Going Skin Deep

By Ishani GanguliSpecial to The Washington PostTuesday, September 18, 2007; Page HE01
Today's fountain of youth is filled with a strange brew of fairy-tale herbs and chemicals: Chaga mushrooms, osmolytes, coffeeberry extract, polyhydroxy acids, silver tip white tea, rhodiola.
Americans shelled out $44.6 billion for anti-aging products and services in 2004 alone, according to a report by Business Communications. A 2004 online survey of 1, 343 Americans 25 and older, conducted by Harris Interactive, found that 72 percent of women and 13 percent of men had used or were then using an over-the-counter anti-aging product. Nineteen percent of women and 6 percent of men reported using prescription face creams, masks or gels.
Now, Boots No. 7 Restore & Renew Beauty Serum -- the British "anti-aging sensation" that made a hyped transatlantic journey to the States this summer -- has become the latest emblem of our age-old desire not to age.
But what do these supposedly time-defying potions actually do for the tens of millions of Americans of all ages who seek immortal skin on drugstore shelves? The answer is often unclear.
Scientists dispute the definition of aging as well as its mechanisms, so claims that a product can stop or reverse the process are misleading at best, said Thomas Perls, a geriatrician at the Boston University School of Medicine and director of the New England Centenarian Study.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not approve anti-aging creams -- with the exception of a few that count as drugs rather than cosmetics -- and marketers have no requirement to prove that they work. The Federal Trade Commission looks into unsubstantiated claims, but it takes on lawsuits only after dissatisfied customers file complaints.
Anti-aging creams are "not being held to any standard, so we don't know if they work," said Rebecca Kazin, assistant professor of dermatology and medical director of the Johns Hopkins Cosmetic Center at Green Spring Station. She encourages consumers to buy and apply the creams with a healthy dollop of skepticism.
The best bet is to talk to your primary care physician or dermatologist about what skin care is best for your skin type, said Washington dermatologist Sandra Read.
And of course, Perls said, lifestyle choices such as avoiding cigarettes and sun, as well as following a healthful diet, are proven strategies for better skin.
Nonetheless, Americans show no sign of slowing their search for a panacea among the tubes and bottles on drugstore shelves. Here's a closer look at some of the products, their ingredients and the research behind them.
Sunscreens
The approach: Blocking the harmful ultraviolet rays (both UVA and UVB) that cause photoaging, which compounds the skin's natural sagging and deterioration and leads to the most visible signs we associate with aging.The ingredients: Inorganic chemicals (zinc oxide or titanium oxide) and organic compounds (octyl methoxycinnamate or oxybenzone).
What they do: Ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide reflect harmful rays, while octyl methoxycinnamate and oxybenzone work by absorbing the rays and dissipating them as heat.
Where to find them: Creams that have SPF labels, including Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream with SPF 15.
Do they work?: Sunscreen "is the number one anti-aging product," Kazin said. "I tell people, and they kind of laugh, but it's true. If you use it regularly, you'll definitely look better over time." Read calls it "the cornerstone of all of my treatment for patients."
Retinoids
The approach: Using a multi-step molecular block of photoaging effects.
The ingredients: Retinol, tretinoinWhat they do: These vitamin A derivatives block the degradation of the skin's structural proteins and interrupt the chemical pathways of UV skin damage.
Where to find them: In three prescription creams -- Renova, Retin-A and Avage -- and in over-the-counter retinol creams such as Estee Lauder Diminish Anti-Wrinkle Retinol Treatment.
Do they work?: Retinoids "increase cell turnover, reverse signs of photoaging and allow you to smooth out fine lines and lighten brown spots," Kazin said. Retin-A was developed in the 1970s to treat severe acne. Read said she prescribes retinoids regularly for mild to severe signs of photoaging, though not for women considering pregnancy because retinol can cause severe birth defects. Extensive clinical data and FDA approval support this approach.
Antioxidants
The approach: Replenishing the body's stores of skin-protective antioxidants, which diminish with age.
Examples: Vitamins A, C and E, coenzyme Q10, polyphenols.
What they do: Kazin said antioxidants "slow down the aging process," which occurs when ultraviolet rays from the sun generate free radicals -- reactive forms of oxygen that damage DNA and proteins in skin cells -- trigger inflammation and wreak havoc on the support structures underlying the skin. Antioxidants "basically mop up the free radicals and let the skin heal itself," Read said.Where to find them: SkinCeuticals products (containing vitamins C and E), Boots No. 7 Restore & Renew Beauty Serum (with pro-retinol, a form of vitamin A), Revaleskin products (polyphenols) and the ABRA therapeutic line (polyphenols).
Do they work?:"It is an improvement, a clear improvement," Read said of antioxidants as a whole. Studies show that vitamins C and E are effective in combination, though vitamin C may do little on its own. In studies, polyphenols derived from green tea, fruits and vegetables reduce UV-induced DNA damage and inflammation.
Hydroxy Acids

