06.13.08
Posted in Skin Aging Facts, skin care news at 3:55 pm by Administrator
Scientists in South Korea claim to have uncovered a fat molecule with strong anti-aging potential from tests on the ability of lipids to fight skin aging (see page on column right for full story). The study, published in Volume 49, June 2008 issue of the Journal of Lipid Research, looked into the role of fat molecules in protecting aging effects of skin, with the most promising results coming from phosphatidylserine (PS). Their findings suggested that ‘PS may be a simple and natural way to fight wrinkles.’
This study points to the direction natural anti-aging skin care is taking. Whether your issue is rosacea, eczema, aging, sun damage, wrinkle prevention, skin maintenance or sun protection the future is in lipids and essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs are the precursors to the regulatory prostaglandins, which provide the communication and control necessary for a group of cells to stay together. In the skin itself, EFAs form ceramides which are the barrier-forming lipids of the epidermis. To make an increasingly long story much too short, here is what we know:
1) The composition of lipids compromising the extracellular matrix are 50% ceramides, 25% cholesterol and 15% free fatty acids.
2) Essential fatty acid deficiencies have been identified as resulting in abnormalities in the proper functioning of the stratum corneum (barrier function properties obtain primarily in the SC, the top layer of the epidermis).
Studies have demonstrated that when certain lipids are applied topically they will be incorporated into the intercellular lipid matrix and lipid barrier. Once incorporated they will assist in repairing the matrix and barrier, thus increasing the moisture binding properties of skin leading to reduced moisture loss and improved skin health. The question then becomes: which lipids critical to barrier function should be part of a “lipid mix”?
A recent Johns Hopkins’ study points to characteristics of aging occurring as a result of:
‘1) accumulation of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) in states of toxicity, 2) Omega-3 and Omega-6 imbalance/deficiency and 3) disturbed prostaglandin synthesis.’ These findings as well as the North Korean finding quoted above should be borne in mind in the formulation process. A truly effective anti-aging oil blend provides solutions to many of the problems associated with premature aging. For example:
1) Problem: VLCFAs tend to accumulate in the body due to over-consumption of transfats. Solution: Naturally occurring saturated fats like emu oil and coconut oil are excellent substitutes for hydrogenated oils.
2) Problem: Of the two basic fatty acid groups: omega-n-6 and omega-n-3, the former tends to be well-represented in the modern diet while the latter, where the source is mainly fish oil, tends to be in short supply, hence the imbalance. Solution: Oils taken from animal as well as plant sources help to right the imbalance.
3) Problem: An excess of dietary omega 6 fatty acids (particularly arachidonic acid) saturates the two glycerol fatty acid positions on membrane phospholipids, disturbing the normal PG pathway, which may result in excess production of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. Solution: Providing oils high in omega-n-3 fatty acids restores the desired ratio. An ideal ratio would be in the 2:1 range, with omega 6s predominating.
4) Problem: Finding a source of the phospholipid phosphatidylserine. Solution: Again, the animal source versus plant source debate rears its head, with the animal source emerging the clear winner. Soy lecithin may have some beneficial effects, but the fatty acid profile is not ideal. Better options are krill oil, squalane from shark liver oil and snails, all of which have a more utilizable fatty acid profile.
Below are just some of the lipids Marie Veronique uses for their beneficial properties:
Sea Buckthorn oil–The major EFAs contained in seabuckthorn oil are oleic and linoleic acids. It also contains the following essential fatty acids: pentadecenoic, palmitoleic, heptadecenoic, linolenic, eicosenoic, eicosadienoic, erucic and nervonic. Among the carotenes found in Seabuckthorn are alfa- and beta-carotenes, lycopene, cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, taraxanthin and phytofluin. Tocopherols are primarily vitamin E and gamma-tocopherol. Phytosterols of seabuckthorn oil include beta-sitosterol, beta-amirol and erithrodiol.
Marula oil’s high content of palmitic acid creates a protective coating on the surface of the skin. It also has a high concentration of anti-oxidants.
Red raspberry seed oil possesses an exceptionally high proportion of alpha and gamma tocopherols (Vitamin E), vitamin A and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Red raspberry seed oil offers the skin broad spectrum protection from damaging UV-A and UV-B rays.
Cranberry seed oil is rich in tocotrienols (vitamin E) and other antioxidants, and possesses a unique balance of omega 3, 6 and 9 EFAs not found in other oils.
Emu oil possesses the balance of omega 3, 6 and 9 EFAs that is ideal for healing skin and promoting skin, hair and nail growth. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, has a natural SPF, is a natural emollient and moisturizer, penetrates multiple layers of skin, is non-comedogenic, hypo-allergenic, prevents and diminishes scarring/stretch marks and more. It is recommended for use in a variety of skin disorders and allergies.
