Lesson 1: Anti-Ageing – Facts vs Myths

I have some interesting news. I am taking an elective science module – Beauty and the Myths – this semester in school! This module (by the School of Biological Sciences), like its title, demystifies the many beauty products and claims with scientific knowledge and backings.

As this module occurs once a week, I will be sharing the knowledge that I have taken home with you guys. I will not be including every single thing from the lecture, but more of what I think is relevant plus other more important info that I have researched on before sharing.

So let's get on with it!

Ageing Skin

When your skin ages, so does the connective tissue beneath it. When this happens, your skin loses strength, elasticity and a reduction of collagen production and hyaluronic acid (forming wrinkles). Oil glands produce less sebum and this makes it harder for the skin to keep moist, resulting in dryness and itchiness. A more mature skin also heals slower than younger skin making it more susceptible to infections. Our faces lose fat (and natural lipids that retain moisture) underneath our skins and sag.

The 7 signs of Ageing skin:

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Rough skin
• Uneven skin tone
• Dull skin
• Visible pores
• Blotches and age spots 
• Dryness

It is widely-known that we should always protect our skin from the sun by lathering on sunscreen-laden products, or physically via an umbrella or hat. This is because sun damage contributes to almost 80% of skin-ageing where the collagen and elastin in skin are broken down due to the UV radiation (mostly from sun and also from artificial sources). It causes a premature ageing of our skin.


Mr. McElligott here has been driving his truck to work at the same timing almost daily. After almost 30 years, this was what happened. The side of this face that was perpetually exposed to the sun showed extensive skin damage. [Source]




Hyaluronic Acid (HA)
Important jelly-like substance that helps transport all the nutrients from your bloodstream to the skin and can be found naturally in the human body. They can be found in the highest concentrations around the eyes and joints. HA can be produced in the lab using bacteria and is used in food/cosmetics to help retain moisture and is crucial to the structural integrity of the collagen matrix in the skin. It is an effective topical humectant and is also mostly known as an effective moisturizer and some use it as a healing agent for burns, ulcers and wounds.

HA is also used as a filler for a less invasive cosmetic procedure that is temporary.

Popular brand that uses HA: Hada Labo

Collagen

Being a large complex protein, it is unable to penetrate the skin. Even fragments of it or smaller molecules are unable to go through the skin... which means... topical collagen has no effectiveness. 

Vitamin C, however, increases the production of collagen. But in order for it to work, you need a high concentration (expensive) of it and it needs to be in an acidic environment. Vit C is highly degradable and exposure to air (opening the lid of the product) exposes it to oxidization quickly. It is best to have a regular consumption of Vit C (not in abundance as it will only get washed out) in its natural form as it could be a source of anti-oxidant as well.

Other good-to-knows
"Dermatologist tested" or  "Clinically tested" can mean a whole many things. It could be that this product has been applied to a patient's skin in a clinic or a real clinical study. It gives the consumer an impression that the product is reliable and "tested".

"FDA-approved". When a product is FDA-approved, it has to mean that every step of the production of it is proven to be safe, valid and effective. However, cosmetics products are not allowed to include this approval in their labeling to prohibit against false claims or it acting as advertising.


Alright! That's all I have for you today. Hopefully it is of any use to you guys :)

The next lecture would be – Acne and Pimples.

Cheers,
HL