Skin ageing is driven by both internal and external factors, leading to gradual physiological changes and visible signs, especially on exposed areas like the face. Trans-resveratrol, a plant-derived polyphenol found in foods such as grapes, red wine, berries, peanuts, and dark chocolate, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, though clinical evidence for its anti-ageing effects on skin has been limited. In an 8-week randomized, placebo-controlled study of healthy women over 40, oral (75 mg/day) and topical (1.5% cream) trans-resveratrol improved skin health. Participants showed reduced wrinkle scores, increased sebum levels, and higher serum metabolite levels with oral use. Treatments were well tolerated with only mild adverse events, suggesting trans-resveratrol may support improvements in visible markers of skin ageing.
Background and Study Design
Aging of the skin reflects both internal processes such as genetics and hormonal changes, and external influences like UV exposure, pollution, and lifestyle.
These factors contribute to fine lines, wrinkles, dryness, sagging, uneven pigmentation, and enlarged pores. Trans-resveratrol, a biologically active isomer of resveratrol, is a polyphenol synthesized by plants under stress and found in many dietary sources. It has been studied for its antioxidant activity and influence on molecular pathways linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular resilience.
Despite promising mechanistic data, clinical evidence specifically testing trans-resveratrol alone for skin ageing in humans has been scarce. To address this, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in healthy females aged 40 years and older.
Participants were randomly allocated to one of four groups: placebo oral + placebo topical (P/P), trans-resveratrol oral + placebo topical (A/P), placebo oral + trans-resveratrol topical (P/A), and trans-resveratrol oral + topical (A/A). Each participant took one 75 mg trans-resveratrol capsule and applied 1 g of 1.5% trans-resveratrol cream twice daily for 8 weeks. Key skin outcomes — including wrinkle scores, pigment changes, sebum production, hydration, elasticity, and serum trans-resveratrol metrics — were measured throughout the study.
Findings and Interpretation
After 8 weeks, the group receiving both oral and topical trans-resveratrol (A/A) showed a statistically significant reduction in total wrinkle scores compared to the placebo group (P/P).
All treatment groups exhibited increases in sebum levels, with the topical application groups (P/A and A/A) showing greater increases in the U-zone sebum — an important factor for maintaining skin hydration and barrier integrity that tends to decline with age. Serum levels of trans-resveratrol conjugates were significantly elevated in groups receiving oral trans-resveratrol. No serious adverse events were observed; all products were well tolerated.
These outcomes suggest that trans-resveratrol’s dual administration may provide functional benefits for aged skin, potentially through enhancing sebum production and mitigating wrinkle development. Sebum plays a role in reducing transepidermal water loss and supporting antimicrobial defense on the skin surface. While some in vitro work has linked resveratrol to downregulation of sebocyte activity, these results indicate context-dependent regulation in vivo among older adults.
Although other skin parameters such as moisture content, elasticity, and pore size did not differ significantly between groups, the findings for wrinkle improvement and sebum stimulation are noteworthy. Increases in serum conjugates show that trans-resveratrol is bioavailable in modified form after oral ingestion, which may contribute to systemic effects.
These results add to a limited but growing clinical dataset on trans-resveratrol in dermatological health. Prior trials often combined resveratrol with other actives, making it difficult to isolate its unique contribution. This study’s design using trans-resveratrol as the sole active ingredient strengthens the evidence that it can impact visible signs of skin ageing when used consistently both orally and topically.