Pomegranate seed oil is high in lipids including pucinic acid. Its high polyphenol content makes it a strong anti-oxidant, and it contains conjugated fatty acids which gives it strong anti-inflammatory properties.
Krill oil (from a crustacean) contains vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D and canthaxanthin, which is, like astaxanthin, a potent anti-oxidant. The anti-oxidant potency of krill oil is such that when compared to fish oil in terms of ORAC (Oxygen radical absorptance capacity) values it was found to be 48 times more potent than fish oil. The phospholipid profile for krill oil is: PC 42%, PS 5.2%, PI 15.8% and sphingomyelin 10.4%.
The astaxanthin found in krill oil provides excellent protection against ultraviolet light and UV-induced skin damage.
Squalane from shark’s liver oil is an excellent source of phosphatidylserine.
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05.28.08
Posted in Facts About UV Protection, Skin Aging Facts, hyperpigmentation at 11:25 pm by Administrator
Skin color is influenced by melanin, and variation in skin pigmentation is attributed to the levels of melanin produced and the number of melanocytes present. Fair and darker skinned people may have the same number of melanocytes, but darker tones obtain where melanin production is higher. In addition, the rate of degradation of melanin in the epidermal layers of darker skin is lower.
Melanogenesis (melanin biosynthesis) is influenced by genetics, environmental factors, diet and medication. Many people want to use a skin lightening product to address irregular pigmentation issues including malasma, age spots (Lentigus senilis) or liver spots (associated with sun damage or aging sometimes appearing as raised spots Seborrheic keratoses) and freckles (Lentigo aestiva). Unfortunately many products on the market are either dangerous, as in the case of hydroquinone (see “about hydroquinone” below), or they don’t seem to have much effect. The good news is that you can get excellent results with a product containing safe ingredients. The bad news is that you won’t see changes overnight, so patience is required. Remember to use an effective sunblock every day whether you are on a skin brightening program or not; it is your first line of defense against further skin damage.
Many studies indicate that natural agents can help to lighten skin gradually, over time. Let’s take a look at how and why they work.
Melanogenesis
The production of melanin by specialized cells called melanocytes occurs through the action of the enzyme tyrosinase. The rate-limiting step in melanogenesis is the conversion of L-tyrosinase to melanin, through the action of tyrosinase. Controlling melanin synthesis is usually accomplished at the first step of the melanogensis process by inhibiting tyrosinase, though other products/ingredients may affect other stages of the process: physical sunscreens block UVA rays which initiate tyrosinase activity, anti-oxidants chelate metal ions like copper which catalyze tyrosinase activity, and anti-inflammatories control inflammation which can often induce hyperpigmentation because it affects proliferation and functioning of melanocytes.
We can look at melanogenesis as a three-step process, as diagrammed below:
TYROSINE
I
I ———UV light
I
I ——-tyrosinase
v
L-DOPA
I
I —Cu+
I —tyrosinase
I
v
DOPA QUINONE
I I
I I
v v
Eumelanin Pheomelanin (reddish-brown)
(brown-black)
There are many natural ingredients that work well to control melanogenesis at the first stage by inhibiting tyrosinase. These ingredients are better tolerated than hydroquinone, which has been banned for use in Europe and Japan.
STEP ONE: Arbutin from the leaves of the common bearberry (Arctophylos uva ursi), glabridin from licorice (Glycrrhiza glabra roots), catechins from green tea, paper mulberry (Brouzzometria kazinoki + B. papyrifera), Sophora flavescens (ku shen), lactic acid and ascorbic acid all work at the first stage by inhibiting tyrosinase activity.
STEP TWO: Kojic acid (a bacterial carbohydrate metabolite) works by chelating copper ions from the active site of the enzyme. Other chelators include other antioxidants and rice.
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05.06.08
Posted in Skin Aging Facts at 7:02 pm by Administrator
The Vicious Cycle of Aging
The newsletter which can be found on http://www.antiaging-systems.com/index.htm frequently provides thought-provoking articles. I earmarked the “Vicious Circle” article for inclusion in one of my newsletters at some point, because it gets to the heart of why I am so adamant about using some of the ingredients I use in my products. (For more stories on this and other anti-aging topics please see the April newsletter, which will be posted on www.marieveronique.net soon. You can also sign up for the free newsletters on this site.)
This overview gives a little background on how aging happens at the cellular level, and bases its conclusions on the work of one of my favorite researchers in the field, Imre Nagy. Professor Nagy is internationally renowned as the originator of the Membrane Hypothesis of Aging, which is a variant of the free-radical theory.