The approach: Sloughing off dead cells while increasing skin's thickness.
The ingredients: Alpha hydroxy acids (lactic acid, malic acid, citric acid, glycolic acid) and polyhydroxy acids (gluconolacton, lactobionic acid).
What they do: The acids work to increase the skin's thickness and the density of the collagen fibers that are responsible for the skin's strength and elasticity. They also have apparent antioxidant properties.
Where to find them: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Eye Cream (alpha hydroxy acids), Exuviance products (polyhydroxy acids).
Do they work?: Studies show that these fruit acids decrease wrinkling, roughness and discoloration. "They really do produce significant reversal," Read said, though alpha hydroxy acids can cause mild to severe skin irritation.
Fonte: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/14/AR2007091402101_4.html - 18/09/07

Active ingredients produced by plant cell cultures in lab

The advantages of deriving active ingredients for cosmetics products from plant cell cultures were discussed at this year's congress, 'Plants for Human Health in the Post Genomic Era', held in Helsinki.The conference, organised by the Phytochemical Society of Europe, saw nearly 200 scientists present their research on emerging technologies, and the possibilities of using plants as production hosts for proteins and small molecules valuable for human health.Dr Cornelia Schürch from Mibelle AG Cosmetics, a Switzerland-based manufacturer of cosmetics products, discussed the possibilities for the large-scale production of plant cells for cosmetic applications."Plant cell culture is not yet common in the cosmetic field, but it may help to overcome essential problems in the manufacturing of cosmetic products" said Schürch.She went on to explain the approach taken by Mibelle AG Cosmetics in collaboration with the University of Wädenswil, a project that they have expanded from laboratory to production scale.Schürch described the use of a high pressure homogenisation technique that decomposes the plant cells and releases the beneficial constituents, which are encapsulated at the same time in liquid nanoparticles.Plant cell culture describes the growth of plant cells under laboratory conditions in isolation, outside of the intact plant, with the advantage that the products produced are of a high quality and a guaranteed standard.A further advantage of plant cell cultures over plant raw material is that the manufacturer is not restricted by seasonal harvesting; a factor becoming increasingly significant as companies look towards finding naturally sourced actives.Furthermore, only a very small amount of original plant cell material is necessary to grow the cells in culture, therefore concerns for the over harvesting of endangered species are addressed.This second point is particularly pertinent as an increasing number of companies are turning towards exotic sources for their active ingredients, such as plants from the Amazon or Africa, leading to concerns over the environmental sustainability of such practices.In addition, cells cultured in the laboratory can be manipulated to produce more of the desired compound by putting the cells under stress, subjecting them to UV radiation, or various toxic substances.Furthermore, manufacturers can select the most productive cell lines and ultimately modify the cell's genetic characteristics, in order to up production.

Fonte: http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/ - Segunda-feira, 17 de setembro de 2007.

O filtro solar impede o envelhecimento da pele?

O aspecto envelhecido da pele pode ser causado por fatores intrínsecos (genéticos, familiares) e extrínsecos (exposição ao sol, poluição, fumo etc). Dos fatores extrínsecos, o sol é o principal deles e o causador do fotoenvelhecimento.
Por isso, a partir dos 25 anos de idade, o filtro solar deve ser usado com o hidratante de uso diário. As pessoas que trabalham expostas ao sol ou que praticam esportes diariamente ao ar livre desenvolvem antes e de maneira mais acentuada o fotoenvelhecimento, pois a radiação ultravioleta emitida pelo sol é cumulativa. Além da possibilidade de envelhecer precocemente, existe uma chance maior de ocorrer o aparecimento de câncer de pele, por isso, é imprescindível o uso correto dos filtros solares. Quando uma pessoa, qualquer que seja a idade, vai à praia ou piscina, deve fazê-lo antes das 10h e depois das 15h.
Também é importante aplicar o filtro solar meia hora antes de se expor ao sol e repassá-lo a cada duas horas, mesmo nos dias nublados. Em resumo: se você tem 25 anos ou mais, use hidratantes com protetores solares (com fator nunca menor do que 15) em áreas expostas diariamente, pois assim você estará fazendo uma prevenção adequada do envelhecimento cutâneo.
Luiza Kassab Vicencio, dermatologista
Fonte: http://www.bonde.com.br/folha/folhad.php?id=13478LINKCHMdt=20070913 - 12/09/07

