ReviewJPRAS open2026
Chitosan in aesthetic practice: A clinical narrative review of skin, scar, and scalp applications.
Review in JPRAS open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Chitosan is a cationic polysaccharide derived from chitin with film-forming, bioadhesive, antimicrobial, and wound-modulating properties, supporting increasing interest in aesthetic dermatology. Objective: To synthesize clinically relevant evidence on chitosan and its derivatives in aesthetic practice, focusing on skin barrier support, post-procedure recovery, acne, pigmentary disorders, and scalp applications. Methods: A narrative review of PubMed/Medline literature through February 2026 was conducted, prioritizing clinical trials, split-face studies, and relevant human data, supported by mechanistic and formulation evidence. Results: Clinical studies suggest that chitosan hydrogels can support post-procedural recovery after ablative laser treatments with outcomes comparable to standard regimens and improved tolerability. Chitosan-based delivery systems enhance topical performance of actives such as nicotinamide, spironolactone, and α-arbutin in acne and melasma. In scalp applications, microneedling-assisted topical chitosan demonstrated improvements in hair density comparable to minoxidil in small studies. Conclusions: Chitosan shows potential as a barrier-supportive material, a delivery platform for topical actives, and an adjunct in scalp therapies. However, heterogeneity in formulations and limited study sizes restrict generalizability. Larger, standardized clinical trials are needed to define its role in aesthetic protocols.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.