[Effects of Seanol] If You Are Worried About Mask Troubles, Try Seanol, A Natural Antibacterial Agent

Dec 03, 2023KimSunhyo

[Effects of Seanol] If You Are Worried About Mask Troubles, Try Seanol, A Natural Antibacterial Agent

Seanol

If You Have Skin Trouble After Wearing a Mask? Pay Attention to ‘This Ingredient’

This content is health information about ingredients and not directly related to a specific product.

Effects of Seanol

1. Antibacterial
2. Improves acne
3. Protects skin cells from UV rays

Hello, I am Jinny, a pharmacist.

Have you heard of the new word ‘Maskne’ that has recently begun to be used? This new word is a combination of ‘Mask’ and ‘Acne’ and refers to skin problems that occur after wearing a mask.

The inside of the mask has high humidity, making it easy for bacteria to multiply, and conversely, the surface of the mask in contact with the skin is deprived of transdermal moisture, drying out the skin and making it vulnerable to external stimulation. This can be said to be the optimal condition for skin troubles to occur.

However, at a time when you cannot take off your mask, we would like to introduce you to a natural antibacterial agent for skin health inside the mask. It is Ecklonia cava extract (Seanol).

1. Antibacterial

As reports have accumulated that Ecklonia cava extract has strong antibacterial activity against harmful marine bacteria, whether this antibacterial activity also acts on pathogens has emerged as a topic of keen interest in academia.

Amid this interest, in 2002, the results of a review of the antibacterial activity of Ecklonia cava extract against pathogens was reported in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy as follow.

“The results obtained in this study suggest that Ecklonia cava extract exhibits bactericidal activity against pathogenic bacteria.”

Reference : Nagayama, K., Iwamura, Y., Shibata, T., Hirayama, I., & Nakamura, T. (2002). Bactericidal activity of phlorotannins from the brown alga Ecklonia kurome. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 50(6), 889-893.

2. Improves Acne

As reports have accumulated that Ecklonia cava extract has antibacterial activity against not only harmful marine bacteria but also pathogens, studies have continued to examine its antibacterial activity against bacteria such as acne.

In 2014, a research report was published in Botanical Sciences examining the antibacterial activity of Ecklonia cava extract against the major acne bacteria (Pro pionibacterium acnes). This study suggests the applicability of Ecklonia cava extract for improving skin troubles as follows.

“These results suggest that Ecklonia cava extract has antibacterial activity against acne bacteria and may be useful as a natural additive in anti-acne cosmetics and medicines.”

Reference : Choi, J. S., Lee, K., Lee, B. B., Kim, Y. C., Kim, Y. D., Hong, Y. K., ... & Choi, I. S. (2014). Antibacterial activity of the phlorotannins dieckol and phlorofucofuroeckol-A from Ecklonia cava against Propionibacterium acnes. Botanical Sciences, 92(3), 425-431.

3. Protects Skin Cells From UV Rays

Skin damage caused by ultraviolet rays is as much of a concern as skin troubles. As Ecklonia cava extract has received attention for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties, academic circles have hypothesized that Ecklonia cava extract may improve skin damage caused by ultraviolet rays.

In 2014, a research report examining the level of cell protection of various components of Ecklonia cava extract from oxidative stress caused by ultraviolet rays (UVB) was published in Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin.

“These results suggest that Ecklonia cava extract protects keratinocytes in human skin from UVB-induced oxidative stress, reducing damage to cellular components.”

Reference : Piao, M. J., Lee, N. H., Chae, S., & Hyun, J. W. (2012). Eckol inhibits ultraviolet B-induced cell damage in human keratinocytes via a decrease in oxidative stress. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 35(6), 873-880.

Today, we looked at Ecklonia cava extract (Seanol), which has been verified by academia. At this time when you can't take off your mask, I hope you take care of your skin with a little more care.

I hope you have a healthy day both physically and mentally.

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