Skin Care Article: Youth Molecules

A recent research has proven that people who look younger have a chance to live longer than others. Thus, whatever skeptics say – appearance is very important and shouldn't be disregarded. We start loosing sleep over our skin right after we get 30.

In the mean time, present-day progress in cosmetology facilitates life extension and in spite of the fact that cosmetics usage has been around for thousands of years, new active components still become available for the cosmetologist’s disposal, and new researches significantly increase the requirements for skin care cosmetics. Nowadays it is not enough for cosmetics to have superficial effect or give a sense of comfort. Cosmetics must be actively involved into the aging mechanisms. An aphorism says: you are as old as your connective tissue.

WHAT IS CONNECTIVE TISSUE?

What is connective tissue? Let’s recall human anatomy and physiology. Connective tissue is, first of all, skin (as the biggest member of the body), vascular walls, brain, kidneys etc.

The main components of the connective tissue are:

• Collagen, a part of which is amino-acid - Hydroxy-proline.
  (By the way, there is no such concept as "vegetative collagen", it is biochemical nonsense).


• Elastin, with an essential amino acid – Desmolysin.


• Glycosaminoglycans (previously called "acidic mucopolysaccharides"), including the biggest skin glycan – Hyaluronic acid.

Theses components – bio molecules are the first to combat toxins attack, free radicals and other unfavorable factors that cause premature aging.

Scientific researches, conducted in the last 15 years, reveal the role of exogenic (introduced from outside) molecules (hyaluronic acid, glycosaminoglycans, elastin, collagen, DNA) in supporting and regeneration mechanisms of body adaptation to unfavorable factors, pathological conditions, pregnancy and age-related changes.

According to these researches the amount of Glycosaminoglycans in the skin decreases by 20% by the time we reach our 50-s and twice as much by the time we reach our 70-s. The amount of albumens (elastin, collagen) and nucleic acids in the skin does not change as we get older, However their quality changes.

Cell Cosmetics are widely used for anti-aging therapy in the leading clinics and by beauticians worldwide. Cell Cosmetics are easy to use (offered as creams, lotions and masks) thus attracting ordinary consumers, who do not only care about their appearance but also keep track of new products in the world of anti-aging skin care.

Today many, more products are on the world market with a mark "cell cosmetics". And we believe there are going to be more of them. Because of the fact that the expression "cell cosmetics" captivates all women, who are trying to follow the latest scientific achievements in the anti-aging cosmetic industry. Especially among a networking companies that offer anti aging cosmetics based on cell extracts (including cosmetics based on stem cells extracts) for its promotion.

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Skin Aging Mechanisms

From the very birth our body constantly struggles for existence (with difficult environment, stresses, pathological states and many others) and, so far, man loses.

Undoubtedly, human being's body possesses biochemical adaptation systems where the key role belongs to UDP-glucuronic acid that forms non-toxic agents (R-glucuronids). It is also stated that heredity is the governing factor of the age of life. The above-stated is proved by data. One of the functions of p53 Gen is replicative cell aging.

Yet, not more than 1/3 of biological potential of a human being's body is used. Therefore, ideally the age of 60-70 could be considered youth age.

Man's internals and skin undergo chronological aging and photo degradation. Unlike chronological aging, photo degradation depends on irradiation degree and skin pigment condition. It is also proved that in the sun protected places, skin structural components damage occurs only after the 7th decade of life while in the open-sun places already during the first decade. At the same time, skin exposed to irradiation has destroyed collagen fibers and modified elastin, which fills up collagen space. Intercellular matrix components (skin bio polymers) get destroyed and accumulate in the surface derma but not between collagen and elastin fibers as it is in the normal skin. Thus, when exposed to irradiation, not only the skin loses a huge amount of its structural components but also the aging mechanisms lead to its quantitative and qualitative changes.

Not only man's skin, but also his organs age. In the course of time, practically every healthy person experiences a significant drop of liver cells functional activity and as a result a sharp decrease of liver detoxification power. An increased number of lysed bio polymers (glycosaminoglycans) is found in blood serum whereas in the skin, liver, kidneys and brain the number of those decreases almost by half.

