Application of Xanthan Gum and Hyaluronic Acid as Dermal Foam Stabilizers

Foams are increasingly popular in the field of dermatology due to their many advantages such as easy spreading, good skin sensation, and applicability in special skin conditions. One of the critical points of foam formulation is the choice of the appropriate stabilizing ingredients. One of the stability-increasing strategies is retarding the liquid drainage of liquid films from the foam structure. Therefore, our aim was the application of different hydrogel-forming polymers in order to retain the stabilizing liquid film. Dexpanthenol and niacinamide-containing foams were formulated, where xanthan gum and hyaluronic acid were used as foam-stabilizing polymers. Amplitude (LVE range) and frequency sweep (G', G, tan delta, and frequency dependency) were applied as structure- and stability-indicating rheological parameters. The rheological data were compared with the results of the cylinder method, microscopical images, and the spreadability measurements. The application of the gel-forming polymers increased the stability of the dermal foams (increased LVE range, G' values, and decreased frequency dependency). These results were in correlation with the results of the cylinder and spreadability tests. It was concluded that in terms of both foam formation and stability, the combination of xanthan gum and dexpanthenol can be ideal.

Automated summary

Foams are becoming increasingly popular in dermatology due to their advantages in terms of easy spreading, good skin sensation, and applicability in special skin conditions. This study aimed to improve the stability of dermal foams by using different hydrogel-forming polymers. The combination of xanthan gum and dexpanthenol was found to be ideal for both foam formation and stability.