Kinerase Cream and Lotion
July 10, 2008
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Kinerase cream and lotion are two products that seem to, at least in part, live up to the hype. They are recommended for improving the look of aging skin and seem to improve skin pigmentation with less blotchiness and a more even skin tone, and perhaps a reduction in minor wrinkles.
Both products contain kinerase or N6-furfuryladenine. The lotion, but not the cream, also contains retinyl palmitate, which is a retinoid that is converted in the skin to retinoic acid (retin-A). The lotion therefore packs more power but for some people may be more irritating unlike the cream.
N6-furfuryladenine is found in most cells of the body. Originally it was isolated from plants but has been found in nuclei of cells including human. Another common name is kinetin. In the scientific literature, kinetin is the name that is used.
Studies of keratinocytes (skin cells) and fibroblasts (also found in skin) have shown that kinerase treatment delays aging, particularly in the presence of high levels of calcium. In human studies there is some evidence of improved skin tone and more even pigmentation, and reduction in minor wrinkles. Recently kinerase has been found to be helpful for rosacea.
As well as being a signaling molecule that plays a role in regulation of maintenance and repair of cells, kinerase has been shown to have antioxidant effects. Additionally there is evidence that N6-furfuryladenine may improve the skin barrier and so reduce the loss of moisture from the skin.
As people get older they are more likely to become calcium deficient. Since, as stated above, high calcium levels added to the effect of kinerase, it may be that as well as reducing the rate of osteoporosis, calcium may help slow aging of skin too.
Kinerase Cream and Kinerase Lotion
can be found at my favorite online skin store Dermadoctor.
Currently they have free shipping on domestic orders over $49.
Technorati Tags: kinerase, kinetin, N6-furfuryladenine, skin, pigmentation
Popularity: 33% [?]
Phosphatidylserine – Anti-Aging For Memory And Skin?
June 8, 2008
Phosphatidylserine, commonly abbreviated to PS, is a fat that is a component of our cell membranes. It has previously been suggested to slow memory decline and improve understanding. New research suggests that application to the skin may slow aging of the skin.
In a number of trials studying memory in the elderly (humans and dogs), have suggested that there may be improvements in memory for those taking PS supplements. There are studies that have not shown an improvement, such as those testing patients who already have diagnosed Alzheimer’s. Probably it depends on who was tested and what types of tests were used. The data is sufficient for the FDA to allow labeling that PS may reduce the risk of cognitive dysfunction in the elderly.
Since PS is required for the normal function of membranes it may be that some people have insufficient levels in the cells of the brain.
PS is found in a range of foods including fish, poultry, leafy greens and beans. Supplements used to be made from cow brain which has high levels. However, since the outbreak of mad cow disease, brain is no longer used. Most lipids (fats) are not very stable when isolated, so if you buy supplements containing lipids, buy from a good source, get fresh batches and store carefully.
Recent research (PubMed) has shown that application of the skin may reduce the effects of UV damage to the skin. As we all know sunlight can damage skin. For example there is a decrease in procollagen (the precursor to collagen) expression. PS treated or untreated young skin was exposed to damaging amounts of UV. The PS treated skin showed less effects of the UV such as having a smaller decrease in procollagen expression than the untreated.
Aged skin (on the buttocks) was treated several weeks, three times per week and saw improvement in procollagen sysnthesis. So PS may soon be found in skin creams.
PS may be good for the inside and the outside!
Technorati Tags: phosphatidylserine, PS, memory, cognitive function, skin, aging, procollagen
Popularity: 49% [?]
Facial Aging Is Mainly Due To Changes In Fat Pockets
June 3, 2008
New studies reveal that major changes in our faces, as we age, are not due to thinning skin and less collagen but are due to changes in fat.
It turns out that we have fat compartments in our face. These compartments are separate from each other and are contained within fibrous connective tissue.
In young people there is a smooth transition between these compartments. However, as we age the different compartments change in different ways. These fat pockets can change shape, and shrink or grow. The result is that there is no longer a smooth transition between the compartments and where they have shrunk the skin gets looser and the face more hollow. These changes are part of our faces looking older.
The shrinking of some of the fat compartments probably plays a much bigger role in having loose skin and a saggy look, than the skin thinning and reduction in the synthesis of collagen.
