors: Drug induced (n=9), 12 (n=1), vitamin B-12 injection (n=2), puberty (n=1), long working hours (n=1), adolescence (n=1), hormonal (n=4), endometriosis (n=3), PCOD (n=2), Travel (n=3).

PCOD, polycystic ovarian disease.  

Figure 2: Physician global evaluation of a) efficacy and b) tolerability.

Discussion

Sebamed® antibacterial cleansing foam is a soap-free formulation designed to cleanse pores and reduce excess sebum. This gentle cleanser contains mild soap, an antibacterial agent (Montaline C40), vitamins, lecithin and amino acids for thorough cleansing. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Sebamed® antibacterial cleansing foam in preventing acne within real-world settings in India.

The key findings of the present study were i) female predominance, the median age was 25.5 years; ii) common risk factors were carbohydrate-rich diet and chocolate, emotional stress, sedentary lifestyle and excess make-up;  iii) most patients had oily skin; iv) common sites of acne were face and back; v) Grade 2 and Grade 3 acne vulgaris were mostly observed; vi) Sebamed® antibacterial foam cleanser was preferred by patients with grade 2 and grade 1 acne vulgaris; vii) substantial improvement after Sebamed® antibacterial cleansing foam use was observed in most patients; viii) side effects observed in 2.5% of patients; ix) improvement was observed in closed comedones, open comedones, papules, pustules, nodules and oiliness; x) physician global evaluation revealed very good efficacy and tolerability in most patients.

In the present study, 63.3% of females presented with acne vulgaris. Female predominance in patients with acne vulgaris is also reported in previous studies. [13-16] Women in their third and fourth decades presented with acne [17].

The current study identified risk factors like a carbohydrate-rich diet and chocolate, emotional stress, a sedentary lifestyle, excess make-up and variations in sleep patterns in patients with acne vulgaris. High sugar-content meals, such as white bread, white rice and chocolate, promote insulin release, which subsequently stimulates the Akt signalling pathway, which in turn disables Forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1). FoxO1 inactivation, in consequently, causes gene transcription and induces keratinocyte proliferation in the pilosebaceous unit [18]. Another study [19] revealed that intake of high carbohydrates, chocolate and dairy was associated with acne presentation. Similarly, Shah N, et al., found that individuals with acne vulgaris consumed oily and high glycemic foods, as well as experienced chronic stress [13]. Another study revealed that stress, fatty food consumption and makeup aggravate acne [20].

The current study revealed that the highest occurrence of acne was observed on the face (92.5%), followed by the back (30.1%) and trunk (21.2%) of the patients. On parallel lines with the present study, Shah N, found that most patients had facial acne on the cheeks (85.0%) and at mandibular area (32.8%), followed by truncal acne (23.8%). In harmony with previously mentioned studies, Adityan B, et al., face (65.4%), chest (20.1%) and back (28.2%) were the common sites of acne [21].

In this study, Grade 2 acne vulgaris was prevalent, followed by Grade 3 acne vulgaris. On the contrary, another study had the majority of patients with Grade 1 acne vulgaris followed by Grade 2 acne vulgaris [21]. While in a study conducted by Shah N, et al., Grade 2 acne vulgaris was prominent (72.8%) [13].

Conventional treatments for acne have shown unsatisfactory results due to non-compliance [22]. Therefore, modern acne treatments have expanded to include additional products like moisturisers, cleansers and sunscreens to improve the absorption of topical medications. Cleansing is a crucial step in removing dirt, dead cells and accumulated skin products [22,23]. Effective cleansers function as emulsifiers, reducing surface tension and aiding in the removal of dirt, oil, microorganisms and exfoliated skin cells. Acne treatment often involves the use of various types of cleansers, such as lipid-free cleansers, synthetic detergents (syndets), astringents, exfoliants or mild abrasives [22]. However, it is important to select a cleanser that does not disrupt the skin’s natural protective components or deplete essential lipids, preserving the skin’s barrier function and preventing excessive water loss. Traditional components of cleansers are surfactants, moisturisers, water, lather enhancers, fragrance, fillers and preservatives [22]. Sebamed® antibacterial cleansing foam contains a novel antibacterial agent (Montaline C40).

In this study, most patients used Sebamed® antibacterial cleansing foam twice daily, resulting in a substantial to significant improvement in 75.4% of patients. Similarly, face rinsing with cleansers twice a day has been shown to reduce both inflammatory and non-inflammatory breakouts [24,25]. After using Sebamed® antibacterial cleansing foam, a notable improvement in closed comedones, open comedones, papules, pustules, nodules and oiliness was observed. Likewise, patients who used foaming cleansers twice daily experienced a decrease in a number of open comedones and non-inflammatory lesions (p=0.03) [26]. Another study reported a significant improvement in acne after 2 weeks of cleanser use [27]. No existing literature has reported side effects with the use of foaming cleanser with mild soap.

Conclusion

Sebamed® antibacterial cleansing foam is an effective treatment option for acne vulgaris, yielding positive outcomes and demonstrating good tolerability. However, further research is warranted to validate these results and explore its efficacy in larger population. Overall, Sebamed® antibacterial cleansing foam holds promise as a valuable tool in managing acne vulgaris in real-world clinical settings.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest in this paper.

