Managing Rosacea with Nanodiamond-zinc Oxide: Real-world Evidence for Reduction in Redness and Acne Lesions

The authors sought to observe the effect of nanodiamond-zinc oxide (ND-ZnO)-containing skincare preparations on facial erythema and acne-like lesions in subjects with rosacea or rosacea-like symptoms.

An eight-week, real-world case series was compiled, with 35 included patients who exhibited facial redness and/or papulopustular features. Participants were assigned to one of two regimens: (1) ND-ZnO-containing cream applied once daily, or (2) ND-ZnO-containing serum applied twice daily with the cream layered on in the morning. Redness was assessed via expert grading using a standardized scale, while lesion counts (inflammatory and non-inflammatory) were evaluated by a board-certified dermatologist at baseline, Week 4, and Week 8. Participants also completed a self-assessment questionnaire on skin tone and radiance.

Of the participants evaluated for redness, 94.7 percent showed improvement by expert grading. Self-assessment revealed that 95 percent reported brighter, more even skin tone. Mean erythema scores decreased from 0.86 at baseline to 0.69 at Week 4 and 0.54 at Week 8. Non-inflammatory lesions declined from 22 to 1, and inflammatory lesions resolved completely by Week 8. Representative case studies confirmed visible improvement in redness, skin texture, and clarity.

The absence of a placebo control and the short duration limit generalizability and long-term assessment. Results should be confirmed in randomized controlled trials.

ND-ZnO-containing skincare preparations were effective in reducing facial redness and acneiform lesions, with improvements observed across multiple skin types. These findings support their potential use in the topical management of rosacea.