One of the major fat pockets for affecting how we look is a deep fat pocket in the cheek. When this fat compartment shrinks, the nasolabial folds (the folds that rum down beside and nose and mouth) become more obvious, the under eye area and our upper lip all start to look older. Replacement of this fat will reduce the prominence of the nasolabial fold, fill out the area below the eye and make the upper lip look fuller.
These new findings are sure to have an impact on the methods that are used for skin rejuvenation. As more is learned about these fat compartments, targeted techniques will be developed using fillers for fat pockets including the deep fat pocket in the face.
It is probable that the use of targeted fillers will often replace face lifts. The returning of the face to a youthful shape which will make the skin less loose, rather than tightening the skin over an “old shaped” face will look more natural and not involve surgical incisions.
The research is published in Plast. Reconstr. Surgery (2008) 121: pages 1804-9 (PubMed), and the same journal volume, pages 2107-2112 (PubMed not yet available).
Technorati Tags: skin, facial aging, fat pockets, filler, cheek
Popularity: 53% [?]
Anti Wrinkle Creams, What to Consider
May 6, 2008
So what should you be looking for in an anti wrinkle cream? Which factors are important? There is a good overview of what you should consider on the Mayo clinic website.
The article lists some of the major ingredients in wrinkle creams (retinol, hydroxyl acids, CoQ10, copper peptides, kinetin and tea extracts) and has a short paragraph about the probable mechanism of each.
There are several important points that are made.
- Price does not necessarily indicate a better working product. As they state, “Cost has no relationship to effectiveness.”
- You will probably have to use the cream for many weeks before you see any effect.
- Generally the effect only lasts as long as you use the cream.
- Prescription creams will usually have higher concentrations of ingredients.
- Often the creams are irritating to the skin.
- Many of the ingredients will make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so sunscreen is often recommended.
- As stated in the previous post Reduces Wrinkles by 50%! there is little published research that can be used to judge which ingredients are effective.
Think I will start to investigate this a bit more. I’ll post what I find.
[tags]wrinkle cream, wrinkles[\tags]
Popularity: 45% [?]
Reduces Wrinkles by 50%!
May 4, 2008
This blog has a tab and category for skin. When I started this blog I thought I would have a reasonable number of posts about skincare, wrinkles and skin aging in general.
It seems that there are a lot of claims and few facts. I am amazed that I have found so little to blog about.
Much of the problem is that all the formulas and ingredients are proprietary. The companies make the claims, but do not put out any data to back it up. I am sure there is some great stuff out there, but how do you know which product is great and which one is rubbish? There are a few products that do have a scientific background that I will soon discuss, but most of it is just a black box.
Some of the claims are nice and vague. For instance, “Reduces wrinkles by 50%.” Sounds great until you think what exactly does that mean? Who knows? I am damn sure it does not mean that you have 50% less wrinkles. Does it mean that your wrinkles are 50% less deep? Changed from the Grand Canyon to the Columbia Gorge? Or more likely, 50% of the wrinkles looked less deep. Anything that plumps up your skin can temporarily do that, since stretching the skin out will make the wrinkles less deep. Short term non-surgical face lift in a bottle. If only we knew which ones work.
Technorati Tags: skin, wrinkles, skincare
Popularity: 51% [?]
Prevage Anti-Aging Treatment
March 31, 2008
Elizabeth Arden and Allergan jointly have a range of products with the key ingredient, idebenone. A strong antioxidant, idebenone is a synthetic version of Coenzyme Q10, which is usually abbreviated to CoQ10.
CoQ10 is found within organelles of cells called mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells, and in cellular membranes. The role of CoQ10 is both energy production and as an antioxidant.
The range of products is called Prevage.
As we age the level of CoQ10 drops. When we age or a very sick are less able to synthesize CoQ10. Some researchers have suggested that later in life CoQ10 becomes a vitamin (something we need to consume and are not able to fully provide ourselves). It has also been suggested that as we age a number of antioxidants such as vitamin C drop to lower levels in the skin than the rest of the body. This has also been suggested for CoQ10.
Idebenone is a synthetic version of CoQ10, which may have one advantage in that in low oxygen conditions (hypoxia) it will not attack itself, which CoQ10 will do.
Studies have suggested that applying idebenone to the skin may slow the effects of aging such as sun damage and improve over-all skin tone. There are several reports of idebenone improving the look of fine lines and wrinkles, such as this one.
Technorati Tags: idebenone, coenzyme Q10, CoQ10, antioxidant, anti-aging, skin, sun damage, wrinkles
Popularity: 79% [?]
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