First what I’d like to do is just highlight what happens at the cellular level. From there we can go on to what really charges our batteries, namely, what we can do to keep the aging effects at bay.
Here is the vicious circle of aging at the cellular level, in a nutshell.
1) OHRs damage cell membranes continuously. OHRs are hydroxyl radicals, which are the most reactive of all the reactive oxygen species. They can react with lipids in the various membranes of the cell, especially mitochondrial membranes.
2) Accumulating cell membrane damage gradually reduces potassium and water permeability, so water leaves and potassium accumulates, increasing intracellular viscosity.
3) Increasing intracellular viscosity reduces enzyme action, including RNA synthesis
4) Reduced RNA synthesis reduces new protein synthesis
5) Reduced protein synthesis reduces efficiency of cell membrane damage repair, which damage is caused by 1), and the vicious circle of increasing cell membrane damage and cell dysfunction/aging rolls on.
Since the vicious circle starts with OHR damage to the cell membrane it makes sense that one solution would be to intersperse a OHR-scavenger throughout the cell membrane. We know that the chief non-enzymatic OHR-scavenger is ascorbate, or Vitamin C. Vitamin C in sufficient quantities is incredibly important in maintaining skin health, but it won’t help us with membrane protection, because ascorbate is water-soluble. It occurs in the watery compartments like blood, extra cellular fluid, cytoplasm, and so on. Lipid-soluble tocopherol (vitamin E) is the chief membrane anti-oxidant, since membranes are composed of lipids, proteins and glycoproteins. Unfortunately, tocopherol does not quench OHR. This is quite a dilemma. We need something which will quench OHRs like Vitamin C and intersperse membrane lipids like Vitamin E. This is where centrophenoxine and DMAE come in.
Centrophenoxine and DMAE: site-specific antioxidants
The OHR-scavenging ability of DMAE is well-confirmed by many studies. When the active part of centrophenoxine (CPH), namely DMAE, enters various cells, it is phosphorylated into phosphoryl-DMAE, which is then converted to phosphatidyl-DMAE (PhDMAE). PhDMAE is then incorporated into the cell membrane. We need to ask ourselves, does this PhDMAE actually work in membranes as an effective site-specific antioxidant?
The studies, and they are quite numerous, indicate that it does. If you’d like to research these studies in more detail please go to the website indicated above. I’d just like to make the leap here into what a superior anti-aging system looks like. It should include:
L-ascorbate acid or Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Centrophenoxine and/or DMAE
This is just for starters. We’ll go into other ingredients and the role they play in protecting and repairing the skin in future newsletters. If you have an ingredient in mind you would like me to elaborate on please let me know. Just email me at marieveronique@m-vskintherapy.com
Who should not use DMAE or centrophenoxine
Please note, because of its strong cholinergic effects DMAE and centrophenoxine should not be used by pregnant women or nursing mothers.
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04.14.08
Posted in Facts About UV Protection, Skin Aging Facts at 10:34 pm by Administrator
The Future of Sun Protection
Sun protection has become a more complicated affair than simply smearing on the stuff made famous by a pig-tailed little girl. In fact, our then-adorable beach baby could probably be a poster model today, only now her leathery, wrinkled skin dotted with precancerous lesions would serve as a warning to us all of the long-term effects of too much sun-time. Being tan used to equate with being healthy, but this perception is gradually changing as we learn more about the long term effects of too much sun exposure. Especially for those who are interested in preserving our skins against the ravages of time any outdoor activity isn’t the same care-free pleasure it used to be. An overview of that day at the beach from the perspective of UV exposure will help us understand just why this is so.
Ultra Violet Light
The sun emits light at all different wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum, but the UV (ultraviolet) range is responsible for skin changes and aging.
Though some ultraviolet waves from the sun penetrate earth’s atmosphere, most of them, especially the short-length UVC rays, are blocked from entering by various gases like ozone. UV penetration fluctuates on a daily basis, with more ultraviolet waves getting through our atmosphere on some days than others. However, as the ozone layer thins we can count on more frequent and prolonged penetration of UVC rays.
The graph below describes the range we are talking about.
UV light
UVC—————-UVB———–UVA——-visible light
_________________________________________________
200-290 nm 290-320 nm 320-400nm 400-700nm
short waves/high energy <-------------> long waves/low energy
nm=nanometers (1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter)
The ABC’s of UV
UV C rays are the shortest, highest energy ultra violet light and are the closest to x rays on the scale (moving left). These are sterilizing rays that kill small organisms and are the most carcinogenic. Sunscreens provide no protection.