Cognis taps into demand for exotic natural ingredients

With the sourcing of natural ingredients becoming more and more of a problem as demand rockets, Germany-based supplier Cognis has extended its naturals portfolio with the launch of an Amazonian clay-based exfoliating ingredient.
The heightened demand for natural ingredients has also led to a search for increasingly unusual or exotic ingredients. Marajo Scrub LS 9843 taps into these factors, as it is based on natural clay sourced from Marajo island, in the Amazon region of Northern Brazil.
The ingredient has been developed and manufactured by the company's France-based Laboratories Serobiologiques division as a micro-exfoliator that is said to soften the skin, restoring its balance and radiance due to its rich mineral content.
The clay is a source of mineral salts such as iron, aluminium, potassium, calcium, boron and sulphur - constituents of good skin health - as well as kaolin, a clay mineral that is commonly used in cosmetics.
Likewise, as a raw material, the raw clay also confims to the Ecocert standard for ecological and organic cosmetics, allowing it to comply with increasingly strict certification processes, driven by consumer desire for the most natural products possible.
The manufacturer says the ingredient is suitable for a range of products, including scrubs aimed at the body and face, as well as purifying treatments for problem skin, scalp exfoliating products for dandruff and as an exfoliator in both bar and liquid soap formulations.
"Marajo scrub is an example of how we are helping manufacturers to meet the growing demand for natural-source cosmetic raw materials, allowing Ecocert Certification for ecological and organic cosmetics, without sacrificing efficacy," said Isabelle Benoit, global marketing manager for Laboratories Serobiologiquies.
"The ingredient should appeal to consumers' desire for escape, is environmentally sound, reliable in application, and delivers superior performance."
As a kaolin-based clay, the ingredient needs no preservative, has a whitish-gray appearance, is easily dispersible in water, has a mild but distinguishing odour and is recommended as a 3 - 5 per cent dosage for most formulation needs.
The company says that its own studies have proven the ingredient's efficacy, with a formulation containing a 3 per cent dose showing an immediate improvement in skin radiance for 70 per cent of subjects that were tested.
Likewise, the studies showed that an hour later the subjects' skin was smoother, less dull and more uniform, with pore size visibly reduced.
The latest launch by Cognis taps into a fast-growing sector that is driving some of the fastest rates of product development in the personal care industry as a whole.
Organic Monitor, a research company, estimates that the European market for natural and organic products is currently growing at 20 per cent a year, and is set to surpass a value of €1bn.
Fonte: http://cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/- Terça-feira, 11 de setembro de 2007.

Antioxidante à base de planta combate rugas

Jerusalém. Um novo método para combater rugas na pele tem como base um antioxidante encontrado em plantas. A novidade foi desenvolvida por cientistas da Faculdade de Agricultura, Alimentos e Meio Ambiente da Universidade Hebraica de Jerusalém, em Israel. Em pesquisa de doutorado na universidade, Orit Bossi isolou um antioxidante baseado numa planta que atrasa o processo de envelhecimento reagindo contra a quebra de fibras de colágeno na pele. Orit conduziu sua pesquisa com a supervisão de Zecharia Madar, da universidade, e de Shlomo Grossman, da Universidade Bar-Ilan, também em Israel. Antioxidantes atuam contra radicais livres que danificam muitos tecidos no corpo, inclusive a pele. Quando encontrados em pequenas quantidades, os radicais livres não são prejudiciais, participando inclusive de vários processos orgânicos. Entretanto, quando em excesso, como ocorre durante o envelhecimento ou como resultado de exposição excessiva à radiação ultravioleta do sol, provocam a destruição do colágeno e das fibras elásticas na pele. Quando isso acontece, há uma perda acentuada de elasticidade e novas rugas são formadas. - Um problema de muitos antioxidantes comerciais encontrados hoje no mercado que dizem retardar o processo de envelhecimento é que eles oxidam rapidamente e, portanto, sua eficiência declina com o tempo - disse Orit. - A vitamina C, por exemplo, oxida muito rápido e é sensível a altas temperaturas. Isto também acontece com o antioxidante EGCG encontrado no chá verde e na vitamina E. Mas, ao contrário destes exemplos, o antioxidante usado na nova pesquisa é capaz de suportar altas temperaturas, é solúvel em água e não oxida facilmente, continuando eficiente com o tempo. Orit prevê uma nova geração de produtos cosméticos que não apenas combaterão o envelhecimento, como também serão mais eficientes contra os níveis mais profundos de rugas na pele do que os produtos atuais. O especialista não revelou qual a planta que usou para retirar o antioxidante, já que o estudo está em processo de ser patenteado. Na pesquisa, Orit conduziu experiências com tecido de pele de ratos, que se parecem com o dos humanos. A médica aplicou o antioxidante em dois grupos de células da pele - as que foram expostas a raios de sol e receberam o seu antioxidante e as que foram expostas e não receberam o produto. As células não tratadas mostraram um aumento nos radicais livres que causam rugas, enquanto as células tratadas não tiveram um aumento significativo nesses marcadores.

FONTE: http://jbonline.terra.com.br/ - 31.08.07