# Short antimicrobial peptides as cosmetic ingredients to deter dermatological pathogens

## TL;DR

Short antimicrobial peptides are promising for cosmetics to fight skin pathogens due to their effectiveness and ease of production.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the potential of short AMPs without disulfide bonds for cosmetic use against dermatological pathogens.

## Key findings

- Short AMPs are ideal for topical formulations due to their antimicrobial activity and low production costs.
- AMPs have shown proof-of-concept in clinical trials as anti-infectives for dermatological applications.
- Challenges remain in ensuring stability and specificity for prophylactic use in personal care products.

## Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are components of the innate immune system in many species of animals. Their diverse spectrum of activity against microbial pathogens, both as innate defense molecules and immunomodulators, makes them attractive candidates for the development of a new generation of antibiotics. Although the potential immunogenicity of AMPs means they are not suitable for injection and their susceptibility to digestive peptidases is likely to reduce their oral efficacy, they are ideal for topical formulations such as lotions, creams, shampoos, and wound dressings and could therefore be valuable products for the cosmetic industry. In this context, short AMPs (<20 amino acids) lacking disulfide bonds combine optimal antimicrobial activity with inexpensive chemical synthesis and are therefore more compatible with large-scale production and the modifications required to ensure stability, low toxicity, and microbial specificity. Proof-of-concept for the application of AMPs as novel anti-infectives has already been provided in clinical trials. This perspective considers the anti-infective properties of short AMPs lacking disulfide bonds, which are active against dermatologically important microflora. We consider the challenges that need to be addressed to facilitate the prophylactic application of AMPs in personal care products.