One-Week Explant Study of OUMERE No. 9: Preliminary Histologic Findings and Expanded Protocol

Wendy Ouriel, M.S. • OUMERE Labs • Updated Oct 12, 2025

Abstract

Background: An initial explant experiment designed primarily to optimize embedding/sectioning unexpectedly revealed a marked qualitative difference between skin treated with No. 9 Daily Liquid Exfoliant and water-treated control.

Objective: Report preliminary histologic observations and outline an expanded follow-up protocol with larger sample size and multi-product OUMERE regimen.

Methods: Human skin explants received once-daily topical No. 9 or deionized water for 7 days. Samples were embedded (resin), sectioned (~1000 µm), stained with toluidine blue, and examined by light microscopy.

Results: The No. 9 sample exhibited a visually collagen-rich, more complex architecture with conspicuous nuclei; the control presented sparse staining and fewer discernible structures.

Conclusions: Findings support a larger, quantitative study. An expanded protocol (n=5 experimental) using a full OUMERE routine is detailed herein.

Introduction

Daily, gentle acidic turnover—free from sensitizers—is central to OUMERE’s barrier-first philosophy (The OUMERE Routine). The preliminary explant comparison (No. 9 vs. water) showed greater toluidine blue–positive staining and tissue complexity in the treated sample, prompting formalization of a scaled protocol.

Prior materials and protocol details are available in the initial methods post: Part 1: Examining the Cellular Changes…. A study-style summary of the first run is here: One-Week Histologic Observations.

Preliminary Results (One-Week Pilot)

Composite figure comparing No. 9–treated vs water control histology — **Figure 1.** Composite of experimental (No. 9) vs. control (water) explants after 7 days; toluidine blue staining.

Qualitative Findings

Staining intensity: No. 9 sample demonstrated darker toluidine blue–positive regions, consistent with a collagen-rich appearance under this protocol.
Tissue complexity: Treated sample showed conspicuous nuclei and dense fibers; control appeared sparse/unremarkable.
Interpretation: Relative to control, No. 9 was associated with preserved or increased collagen-associated signal and overall histologic complexity over one week.

Materials & Methods (Pilot Summary)

Parameter	Pilot Details
Design	Parallel explant comparison (n=1 per arm; optimization run)
Treatment window	7 days; once-daily topical exposure (~10:00 AM)
Experimental	No. 9 Daily Liquid Exfoliant
Control	Deionized water (DI H₂O)
Embedding	Resin after graded dehydration; Bouin’s fixative used pre-dehydration
Sectioning	~1000 µm resin sections
Stain	Toluidine blue
Imaging	Bright-field microscopy; qualitative assessment

Expanded Protocol (Planned Follow-Up)

Aim: Increase rigor with larger n and multi-product regimen to characterize cellular/ECM changes over one week.

Design & Sample Size

Arms: OUMERE regimen vs. water control
Experimental n: 5 explants; Control n: matched controls
Phototype: Light phototypes prioritized for imaging clarity
Source/Handling: Human skin explants from same vendor as pilot; medium refreshed daily; 37 °C, 5% CO₂

Treatment Regimen (7 days)

Morning (Experimental): No. 9 → UV-R™ → The Advancement → Serum Bioluminelle.
Evening (Experimental): UV-R™ Concentrate → The Advancement Concentrate → The Eye Serum → Serum Bioluminelle.
Control: DI H₂O AM/PM.

Linked references for core products used in OUMERE routines:
• No. 9 Daily Liquid Exfoliant • UV-R™ Concentrate • Serum Bioluminelle • Routine overview: The OUMERE Routine

Fixation, Embedding, Sectioning

Fixative: Bouin’s (per pilot success)
Dehydration: graded alcohol series
Embedding: epoxy resin
Sectioning: compare ~1000 µm vs. thinner sections for resolution vs. integrity
Stains: toluidine blue; add Masson’s trichrome and picrosirius red (polarized light) for collagen readouts

Planned Endpoints

Primary: Collagen-associated staining intensity and area (image analysis)
Secondary: Nuclei density per area; qualitative architectural complexity; optional hydroxyproline assay
Exploratory: Epidermal thickness, ECM organization score, artifact incidence

Discussion

The magnitude of qualitative difference observed in the pilot—collagen-rich staining and higher tissue complexity with No. 9—exceeded expectations for a one-week window designed around technique optimization. The expanded protocol introduces replication and quantitative image analysis to better characterize ECM-related changes under a multi-product, barrier-first regimen.

These observations align with OUMERE’s broader research and guidance on avoiding sensitizers and unstable actives (see: Essential Oils Are Not Essential; Hyaluronic Acid Water-Binding Myth) and reinforce the role of controlled acidic turnover when formulated to respect barrier biology.

Limitations (Pilot)

Optimization run (n=1/arm); qualitative outcomes only
One-week duration; does not capture longer-term remodeling
Section thickness (~1000 µm) trades fine detail for integrity; thinner sections will be compared
Single donor/explant site; variability expected across donors and anatomical locations

Conclusions

In a one-week explant pilot, No. 9 was associated with a visually collagen-rich, more complex histologic appearance versus water control. A larger, multi-product follow-up with quantitative endpoints is outlined to validate and extend these preliminary findings.