Short-Term Changes in Dermal Density Following Topical Application of a Progerinin-Containing Serum: An Exploratory Clinical Study

Progerin, an aberrantly processed form of lamin A, is best known as the causative protein in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome but is also detectable at low levels in normally aging human skin. Accumulation of progerin has therefore been proposed as one of the cellular processes potentially contributing to age-associated deterioration of skin homeostasis. Previous experimental studies have shown that pharmacological targeting of progerin with Progerinin can ameliorate progerin-associated cellular abnormalities and tissue phenotypes, providing a biological rationale for exploring its potential relevance to skin aging. However, whether topical formulations incorporating a progerin-targeting compound can influence measurable features of human skin has not been clinically explored. In this exploratory study, we evaluated short-term changes in skin parameters following topical application of a serum containing Progerinin, a small-molecule progerin inhibitor, together with conventional skin-conditioning ingredients, with particular attention to dermal density. Twenty-one women aged 30-50 years participated in a 4-week, single-arm, prospective study, in which the test serum was administered once daily in the evening. Lateral canthal wrinkles, facial lifting, skin hydration, elasticity, dermal density, and skin brightness were objectively assessed at baseline and after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, with dermal density evaluated by ultrasound imaging. Progressive improvements from baseline were observed across the evaluated skin parameters. The most prominent change was observed in dermal density, which increased by 10.543% after 2 weeks and 23.583% after 4 weeks (p < 0.025). After 4 weeks, skin hydration increased by 18.435%, elasticity by 8.563% and skin brightness by 3.424%, whereas lateral canthal wrinkles and the facial lifting angle decreased by 5.631% and 3.234%, respectively (p < 0.05). No treatment-related adverse skin reactions were reported or identified during dermatological examination. Four weeks of topical application of the Progerinin-containing serum was therefore associated with measurable improvements in multiple skin parameters, with a particularly pronounced and progressive increase in ultrasound-assessed dermal density. The direction of this structural skin response is consistent with the previously reported biological activity of Progerinin in progerin-driven experimental models and provides an initial translational signal supporting further investigation of progerin-targeted approaches in human skin. Because this exploratory study did not include a vehicle or placebo control and the formulation contained additional active skincare ingredients, the specific contribution of Progerinin remains to be established. Nevertheless, the magnitude and time-dependent pattern of the dermal density response, considered together with prior mechanistic and preclinical evidence for Progerinin, provide a strong rationale for its further evaluation in randomized, vehicle-controlled studies.