The evidence for bakuchiol so far seems promising, but as one research review notes, more high-quality research is necessary to prove its efficacy and determine appropriate usage guidelines, particularly in people with skin conditions.
“It’s difficult to quantify the exact benefits on skin because studies have either been performed in vitro, meaning not on human skin but in a lab, or have been performed without perfect study design, which makes drawing firm conclusions difficult,” says Dr. Hollmig.
Because the skin-care industry has funded much of the current research on bakuchiol, there’s also a risk of bias in this research, he adds.
Slows Aging
Most people use products with bakuchiol to minimize the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Oxidative stress and inflammation are two significant factors in skin aging, and industry-sponsored research showed that bakuchiol has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, suggesting that it may be an effective anti-aging treatment.
One research review found that bakuchiol works in several ways — it showed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pro-collagen effects in studies on skin cells in a lab and on human subjects — that could support its use as an effective anti-aging ingredient. The review cites preliminary industry-sponsored clinical trials showing that bakuchiol reduces wrinkles, improves skin elasticity, and stimulates collagen growth. However, additional high-quality, independent trials on larger, more diverse groups of people are needed to confirm these results.
Reduces Signs of Sun Damage
Soothes Acne
It’s important to point out that this study was done on only 13 people over a period of 12 weeks, so more research is needed to fully understand how effective bakuchiol is in treating acne and how it compares with retinoids, which are commonly prescribed to treat mild to moderate acne.
Fights Infection
Bakuchiol may have the potential to fight bacteria and fungi linked to skin infections, rashes, and acne.
For instance, one study found that bakuchiol was effective against the infection-causing bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, which is resistant to multiple antibiotics. Another lab-based study suggested that bakuchiol could help fight fungal infections caused by Candida albicans when used alongside garlic, though researchers note that studies in humans are needed to confirm efficacy and determine the therapeutic dosage.
Read the full article here
