Study on Skin Improvement Effect of Hydrogen Water Cleansing on Skin
최인정;강상모 / In-Jeong Cho;Sang-Mo Kang · Journal of the Korean Society of Cosmetology. 2019;25(5):1040–1053.
Study at a glance
A small Korean study compared facewashing with electrolyzed hydrogen-containing water and tap water in 24 people over four weeks. Some imaging measures improved within the hydrogen group; porphyrin and keratin results were null. Unclear allocation, water-chemistry differences and statistical pooling prevent firm conclusions about hydrogen.
Human
Healthy Seoul adults in their twenties to forties; men and women; 24 January–22 February 2019.
Tap water electrolyzed for ten minutes with an unnamed Korean H-company generator, used immediately for facewashing over four weeks. Ten minutes is preparation time; per-wash exposure duration, volume and frequency were not clearly specified. · Measured dissolved H₂ 500–700 ppb (approximately 0.5–0.7 mg/L), ENH-1000; pH 7.2–7.6, ORP −100 to +100 mV. This is topical facewashing, not drinking water.
Four weeks; measurements before/after, thirty minutes and two hours after washing; keratin at two hours.
Within-arm pooled table results: pore index hydrogen 32.44 ± 4.03 to 24.25 ± 3.44 (P = 0.002), tap water 22.06 ± 3.07 to 22.65 ± 3.19 (P = 0.613). Pigmentation hydrogen 27.23 ± 2.38 to 22.67 ± 1.88 (P = 0.002), control 25.65 ± 2.35 to 25.81 ± 2.00 (P = 0.887). Wrinkle index hydrogen 10.90 ± 1.76 to 6.65 ± 1.43 (P < 0.001), control 8.13 ± 1.44 to 7.96 ± 1.48 (P = 0.834). Porphyrin did not significantly change in either group. Keratin hydrogen 24.38 ± 1.71 to 21.92 ± 1.71 (P = 0.118), control 24.27 ± 1.25 to 24.94 ± 1.26 (P = 0.624). These are within-arm paired tests, not verified between-arm change effects.
Small healthy sample, short winter period, unclear/randomization not stated, baseline differences, usual cosmetics, unmatched water chemistry, many paired site/outcome tests without clear multiplicity adjustment or confidence intervals, and possible pseudoreplication. Significance in one arm but not the other does not establish a between-arm benefit. Cosmetic imaging is not demonstrated treatment of disease or anti-aging efficacy.
What kind of evidence is this?
Human
Four-week controlled before/after two-arm experiment. Random allocation, concealment and blinding were not stated.
수소수 세안이 피부에 미치는 피부 개선 효과 연구
31 October 2019.
Skin, wound and aging research
Other forms
Information not yet classified
Some editorial classification fields are still pending. The source-reported outcomes and result are shown below; Hydrogenology does not infer a positive or negative signal from prose automatically.
Methods
Healthy Seoul adults in their twenties to forties; men and women; 24 January–22 February 2019.
24 people, twelve per arm. Tables retain twelve per group at individual sites. Four facial sites create pooled n = 48 observations per arm, not 48 people per arm; no attrition flow or sex breakdown reported.
Four weeks; measurements before/after, thirty minutes and two hours after washing; keratin at two hours.
Tap water electrolyzed for ten minutes with an unnamed Korean H-company generator, used immediately for facewashing over four weeks. Ten minutes is preparation time; per-wash exposure duration, volume and frequency were not clearly specified.
Hydrogen-containing topical water
Measured dissolved H₂ 500–700 ppb (approximately 0.5–0.7 mg/L), ENH-1000; pH 7.2–7.6, ORP −100 to +100 mV. This is topical facewashing, not drinking water.
Untreated tap-water facewashing; usual skincare continued. Comparator H₂, pH, ORP and other chemistry were not matched/reported.
Outcomes and reported result
Willcam imaging of porphyrin, pore area, pigmentation and wrinkles at forehead, cheeks and chin; tape keratin; three readings per site. Room 20–25°C, relative humidity 40–60%.
Within-arm pooled table results: pore index hydrogen 32.44 ± 4.03 to 24.25 ± 3.44 (P = 0.002), tap water 22.06 ± 3.07 to 22.65 ± 3.19 (P = 0.613). Pigmentation hydrogen 27.23 ± 2.38 to 22.67 ± 1.88 (P = 0.002), control 25.65 ± 2.35 to 25.81 ± 2.00 (P = 0.887). Wrinkle index hydrogen 10.90 ± 1.76 to 6.65 ± 1.43 (P < 0.001), control 8.13 ± 1.44 to 7.96 ± 1.48 (P = 0.834). Porphyrin did not significantly change in either group. Keratin hydrogen 24.38 ± 1.71 to 21.92 ± 1.71 (P = 0.118), control 24.27 ± 1.25 to 24.94 ± 1.26 (P = 0.624). These are within-arm paired tests, not verified between-arm change effects.
Main-text methods, results, limitations and declarations were reviewed. Source versions, missing information and conflicting findings are stated in this record.
No dedicated adverse-event monitoring/counts reported; introductory safety assertions are not trial harms data.
A reported association, difference or mechanism is not automatically a clinical benefit.
Limitations and applicability
Small healthy sample, short winter period, unclear/randomization not stated, baseline differences, usual cosmetics, unmatched water chemistry, many paired site/outcome tests without clear multiplicity adjustment or confidence intervals, and possible pseudoreplication. Significance in one arm but not the other does not establish a between-arm benefit. Cosmetic imaging is not demonstrated treatment of disease or anti-aging efficacy.
Limited to the population/model and protocol described above. These findings do not provide a treatment, concentration or device recommendation.
No explicit funding statement found in the complete article; generator brand anonymized as a domestic H company.
No explicit competing-interest declaration found. Both authors affiliated with Konkuk biological engineering.
No single-study GRADE certainty rating is assigned. Read how records and evidence assessments are prepared.
Sources and record status
KCI: ART002519543
Complete original fourteen-page Korean-language journal PDF, pages 1040–1053, with English abstract, in the official e-jkc.org archive.
AI-assisted editorial review of the available main full text, 29 October 2026. No independent clinical or statistical assessment has been performed.
Pages 1040–1053: bibliography/abstract; Methods II.1–4; Tables 1–12 for porphyrin, pores, pigmentation, wrinkles and keratin; Conclusion and references.
AI-assisted editorial review of the available main full text, 29 October 2026. Complete original fourteen-page Korean-language journal PDF, pages 1040–1053, with English abstract, in the official e-jkc.org archive.
Konkuk University ethics 7001355-201812-HR-289; written consent reported. No trial registration identified.
29 October 2026
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