Aging Skin Research Advances
June 2, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
The Wrinkle Hypothesis
In April 2008, researchers at the Tokyo University of Technology reported that long-term skin aging studies supported their hypothesis for a mechanism of wrinkle formation, whereby inflammatory cytokine expression is activated by UV irradiation. This cytokine expression sets up an inflammatory cascade, which triggers dermal fibroblasts to increase the expression of elastase. The increase in elastase production in turn results in the deterioration of the three-dimensional architecture of elastic fibers, reducing skin elasticity, and finally leading to the formation of wrinkles.
Dr. McDaniel, who has extensively studied the impact of solar radiation and other environmental stress and injury on accelerated aging in skin, agrees with this model and believes it could be further amplified, particularly since UVA/UVB affects the up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines within the cell, as well as inducing a cascade of reactive oxygen species (free radical attack). These processes attack the cellular membrane and other diverse targets within the cell. Dr. McDaniel believes both pathways are significantly responsible for assaulting the tissue, resulting in damage to the micro-architecture of the skin, leading to wrinkle formation and accelerated aging.
While many active ingredients claim to up-regulate collagen and elastin production, until the catabolic processes are switched off through inhibition of ROS (reactive oxygen species) and suppression of inflammatory activity, these pro-collagen effects will have limited benefit.
Alpha Linolenic Acid & Wrinkles
In 2002, Japanese researchers demonstrated that dietary ALA inhibited the erythema score after UVB irradiation. They also demonstrated that UVB-induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production was significantly lower in the group fed an ALA-rich diet compared with the control group. The researchers concluded from their results that the type of fatty acids—n-6 or n-3—is critical for the suppression of UVB-induced skin lesion when the “skin” fatty acids are modified by dietary manipulation. Anti-inflammatory activity of diet with a relatively high ALA and low linoleic acid content was demonstrated in UVB-irradiated hairless mice model.
Tocotrienols & Wrinkles
The significance of tocotrienols in skin care (and in particular gamma-tocotrienol) has come to light during the past few years. Researchers at Sugiyama Jogakuen University in Japan had previously shown that a vitamin E admixture extracted from palm oil could result in specific distribution of vitamin E isomers in an animal model. This research group concluded that when fed as part of the diet, tocotrienols were selectively taken up in the skin. They also claimed the skin to be a unique tissue in its ability to discriminate between various vitamin E analogs.
In a more recent study presented in April, the same research group investigated whether the increased presence of tocotrienols in the skin could confer a specific anti-aging health benefit, such as protecting the skin from the accelerated aging effect of UVB over-exposure. The group concluded that dietary tocotrienols do indeed protect the skin from damage (including tumor development) induced by UVB, more strongly than the more common form of vitamin E—alpha-tocopherol.
The Role of Other Antioxidants
One reason vitamin E has not performed well in earlier studies is that it doesn’t work well in isolation, especially the tocotrienols. As far back as 2000, Lester Packer and colleagues from the University of California, Berkeley, during a presentation at Experimental Biology, noted that tocotrienols are uniformly distributed on the surface of the cellular membrane where they easily collide with ROS and facilitate the recycling activity of the chromanoxyl radical. Dr. Packer reported that vitamin E, as a class of compounds, does not work in isolation from other antioxidants, but instead forms part of an interlinking set of redox reactions with antioxidants such as vitamin C.
Anti Oxidants and Sun Damaged Skin
May 15, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Sun damage or photo damage produces both skin cancers as well as photo-aging. Photo-aging shows itself on the skin as wrinkling, scaling, dryness, and mottled pigmentation. Ultra-violet light is absorbed by skin, which in turn produces a photo-chemical reaction.
The UVA light is absorbed by both DNA as well as urocanic acid, the photo-chemical reaction produces oxidation of both DNA, nucleide acid, and protein, as well as lipids, this is known as oxidative damage. Anti-oxidants have been evolved to protect against, and reverse some of the damage produced by sunlight. An anti-oxidant mechanism is very advanced in plants that protect against the damage from sun exposure.
Oxidation:
Oxidation is produced by reactive oxygen molecules. The DNA absorbs ultra-violet light mostly in the UVB (290-320 manometres) range. This produces damage mainly within the epidermis. UVA (320-400 manometres) penetrates deeper into the skin and produces damage in the epidermis, the dermis as well as affecting blood vessels. The UVA has a much more oxidizing effect on cells.
The carcinogenic or cancer forming effects of ultra-violet B produce mutations within the DNA. This initiates tumours within the epidermis. The UVA promotes these tumours as it has much more oxidizing stress on the skin than UVB. It may as a result be more cytotoxic and immunosuppressive.
Sunscreens:
Sunscreens certainly protect against ultra-violet light, the sunburning spectrum is UVB and sunscreens are very effective. Ultra-violet A is the most difficult to protect against. It is important to realize that the SPF numbers are calculated with an amount of sunscreen on skin that exceeds what most of us put on our own skin.
The SPF is calculated with a quantity of 2mg. of sunscreen per centimetre2. Most people will put on about half to one quarter of this when used as sun protection. Unfortunately, low quantities of sunscreen of per centimtre2 will have minimal sun protective effects. Usually if 5mg. per cm.2 of sunscreen is applied to the skin, the sun protective factor is in the region of an SPF of 3.