UV B rays are the burning rays, which penetrate to the epidermis and are present from 10 AM to 4PM. They are 1000 times stronger than UVA, stimulate melanin biosynthesis, and are linked to squamous cell carcinomas. They cause all the nasty symptoms of sunburn; edema, redness, and itching. They can also contribute to cataracts.
UVA, the long wave, low energy waves, are present from sunrise to sunset, enter the dermis and are 1000 times more prevalent than UVB rays. For low-energy waves they have a long list of inimical effects: they cross-link collagen and elastin, damage DNA, destroy langerhans cells and immune function, turn melanin darker and cause hyper, hypo-pigmentation and broken capillaries.
A good mnemonic is UVA = aging, UVB = burning and UVC = carcinoma
Aging Rays
Up until the present, more attention has been paid to the shorter wave-lengths, the UVB rays which measure from 290 to 320 nm. The reason for this is simply because their effects are rapidly obvious. When we are over-exposed we burn. Most sunscreens on the market concern themselves with protection in this range, and in fact, an SPF rating is an indication of how much protection you are getting, over a duration of time, from the burning rays. So an SPF rating of 2 would indicate that, if you can stay out in the sun for ten minutes without burning, you would be able to stay out for 20 minutes without burning wearing your SPF 2 protection. The testing for SPF is simply a matter of measuring duration of non-burning time on human skin, where the parameters are known.
This is a relatively easy test to perform, and one can understand why FDA requirements vis a vis testing are only concerned with UVB protection. However, an aging population has begun to pay attention to the UVA part of the spectrum, and for an overwhelmingly obvious reason. The UVA rays are the aging rays, responsible for hyperpigmentation, sun spots, redness and (shudder) wrinkles. UVA rays are different from UVB rays in other ways—they penetrate to the dermis rather than the epidermis where they may do longer-lasting damage, they are present from sun-up to sun-down and they go through clouds and glass. Because their effects are insidious damage testing is not as easy as it is with UVB–with UVA one doesn’t burn, one ages.
Unfortunately it is not safe to make the assumption that because one is wearing a sunscreen with a high SPF rating one is automatically protected against UVA rays. Remember, an SPF rating refers only to the UVB range. Indeed, the typical sunscreen which contains the most commonly used chemicals does NOT protect against UVA rays. For example, benzophenone -3 protects from 290-360 nm, while octyl methoxycinnimate protects in the 290 to 320 range.
Three ingredients commonly used by sunscreen manufacturers provide protection for the longer UV wave-lengths: Avobenzone, 310-400 nm, Titanium dioxide, 290 to 360 nm, and Zinc oxide, 290-400 nm. Avobenzone looks like a good bet, but unfortunately it degrades after 30 minutes in the sun, so sunscreens including avobenzone as an active ingredient must be applied very frequently if one is to receive adequate protection.
Range of Protection of Common Sun Protective Agents
UVC UVB UVA
200nm—–290nm——- 320nm—————-400nm _________________________________________________
200 245 290 300 310 320 330340350360370380390
PABA ————————–
Avobenzone (Parsol 178) ———————–
————Octyl methoxycinnimate
Octyl salicylate————
Oxybenzone————————————-
(Benzophenone-3)
Zinc oxide —————————————
Titanium dioxide —————————-
This leaves zinc oxide, an excellent choice as it is inert, anti-inflammatory and provides superior, full-spectrum protection. However, it has not been popular with the public as it tends to leave a white, greasy film on the skin. Since UVA protection is an everyday affair (this means EVERY day, not just when it’s sunny, but even on those cloudy days when you don’t plan on going outside) sunscreen formulation has become more and more the purlieu of the cosmetic chemist, who is faced with the challenge of formulating a product that is both protective and light enough for people to wear.
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04.12.08
Posted in Skin Aging Facts at 3:55 pm by Administrator
Glycation and Skin Aging
I have been talking about glycation and skin aging for a few years now (see The Yoga Facelift, page 118). The Europeans are finally jumping on the bandwagon, with Dr. Maes, Vice-President of global research and development for Estée Lauder, saying in the British issue from November, 2007 of Harper’s Bazaar:
“We now know that between 40 and 50% of skin ageing is caused by glycation - the damage directly resulting from eating sugar. It’s one of the worst skin agers; more than sun, more than the environment.”
Forty to fifty percent seems a bit high, but it is certainly true that glycation, a process whereby the formation of protein-sugar compounds promotes increased production of brittle, cross-linked collagen fibers, does contribute to the creation of wrinkles in the skin. Indeed, Advanced Glycation End-products or aptly acronymed AGES produced by non-enzymatic glycation can wreak havoc throughout the body, not just the skin. Dr. Maes also points out that “Glycation impairs the body’s ability to produce and utilise antioxidants.”
