Blue Lagoon Algae Improve Uneven Skin Pigmentation: Results from in vitro Studies and from a Monocentric, Randomized, Double-Blind, Vehicle-Controlled, Split-Face Study

Abstract

Introduction: Bathing in the Blue Lagoon (BL) in Iceland benefits patients with psoriasis. Accordingly, the BL water contains algae with biological activities that improve skin barrier function and affect T-cell responses relevant for psoriasis. Bathing in the BL is also becoming increasingly popular among healthy individuals and anecdotal evidence suggests positive effects on uneven skin pigmentation. Objective: The aim of the study was to address the impact of BL algae on skin pigmentation. Methods: In this work, in vitro gene expression studies in melanocytes and a noninvasive in vivo study were conducted. Results: We here report that normal human epidermal melanocytes, which had been treated with nontoxic concentrations of BL algae, show a significantly reduced expression of α melanocyte-stimulating hormone-induced expression of genes important for melanin synthesis, such as tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1, dopachrome tautomerase, melan A protein, and pre-melanosome protein. This in vitro observation prompted us to conduct a randomized, double-blind, intra-individual, comparative split-face in vivo study, in which 60 volunteers with pre-existing facial pigment spots were treated twice daily with a BL algae containing serum or a vehicle control. We found that constitutive skin pigmentation as determined by colorimetry (individual typology angle and luminescence) did not differ significantly between vehicle- and serum-treated skin sites. In marked contrast, digital photography under cross-polarized lighting and RBX technology (VISIA CR) revealed that the number of pigment spots in the serum-treated face decreased significantly compared to the vehicle-treated side. Conclusion: Thus, BL algae can affect human melanocyte function in vitro and reduce uneven facial skin pigmentation in vivo.