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Inside a clinical trial: how an EGF serum is actually tested

19 July 2026 · 5 min read

EGFClinical trialsHydration
Editorial photograph illustrating the article “Inside a clinical trial: how an EGF serum is actually tested”
Includes a table of contents and the full source list.

Study record: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05724589, Institute of Dermatology

We describe a publicly registered study conducted by an independent institution. AYVELIN was not involved in it, and nothing here should be read as a claim about our own product.

Trial NCT05724589 is a completed, single-centred pilot study with a one-group before-and-after design, run by the Institute of Dermatology in Thailand and registered publicly. Its object: whether an EGF serum improves facial skin hydration, elasticity, pigmentation and wrinkles.

What a before-and-after design can and cannot tell you

A one-group before-and-after pilot measures the same participants at baseline and after treatment. It is useful for establishing a signal and a safety profile, and it is honest about being a pilot.

What it cannot do is separate the product's effect from time, season or improved routine adherence — that requires a randomised, controlled design with a comparator group.

The four endpoints

Hydration is typically measured by corneometry, elasticity by cutometry, pigmentation and wrinkle depth by standardised imaging. These instruments replace the eye, which is easily persuaded by lighting and expectation.

When a brand quotes a percentage improvement, the useful question is which instrument produced it, over how many weeks, and in how many participants.

How to read any efficacy claim

Look for the study registration or publication, the sample size, the duration, and whether there was a control. Absent those, a number is a marketing figure rather than a finding.

Reviews of Korean cosmeceuticals in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology exist precisely because the field is large enough to need this kind of evidence triage.

Key takeaways

  • Pilot before-and-after studies establish signal and safety, not proof of superiority.
  • Instrumented endpoints — corneometry, cutometry, imaging — are what serious testing uses.
  • Ask for registration, sample size, duration and control before trusting a percentage.

Sources

  1. 1. The effectiveness of epidermal growth factor serum in improving facial skin hydration, elasticity, pigmentation and wrinklesClinicalTrials.gov NCT05724589, Institute of Dermatology
  2. 2. Bioactive ingredients in Korean cosmeceuticals: Trends and research evidenceJournal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Researcher profiles

From the literature

“South Korean skincare has gained prominence in the global beauty industry by introducing innovative cosmeceutical products and aesthetic trends.”

“Epidermal growth factor has moved from wound care into everyday dermatological practice, where it is used to support regeneration and repair.”

“An EGF serum was assessed for improvement of facial skin hydration, elasticity, pigmentation and wrinkles in a completed pilot study.”

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