Beta glucan
15 September 2024
Ceramides and hyaluronic acid may be the first ingredients we reach for to repair our skin barrier, but there’s another under the radar active ingredient to dial up the skin’s moisturising and repair processes: beta glucan. This ingredient is an up and coming ingredient in the skincare industry that’s worth knowing about- especially as skincare for post laser treatments. Here’s all facts and science about this humble ingredient (read on to understand why!)
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How to Repair Your Skin Barrier
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Beta glucan is a natural polysaccharide (a type of sugar) found in the cell walls of various organisms such as oats, barley, mushrooms, yeast, and certain bacteria1. It has been widely studied for its health benefits, particularly its immune-enhancing and cholesterol-lowering properties2,3. In the context of skincare, beta glucan is prized for its ability to improve skin health and wound recovery through various mechanisms1.
Moisture retention
Beta glucan acts as a humectant4,5. This property retains moisture in the skin, which helps keep the skin plump and hydrated.
Strengthens skin barrier
Beta glucan strengthens the skin’s natural barrier; and has been studied in the supportive treatment of conditions such as eczema6.
Improves wound Healing
Topical beta glucan may improve wound healing by accelerating the repair process. In-vitro and animal studies suggest that beta glucan improves wound healing through two modes of action- by directly influencing the activity of skin keratinocytes and fibroblasts and indirectly through cytokine release from macrophages1. When released, the range of cytokines support the pathways of healing including cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, reepithelialization and an increase in wound tensile strength7.
Beta glucan has also been used in wound recovery wounds such as ulcers and burns8,9. These studies (albeit small ones) found that beta glucan treatment reduced the pain and improved wound healing with good cosmetic results8,9.
Reduces inflammation
In cell and animal studies, topical beta glucan was found to reduce markers of inflammation and inflammatory cell count10,11.
With these benefits, beta-glucan is beginning to trend as a versatile, multi-tasking active ingredient especially for recovery, calming irritated skin and moisturise retention. This ingredient complements other active ingredients that strengthen the skin barrier such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid and probiotics.
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One particularly exciting development in beta glucan skin is benefits in users after receiving laser treatments i.e. post laser skincare. According to a newly published case series, beta glucan applied to the skin after laser treatments (including fractional ablative lasers for atrophic acne scars) improve the symptoms and duration of recovery.
• A split face study of 20 patients found that beta glucan improved skin hydration and subjects’ self assessments of recovery after fractional lasers for atrophic acne scars12.
• Another double blinded, randomised controlled trial compared beta glucan gels of 0.1 and 1.0% to placebo following CO2 laser resurfacing of the lower eyelids in 26 subjects for 5 days. The topical was applied daily for five days. The duration for complete wound closure was reduced with 0.1% and 1.0% gels versus placebo13.
*Please note that these findings were based on studies with a small number of subjects; and there will be differences across types of lasers and among patient demographics. Check with your doctor about the appropriate after skincare routine for your treatments. Nonetheless, these new findings are promising for the application of beta glucan in cosmetics.
Beta glucan is a multi-purpose active ingredient that can be used both in the day and night. It pairs well with most other active ingredients. If you’re thinking of using beta glucan to moisturise your skin and strengthen your skin barrier, I recommend pairing this with other active ingredient with similar functions such as hylauronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide and natural moisturising factors.
If you’re using retinoids and exfoliating acids, beta glucan can also be layered to improve your tolerance of these actives.
Related blogposts:
What are Active Ingredients in Skincare?
How to Layer Skincare Products in the Correct Order
3 Essential Skincare Steps for Healthy Skin
Niacinamide: A Versatile Skincare Ingredient
The Beginner’s Guide to Starting Retinoids
A Complete Guide to Acids in Skincare & Chemical Exfoliation
These findings on beta glucan are promising, but also very preliminary. The pharmacology and properties of beta glucan can differ, depending on its source1. Hence, the benefits of beta glucan products may not be uniform.
More robust studies will be required to better understand the wider range of beta glucan and to optimise its application in skincare. Nonetheless, beta glucan’s multiple benefits make it a very attractive active ingredient- just like fellow multi tasking actives like niacinamide and azelaic acid. Have you tried any beta glucan skincare products? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
REFERENCES:
1. β-Glucans: Multi-Functional Modulator of Wound Healing. Majtan and Jesenak. Molecules. 2018 Apr; 23(4): 806.
2. The Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Oats and Oat Beta Glucan: Modes of Action and Potential Role of Bile Acids and the Microbiome. Joyce et al. Front Nutr. 2019; 6: 171.
3. β-Glucans as a panacea for a healthy heart? Their roles in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. Wouk et al. Int J Biol Macromol. 2021 Apr 30:177:176-203.
4. Carboxymethylglucan in cosmetics. Kanlayavattanakul and Lourith. Health Sci. J. 2008;3:378–382.
5.hitin-glucan, a natural cell scaffold for skin moisturization and rejuvenation. Gautier et al. CInt. J. Cosmet. Sci. 2008;30:459–469.
6. β-Glucan-based cream (containing pleuran isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus) in supportive treatment of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis. Jesenak et al. J. Dermatol. Treat. 2016;27:351–354.
7. Growth factors and wound healing. Falanga. J. Dermatol. Surg. Oncol. 1993;19:711–714.
8. Effectiveness of beta-glucan collagen for treatment of partial-thickness burns in children. Delatte et al. J. Pediatr. Surg. 2001;36:113–118.
9. Effects of purified Saccharomyces cerevisiae (1→3)-β-glucan on venous ulcer healing. Medeiros et al. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2012;13:8142–8158.
10. Cyclic β-(1→3) (1→6) glucan/carrageenan hydrogels for wound healing applications. Nair et al. RSC Adv. 2016;6:98545–98553.
11. Impact of β-1,3-glucan isolated from Euglena gracilis on corneal epithelial cell migration and on wound healing in a rat alkali burn model. Choi et al. Curr. Eye Res. 013;38:1207–1213.
12. Administration of skin care regimens containing β-glucan for skin recovery after fractional laser therapy: A split-face, double-blinded, vehicle-controlled study. Cao et al. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021 Jun;20(6):1756-1762.
13. ClinicalTrials.gov. Efficacy Study of GLYC-101 to Evaluate Outcomes After Laser Ablation