This clearly indicates, that washing out, escape of bio polymers from intercellular matrix of skin tissues and any other organs account for aging. According to the latest research results, it happens mainly because of hyaluronic acid reduction.

  Aging Theories

Today three ultimate causes of aging have been defined:

Free radical

Genetic

Hormonal

Read Full Article: Aging Theories

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What Are The Ingredients of the Anti-Aging Cream

When buying a cream we check for its action and properties. But do many of us know what the ingredients of the cream are and why it possesses such properties as nourishment, moistening, protection?..

  THE BASE OF ANY CREAM IS EMULSION

Any cream has a base to which other ingredients are added. The base consists of a mixture of water and oil in a certain proportion. Therefore, there are two types of bases – "water in oil" and "oil in water". It is difficult to define the type of the base in a cream by just looking at it, nevertheless, the following test can be made: put a bit of a cream into warm water. If the base of the cream is "oil in water" then the cream will not dissolve, and if the base is "water in oil" it will dissolve, especially if you shake up the cream container a bit.

  "GLUE" FOR WATER AND OIL

Of course, to get a cream base, it is not enough to mix oil and water. To provide for its consistence special substances-emulsifiers are used. (Amphoteric-9, Carbomer, Cetearyl alcohol, Cholesterin, Emulsifying wax, Lanolin, Lanolin alcohol, Hydrogenated lanolin, Lecithin, Sorbitol ether, Stearic acid, Tannin stearate).

  MIRACULOUS AGENTS

Active ingredients are supposed to take positive effect upon skin. But if on the label of a cream or any other preparation there is a big number of the so-called biologically active agents (five, six, ten…) - vegetable and animal extracts, tinctures etc. – be careful! First of all, many of the ingredients from this category do not go with each other without producing side effects. Secondly, the majority of them do not produce the desirable effect and if they do, they must be in much higher concentrations.

Filming agent (polysaccharide group), water retention agents (high-molecular elastin and collagen) and skin cells functioning conditioner (tissular cells extracts) are wonderful agents for creams that do produce good effect.

  VITAMINS

Vitamins are necessary to keep the whole body in good health. Yet multiple statements of researchers claiming that vitamins are good only if taken internally strike a warning note. It is also worth to mention that some vitamins can cause irritation of sensitive skin. Use of A and E vitamins (tocopherol or tocopherol-acetate) in moisturizers also causes doubts since their molecules are too big to penetrate into skin.

Vitamin A derivative. Researches allow to assume that vitamin A derivative - retinoic acid – can block ultraviolet impact upon skin and, therefore, premature aging.

Retinol is another derivative of vitamin A, which many of the manufacturers add to the moisturizers believing that on the skin surface retinol turns into retinoic acid, but in fact it does not happen.

  TRANSPORT FOR ACTIVE AGENTS

These are the components that are added to creams to transport active agents into skin layers (liposomes, hydrosomes, noctosomes, sphingosomes), but their ability to penetrate into epidermis overcoming the barrier zone is very much doubted.

  " ENEMIES" THAT WE CANNOT DO WITHOUT

That’s what the preservatives are called. Preservatives solve one of the most important problems – prevent products from going off. Preservatives can cause allergic reactions.

One positive effect of the preservatives is elimination of bacteria and fungi directly on skin. Without preservatives bacteria reproduce very quickly and, at the same time, break down the preparation. That is why we recommend you to be careful with preparations that say “do not contain preservatives”. Most likely they use essential oils instead of preservatives in the so-called natural cosmetics. If the oil concentration is not high enough – the cream will go off very quickly. But if a cream contains enough oils for its safe preservation, make sure you test it against allergic reactions. If overdosed, essential oils can cause irritation.

Of course, the world of cosmetic creams is fascinating and diverse. We did not cover even the smallest part of it. But coming back to the very beginning of our story about cream bases, we would like to draw your attention to the following: whatever agents are added in to a cream, do not permanently use oily creams (the base is "oil in water"). These creams contain abundant oily agents exceeding skin needs in them. They absorb badly, "block" pores and skin breath, overheating it. Even very dry skin needs, first of all, moisturizers but not oils. The same applies to aging skin that needs moisture most of all. Choose anti aging skin care products from the point of view of their impact upon your skin.

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