The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if propolis ointments work to improve dry, atopic-prone skin in adults. Propolis is a natural substance made by honeybees. It will also learn about the safety of these ointments.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does propolis ointment lower dryness, scaling, and roughness better than a base ointment with no propolis? Is there a difference between crude propolis and ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP)?
Researchers will compare three ointments to see if they improve skin condition:
A propolis ointment made with 3% ethanolic extract A propolis ointment made with 5% crude propolis A base ointment with no propolis (look-alike)
Participants will:
Apply the ointment to dry skin areas twice a day for 4 weeks Visit the clinic 4 times: for screening, at the start, at week 2, and at week 4 Have their skin checked by a researcher using a standard dryness score Answer questions about skin comfort, itching, and satisfaction Have a patch test before starting to check for allergy to propolis