| Improves skin hydration and barrier in xerosis |
Daily use of a 7-DHC + vitamin D₃ cream for 4 weeks raised corneometer hydration values, lowered transepidermal water loss, eased pruritus and was well-tolerated in elderly women with dry, itchy skin. |
Yahya YF et al., “Efficiency of 7-dehydrocholesterol vitamin-D₃ complex cream for xerosis and pruritus in elderly women,” J Gen Proced Dermatol Venereol Indones 8(1), 2024. (scholarhub.ui.ac.id) |
| Raises systemic vitamin D status through the skin |
A randomized pilot trial showed that an aloe-based cream delivering 5 000 IU vitamin D₃ + 7-DHC daily lifted mean serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D from 12 ng mL⁻¹ to 38 ng mL⁻¹ after 3 months without safety issues. |
Sadat-Ali M et al., “Topical Delivery of Vitamin D₃: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study,” Int J Biomed Sci 10(1), 2014. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) |
| Supports keratinocyte differentiation, antimicrobial peptide expression and overall barrier homeostasis |
UVB-driven conversion of epidermal 7-DHC to vitamin D₃ and its active metabolites in a human skin-equivalent model generated 1α,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D₃ that regulates cornified-envelope proteins and innate-immune peptides (LL-37, β-defensin-2). |
Lehmann B et al., “UVB-induced conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ in an in vitro human skin equivalent,” J Invest Dermatol 117(5), 2001. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) |
| Acts as an intrinsic narrow-band UVB filter while permitting controlled vitamin D synthesis |
7-DHC shows three absorption maxima at 270, 280 and 295 nm, scavenging DNA-damaging photons and plateauing after ~15 % conversion, thereby balancing photoprotection with vitamin D production. |
Arnold F et al., “Metabolism of Vitamin D in Skin: Benefits for Skin-Care Applications,” Cosmetics & Toiletries 2013. (cosmeticsandtoiletries.com) |
| Contributes to anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects via local vitamin D metabolites |
Topical calcitriol (generated downstream of 7-DHC) reduces keratinocyte hyper-proliferation in plaque psoriasis and accelerates re-epithelialisation in surgical wounds. |
Linus Pauling Institute, “Vitamin D and Skin Health” (review), Oregon State University Micronutrient Information Center, 2016. (lpi.oregonstate.edu) |
| Formulation caveat – pro-oxidant under UVA |
Substituting membrane cholesterol with 7-DHC in keratinocytes amplified UVA-induced reactive oxygen species and PGE₂ via NADPH-oxidase and mitochondrial pathways; antioxidants are therefore recommended in 7-DHC–rich topicals. |
Valencia A et al., “7-Dehydrocholesterol enhances UVA-induced oxidative stress in keratinocytes,” Free Radic Biol Med 41(11), 2006. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) |
