SIGNS OF THE TIME: Some serious sciences is going into warding off wrinkles--present and future.
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Editor's Note: This story is part of an In-Depth Report on the science of beauty. Read more about the series here.
At-home treatment for wrinkles has come a long way since grandma slathered on Pond's. The old standby is still around, but it's now just part of the mix of over-the-counter and Rx beauty salves as researchers worldwide race against the (biological) clock—to find ways to slow the march of time and the tracks it leaves on the skin.
Competing for a piece of the $1.6 billion that U.S. consumers spend annually on anti-aging skin care, major cosmetic makers worldwide now all have staff scientists researching and developing anti-aging technology to incorporate into products. It’s no longer enough to simply slather some creamy concoction on dry skin.
"We are trying to gain a deeper, molecular understanding of the skin aging process," says Jay Tiesman, a biologist and genomics research group leader at Procter & Gamble (P&G) in Cincinnati, which makes beauty products under the Olay brand. Researchers are exploring the use of such biological tools as stem cells and gene triggers to prevent—and even reverse—the ravages of time.
As we age, cells typically begin to regenerate more slowly and those known as fibroblasts produce less collagen, a protein that keeps skin firm and supple. These changes may be hastened by environmental factors such as the sun's ultraviolet rays, pollution and smoking, which can trigger free radicals or unstable molecules that prematurely damage DNA (genetic material) in cells.
The most effective ways to prevent premature signs of aging is to wear sunblock, skip the smokes—and eat a diet rich in fruits and veggies such as blueberries and artichokes that contain antioxidants, molecules that can block free radicals from damaging cells. In an attempt to spare the skin, Daniel Yarosh, a photobiologist and senior vice president of research and development at Estée Lauder Companies in Melville, N.Y, says his company and others are now including antioxidants in some topical creams to disable free-radical attacks on the epidermis (outermost skin layer).
Researchers are also exploring new ways of boosting the skin's ability to retain moisture as well as to keep germs from seeping into the body. "You want a nice barrier to protect the living layers of the dermis [the layer beneath the epidermis] to protect the skin from dehydrating and [from] external threats such as bacteria and other things we come into contact with on a daily basis," says Greg Hillebrand, a biochemist and principal scientist at P&G.
He notes that P&G scientists are also examining DNA in skin cells from the arms and backsides of women of different ages in an attempt to figure out specific genes that get turned on and off over time and when exposed to the sun, smoke and other environmental factors.
Researchers at L'Oréal's labs, meantime, are conducting research into the role that adult stem cells may play in the aging process in the hope of coming up with therapies designed to keep them functioning at their full potential.
"Stem cells are at the origin of regeneration of skin," says Jacques Leclaire, a biochemist and vice president of L'Oreal's life sciences division in Clichy, France, so "it's important to understand" how they behave during aging. He notes that the number of stem cells in skin stays essentially the same, but that their function changes over a lifetime. In an attempt to keep stem cells at the top of their game, Leclaire says his team is trying to develop products that protect the cells' "environment," most notably where the epidermis and dermis (middle skin layer) meet.
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10 Comments
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Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"Women's Wear Daily reports that Est�e Lauder is set to release a product line dubbed Chronolux Technology this summer that contains an amino acid sequence that helps to maintain a healthy cell repair schedule."
Sadly, no independent scientists who have researched the aging process/collagen deposition conundrum were asked to discuss the potential viability of such products.
Wow! Great scientific reporting.
Well being can be enhanced by caring for your self and focusing on what you can do today to be caring, to honour your own and your partner's values, and to bring greater perceived fulfilment to you both and aging gracefully.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisRather complimentary to Procter and Gamble, almost like publicity. Any competing views...?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMakes sense... beauty comes from the inside. I notice diet and stress reeking havoc on our skin all the time. For those that don't get it, try to catch yourself quickly looking into the mirror. Can you do that without softening and relaxing your face?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat we feed our bodies feed our cells and in turn show up in our face. Luckily, we know what to do with our diet to help us live younger longer... thanks to this article.
I would never buy anything from Proctor & Gamble they do animal testing. They are very cruel indeed!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI would never buy anything by Proctor & Gamble they are big on animal testing. Beauty Without Cruelty leave the animals alone!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am shocked that this SciAm article only features information gleamed from researchers connected with beauty product corporations. To be blunt, don't they have a "dog in this fight."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis comes dangerously close to a pr release.
Surely there are independent researchers in the beauty field.
This article is very biased and only quotes researchers trying to sell you a product. I am shocked that Scientific American would allow an article of this quality to publish. Leslie Baumann MD, www.skinguru.com
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAgreeed with Dr Baumann; moreover to be fair; if your site is acting as a PR tool for cosmetic company, you should show up your true position. Please don't mislead the publics, the students etc with your hidden agenda scienctific information...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFacialfitness.org sells anti aging greek oil serum...it's pretty efficient. You guys might wanna try it
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