Before you have the symptoms of “sugar scare”—characterized by watering mouth and an overwhelming desire for a Snickers bar– do bear in mind that glycation is a natural process that happens as part of the collagen break-down and build-up process crucial to maintaining healthy skin. The problem lies with non-enzymatic, “spontaneous” glycation that can result, at least sometimes, from eating too much refined sugar and too many high-glycemic index foods.
Well-known skin experts and dermatologists have weighed into the sugar argument from another perspective. Dr. Perricone, my mainstream hero, has this to say: “I believe that inflammation is at the basis of aging in all organ systems, including the skin. One of the reasons inflammation occurs is from a rapid rise in blood sugar, which causes biochemical changes in the cell that result in accelerated aging”…. “Of the internal causes of inflammation, one of the big ones is diet. In addition to biochemical changes, sugar causes damage to the skin in another way: When blood sugar goes up rapidly, sugar can attach itself to collagen in a process called “glycation,” making the skin stiff and inflexible. Losing this elastic resilience of young skin will give you deep wrinkles and make you look old.” Right on, Dr. Nick.
To Counteract Glycation
Topical:
Topical Anti-oxidant products will help counteract glycation by increasing the amount of anti-oxidants available to the body.
Glycation inhibitors like aminoguandine and l-carnosine help prevent collagen destruction. Renaissance, Renaissance ultra and Wrinkle Smoother from Marie-Veronique contain glycation inhibitors and glyconutrients to prevent damage from spontaneous glycation and AGES.
Glyconutrients provide needed saccharides for bio-synthesis of glycosamineglycans like hyaluronic acid, which keeps the skin plumped-up and firm. The correct carbohydrates aid in ensuring that enzymatic glycation proceeds normally. The new MarieVeronique Skin SuppleMent contains colostrum, which is high in hard-to-get glyconutrients.
Diet:
Stay away from refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup type products. I have found that eating a high protein diet helps stave off sugar cravings. I have also found that if you cut down on the sugar the cravings go away after a week or so. Remember, it’s not you that’s craving the sugar, it’s all the little “bad bacteria” that you’ve built up in your gut that are clamoring for it. Just tell those little buggers to give it a rest. And eating plain yoghurt (not the flavored sugary variety) will help balance the bacteria in your gut so you can get back to normal.
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Posted in Skin Aging Facts, skin care news at 3:49 pm by Administrator
Benefits to your skin of Vitamin C
We all know about the benefits of Vitamin C. In order to keep skin smooth, supple and wrinkle-free it is crucial we have enough Vitamin C every day. As we get older we can take as much as 1-2 grams or even more. Besides internal supplements Vitamin C applied topically can also be of great benefit. Here’s why:
• Vitamin C is an excellent antidote against photoaging of the skin when applied topically. Research studies have shown that regular application of topical Vitamin C provides wavelength-independent ultraviolet protection and results in clinically visible anti-wrinkling.
• When exposed to sunlight, topical Vitamin C products prevent sunburn damage without blocking vitamin D synthesis, unlike other sunscreen products in the market.
• Once applied, it is absorbed in the skin and cannot be washed or sweated off. In addition to being a powerful anti-oxidant Vitamin C plays a crucial role in two processes that become very important as we get older—collagen synthesis and inhibition of melanogenesis.
• A critical step in the bio-synthesis of collagen involves Vitamin C. If it is not present, collagen production halts, it’s that simple.
• In the presence of UV light the melanogenesis process goes to work to produce melanin—the brownish-red and back-brown pigments that look like freckles or tanning, or in worst-case scenarios like age spots, sun spots, blotchiness or hyperpigmentation (uneven distribution of pigment). Vitamin C works at the first step of the process to turn off melanogenesis.
The Problem with Vitamin C Creams, Lotions and Serums
There is a major problem associated with topicals containing Vitamin C, namely, that in the presence of air, liquid or other oxidizing agents it is easily converted to oxidized forms. Oxidized vitamin C is not only incapable of boosting collagen synthesis or scavenging free radicals, it may actually promote free radical formation.
• Most serums and creams contain oxidized Vitamin C, which means that not only are they providing no benefits, they may actually be harming your skin.
• Only highly concentrated preparations (10% or more) deliver enough vitamin C to the cells to be topically effective.
The solution is simple—add powdered Vitamin C to your daily sunscreen just before you apply it to your face, neck and hands. In a very short time you will see amazing changes in your skin.
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