Funding

None

Authors’ Contributions

All authors contributed to conceptualization, treatment execution, manuscript writing and final approval.

References

1. Chen H, Zhang TC, Yin XL, Man JY, Yang XR, Lu M. Magnitude and temporal trend of acne vulgaris burden in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019: an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Br J Dermatol. 2022;186(4):673-83.
2. Skroza N, Tolino E, Mambrin A, Zuber S, Balduzzi V, Marchesiello A, et al. Adult Acne Versus adolescent acne: A retrospective study of 1,167 patients. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2018;11(1):21-25.
3. Oge LK, Broussard A, Marshall MD. Acne Vulgaris: diagnosis and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2019;100:475-84.
4. Kim GK, Del Rosso JQ. Oral spironolactone in post-teenage female patients with acne vulgaris: Practical considerations for the clinician based on current data and clinical experience. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2012;5(3):37-50.
5. Hazarika N, Archana M. The Psychosocial Impact of Acne Vulgaris. Indian J Dermatol. 2016;61(5):515-20.
6. Conforti C, Chello C, Giuffrida R, di Meo N, Zalaudek I, Dianzani C. An overview of treatment options for mild-to-moderate acne based on American Academy of Dermatology, European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and Italian Society of Dermatology and Venereology guidelines Dermatol Ther. 2020;e13548.
7. Katsambas AD. Why and when the treatment of acne fails. What to do. Dermatology. 1998;196(1):158-61.
8. Farinazzo E, Giuffrida R, Dianzani C, Vezzoni R, Retrosi C, Zalaudek I, et al. What makes an inflammatory disease inflammatory? An overview of inflammatory mechanisms of allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. G Ital Dermatol Venereol. 2020;155(6):719-23.
9. Toombs EL. Cosmetics in treatment of acne vulgaris. Dermatol Clin. 2005;23:575-81.
10. Conforti C, Giuffrida R, Fadda S, Fai A, Romita P, Zalaudek I, et al. Topical dermocosmetics and acne vulgaris. Dermatol Ther. 2021;34(1):e14436
11. Oon HH, Wong SN, Aw DCW, Cheong WK, Goh CL, Tan HH. Acne management guidelines by the dermatological society of Singapore. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2019;12(7):34-50.
12. Shah N, Shukla R, Chaudhari P, Patil S, Patil A, Nadkarni N, et al. Prevalence of acne vulgaris and its clinico-epidemiological pattern in adult patients: Results of a prospective, observational study. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021;20(11):3672-78.
13. Decker A, Graber EM. Over-the-counter acne treatments: A review. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2012;5(5):32-40.
14. Collier CN, Harper JC, Cafardi JA, Cantrell WC, Wang W, Foster KW, et al. The prevalence of acne in adults 20 years and older. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008;58:56-59.
15. Khunger N, Kumar C. A clinico-epidemiological study of adult acne: Is it different from adolescent acne? Indian J Dermatol VenereolLeprol. 2012;78:335-41.
16. Tanghetti EA, Kawata AK, Daniels SR, Yeomans K, Burk CT, Callender VD. Understanding the burden of adult female acne. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2014;7:22-30.
17. Lynn DD, Umari T, Dunnick CA, Dellavalle RP. The epidemiology of acne vulgaris in late adolescence. Adolesc Health Med Ther. 2016;7:13-25
18. Heng AHS, Chew FT. Systematic review of the epidemiology of acne vulgaris. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):5754.
19. Machiwala AN, Kamath G, Vaidya TP. Knowledge, Belief and Perception among youths with Acne Vulgaris. Indian J Dermatol. 2019;64(5):389-91.
20. Adityan B, Thappa DM. Profile of acne vulgaris: A hospital-based study from South India. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2009;75(3):272-78.
21. Goh CL, Noppakun N, Micali G, Azizan NZ, Boonchai W, Chan Y, et al. Meeting the challenges of acne treatment in Asian patients: A review of the role of dermocosmetics as adjunctive therapy. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2016;9(2):85-92.
22. Goodman G. Cleansing and moisturizing in acne patients. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2009;10(Suppl 1):1-6.
23. Choi JM, Lew VK, Kimball AB. A single-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial evaluating the effect of face washing on acne vulgaris. Pediatr Dermatol. 2006;23:421-7.
24. Choi YS, Suh HS, Yoon MY, Min SU, Kim JS, Jung JY, et al. A study of the efficacy of cleansers for acne vulgaris. J Dermatolog Treat. 2010;21:201-5.
25. Stringer T, Nagler A, Orlow SJ, Oza VS. Clinical evidence for washing and cleansers in acne vulgaris: A systematic review. J Dermatolog Treat. 2018;29(7):688-93.
26. Isoda K, Takagi Y, Endo K, Miyaki M, Matsuo K, Umeda K, et al. Effects of washing of the face with a mild facial cleanser formulated with sodium laureth carboxylate and alkyl carboxylates on acne in Japanese adult males. Skin Res Technol. 2015;21(2):247-53.