Black Tea Compresses for Facial Eczema and Perioral Dermatitis

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Facial eczema and perioral dermatitis are clinical entities that develop exclusively in the face and present a special therapeutic challenge. Topical corticosteroids that are commonly applied to treat eczema/dermatitis at other body sites are best avoided in the face, as they may result in rapid atrophy of facial skin and in the long term rather aggravate facial dermatoses. Black tea compresses have been successfully used by German-speaking dermatologists to treat facial eczema/dermatitis for decades. The precise mechanism of action is unknown but is presumably based on astringent properties of tannins in the black tea and on the antiinflammatory action of a wet compress as such. This therapy is cheap, universally available and practically free of side-effects. Despite these perceived advantages the effects and tolerance of black tea compresses have not been formally studied to date. Therefore, the investigators plan to treat 25 patients with facial eczema/perioral dermatitis over a period of 6 days each within the current trial. The disease activity will be assessed before, during and after completion of treatment using several clinical scores. In addition, side-effects, if any, will be documented.

Official Title
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Pilot Study of Effects and Tolerance of Black Tea Compress Treatment in Facial Eczema and Perioral Dermatitis

Conditions
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Eczema, Dermatitis

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Black tea compress treatment


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: clinical diagnosis of facial eczema or perioral dermatitis minimum age of 18 years patient is capable of granting informed consent patient is expected to comply with the trial treatment protocol for outpatients: close place of residence Exclusion Criteria: initiation or increase of systemic immunosuppressive or antibiotic treatment necessary psychiatric disease or other factors making poor patient compliance probable participation in another clinical trial within the past 6 months

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: Black tea<br>Black tea compress treatment | Other: Black tea compress treatment<br>* Wet compresses with black tea applied 4-5 times daily to the face for 6 days<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Facial Eczema Activity and Severity Index (patients with facial eczema) |  | days 0, 3 and 6 | 
| Change in Perioral Dermatitis Severity Score (patients with perioral dermatitis) |  | days 0, 3 and 6 | 
| Change in Investigator´s Global Assessment Score (all patients) |  | days 0, 3 and 6 | 
| Change in Patient´s Self-Assessment Score (all patients) |  | days 0, 3 and 6 | 
| Change in Visual Analog Scale for pruritus in the face (patients with facial eczema) |  | days 0, 3 and 6 | 
| Change in Visual Analog Scale for tension feeling in the face (patients with perioral dermatitis) |  | days 0, 3 and 6 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Side-effects |  | days 3 and 6 |