Anti-Oxidants:
Anti-oxidants play a significant part in the protective and repair mechanisms within animals and plants. This can be achieved by anti-oxidants that are produced within the skin itself or by those consumed or applied from plants. The anti-oxidant effects can be divided into those that have their protection through enzymes, and those that tend to reduce the quantity of hydrogen peroxide as well as lipid hydroperoxides.
Topical Anti-Oxidants:
The use of topical anti-oxidants has certain requirements, these have to be stable as well as being cosmetically acceptable. It is clear that anti-oxidants have a photo-protective benefit. The physiological anti-oxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, and ubiquinol. Vitamin C is water-soluble and is a free radical scavenger, it is required for collagen synthesis and may inhibit elastin formation in the dermis.
It may also reduce pigment synthesis, as well as enhance epidermal barrier function. For it to be active it must be present on the skin at a pH of 3.5 or lower in order to have an anti-oxidative effect. Vitamin E is different from vitamin C, in that it is lipid soluble, there is evidence that combining vitamin E and vitamin C may be of some benefit. Other anti-oxidants to be considered will be selenium as well as zinc.
Plant Anti-Oxidants:
Plants synthesize vitamin C, vitamin E and flavones, and polyphenolic compounds.
- Silymarin
- Soy isoflavones
- Tea
- Polyphenols
These are all potent plant anti-oxidants.
Silymarin:
This is a Milk Thistle extract, the main component in terms of anti-oxidants is silybyn. This prevents lipid peroxidase action. It also has been shown to inhibit tumour promotion in animals.
Soy isoflavones:
Soy has been connected with a reduction in cardiovascular disease, and in some incidents’ of breast cancer when taken by mouth in large quantities. It has a phytoestrogen effect, which can reduce menopausal symptoms. The isoflavones are genistein and gaidzein. The genistein has a collagen synthesis effect. It is also anti-cancer. It has been used both orally as well as topically.
The genistein is a powerful scavenger of peroxyl radicals. This has a significant reduction in lipid peroxidase activity. It has been shown to reduce redness in the skin of mice which are subject to ultra-violet A. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect. The use of this compound reduces the immune suppression effect of ultra-violet light.
Tea polyphenols:
Tea is fermented initially to green, and then to black tea. The drinking of black tea has been shown to reduce the frequency of squamous cell carcinomas. Work done with green tea both topically and taken orally, shows that it reduces the ability of ultra-violet to produce skin cancers and redness, particularly in animals. The possibility of combining tea, plus vitamin E, to work together as anti-oxidants is interesting.
Much more work needs to be done in order to establish how combining anti-oxidants with sunscreens will have a very beneficial effect on reducing sun damage to skin.
How Do I Reduce My Wrinkles?
May 15, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Advertising is all around you. Daily you are bombarded with claims that one product will work better than the competition. If you are unfamiliar with a new product, you can only rely on the truthfulness of the advertiser’s claims or the “scientific study” they undertook or a friend’s positive feedback before you decide to part with your hard-earned dollars. In the case of skincare products, the claims can be even more confusing as one product will prove to work “miracles” for your friend, yet do nothing special for you.
This is not to say that no anti-aging or wrinkle treatment will ever work. Just remember that there is no magic treatment. The best way to have great skin is by preventing. Protect your skin from the sun and take care of it both inside and out. If you had applied an SPF 30 sunblock every 2 hours everyday of your life since the day you were born (or stayed out of the sun completely), you would most likely look years younger and have very few wrinkles. But that is not realistic is it?
Reality is that many of you probably skipped the sunscreen altogether for a “great tan” a few summers running, and because most of you aren’t hermits, you may already have a few wrinkles and aging skin. Perhaps you are looking for something to help get rid of them. You want to know, how can you reduce your wrinkles? Some treatments may work, some might not. Some treatments do what they say, some don’t. You want to find the treatments that don’t promise the world but instead deliver real results.Proper sun protection is a big start to preventing further damage.
Next to daily SPF, the next best thing you can do for your wrinkles is moisturize. You should use a moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or higher in the morning and use a night cream suited for your skin type in the evening. Another important way to keep your skin hydrated is by drinking enough water. You hear it time and again because proper hydration is key to plumping up dry skin cells and detoxifying your body.
In addition to regular cleansing and moisturizing regimens, you can add an occasional facial or peel. A peel removes the dead skins cells from the top layer of facial skin to reveal a brighter, more radiant complexion. If a chemical peel seems too expensive or harsh, you could use a facial scrub, but be aware of hard, rough grains that can tear delicate facial tissue. Try to find a facial scrub with beaded moisturizers or enzymes. You could also use a peel less frequently and try a scrub a week or so.
Finally, there are all the “Anti-Aging” products. You can find lotions, serums, toners, and just about anything that claims to diminish wrinkles. Some products work for some people and not others. You really need to do some of your own experimenting. If you have dry skin look for a nice moisturizing anti-aging lotion. Stay away from things you know you are allergic to and keep an eye on ingredients that don’t work before buying another product. Give every product at least a week or two, unless you experience any allergic reactions, before you give it up and move on. It takes some time for most products to produce results.
