Skin Solutions - Slow Aging, Sun Damage, Pigmentation

• Products for Slow Aging (Cosmeceutical)
  • Organic Slow Aging Regimen from La Mav
  • Promoting Collagen Support
  • Reducing Sun Damage
  • Reducing Pigmentation
    
• Slow Aging Research
• Slowing Down the Aging Process
• The Slow Aging Diet
  

Products for Slow Aging

Cosmeceutical are specifically chosen to help manage and slow the signs of aging. Each of the recommendations has a treatment component specifically aimed at improving collagen formation, reducing sun damage & pigmentation and increasing antioxidant levels in the skin.

Organic Slow Aging Regimen from La Mav

This range is Australia's first Certified Organic, anti-ageing skin care range formulated with 100% natural ingredients and free of harsh chemicals. Recognised by the Organic Food Chain, La Mav Certified Organic Skin Science is an innovative,
potent formula of active ingredients with scientifically proven results. Read more about the novel key ingredients in La Mav products: Pea, Hibiscus & Gum

Cream Cleanser	Refining Toner	Day Moisture	Night Treatment	Eye Care
La Mav Cleanser	La Mav Toner	Wrinkle Smoother	Line Smoothing	Firming Lotion

Collagen Support

Rich in cosmeceutical and antioxidant ingredients, this group of products will have a slow aging effect as wells as supporting skin health.

Gel Cleanser	SPF Moisture	Vitamin C 17%	Night Treatment	Eye Care
Devita Aloe Clenser	Devita Solar Protect	C-Accelerate	Optimal Rejuvenation	Revitalising Lotion

Managing Sun Damage

These products help to reduce redness and existing sun damage as well as having daily solar protection. The treatment products will also increase skin cell turnover to reveal clearer skin. Best results are seen after 6-12 weeks:

Aloe Cleanser	SPF Moisture	Evening Moisture	Sun Damage	Treatment
Devita Aloe Clenser	Devita Solar Protect	Perfecting Time	Copper Peptides	Vit C & AHA

Reducing Pigmenation

These products help to gradually minimise pigmentation from sun and environmental factors as well as providing daily solar protection. The treatment products will also increase skin cell turnover to reveal clearer skin. Best results are seen after 6-12 weeks:

Gel Cleanser	SPF Day Moisture	Evening Moisture	Treatment
Devita Aloe Clenser	Devita Solar Protect	Hyperpigmenation Formula	Vit C & AHA

For more information about the organic and natural skin care products that will suit your skin specifically, ask our skin specialist for advice. E-mail our organic skin specialist

Slow Aging Research

When researching anti-aging skin ingredients it becomes quickly clear that there isn’t a lot of evidence available. Consequently there are only a small number of topical ingredients that have been shown to clinically improve signs of skin aging and wrinkles. One thing we can be sure of is that most of the skin care creams that claims to have “miracle” effects don’t have the research to back them up. So let’s look at the ingredients that have been researched:

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has numerous slow aging benefits: it works within the skin to promote collagen production by stimulating the genes that make collagen and stopping the enzyme that degrades it, it is an antioxidant and so reduces free-radical production in the skin, it also provides photoprotection from ultraviolet A and B, works to lighten hyperpigmentation and may also assist with the reduction of inflammation in inflammatory skin disorders.

Some great benefits however vitamin C is highly unstable in its natural form ascorbic acid and so it is advisable to only use stabilised forms such as magnesium ascorbyl phosphate or ascorbyl palmitate. Even so, vitamin C in these forms must be kept away from direct sunlight and used once opened otherwise they are prone to oxidation and stop being effective.

In addition, vitamin C absorbs into the skin very slowly and so higher concentrations are required for the above benefits. Look for products that contain 10-20% vitamin C as any less will not be effective. They also need to be acidic in form which is one of the factors that promotes an added exfoliation effect. Buffered vitamin C forms are less effective so make sur that your product has a pH of less than 3.8. If the pH and vitamin C concentration are not supplied with the product, ask your supplier before purchase to ensure you get the desired effects.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids

AHAs/PHAs will help slow aging by revitalising the topmost layer of skin. This effect is achieved by AHAs clearing dead skin cells, thinning the strata corneum thereby exposing newer skin cells, improving the quality of elastic fibres, increasing the density of collagen and stimulating the production of collagen. The net result is an anti-wrinkle effect and a reduction in signs of photoaging.

Most over the counter AHA products contain concentrations of 8-15% which promote visible results over time. However, concentrations lower than 8% do not show significant benefit and products such as cleansers and everyday moisturisers that list AHAs are unlikely to contain enough to make a significant difference.

The anti-wrinkle effect of AHAs is achieved by removing the top layer of dead skin cells (stratum corneum) however it also removes valuable antioxidants, particularly vitamin C and E and may also increases sun sensitivity. These side effects need to be countered by using sunscreen during the day and applying an antioxidant rich moisturiser following use of AHAs.

Due to their acidic nature AHA’s produce a tingling sensation on the skin. This effect is a sign that the product is working to exfoliate the top layers of skin. The exfoliation is gradual and results can be expected after 3 months of use. However, ongoing use of AHAs may have a mild dehydrating effect on the skin due to the potential for water loss as the strata corneum is thinned. To counter this effect, use AHAs for 2-3 months then take a break of 2-3 months.

Copper Peptides

Copper peptides emerged as a skin treatment product in the 70s when it was found to significantly stimulate skin wound healing. This end is achieved by promoting normal collagen growth rather than the abnormal collagen growth found in scar tissue. While these results were achieved with wound healing more recent use has shown that copper peptides may also have a collagen regenerating effect on normal skin. In particular, they can help repair skin after exfoliation (seen as controlled skin damage), minimise the daily assaults from sun damage and pollution and reduce skin inflammation which is significantly associated with hastening the aging process.

While copper peptides have a good safety and efficacy profile, there are some notes of caution related to using copper peptides. Again, with copper peptides, as with AHA’s more is not always better. Taking a break after 2-3 months is advisable as too much copper can have an irritating and pro-oxidant effect. In addition copper peptides are made less effective in an acidic environment so it is best to use them away from AHAs, vitamin C and retanoids.

Plant antioxidants

The most common significant finding for antioxidants of plant origin such as the catechins present in green tea, curcumin from the curry spice turmeric and apigenin present in many fruits and vegetables, is that they reduce the effects of UV damage in the skin.

For example studies using 10% green tea extract have shown that it works to minimise sun damage by reducing the production of free radicals and inflammation that result from exposure to UV rays. Apart from free radical damage, inflammation is a potential driver of premature skin ageing. Green tea would therefore be a useful addition to a sunscreen or daily moisturiser as it will provide an additional protective effective aside from the SPF factor. Please keep in mind, green tea is in no way a substitute for SPF rather it works by supporting the skins resistance to sun damage.

Retinoic Acid

While often called vitamin A, retinoic acid while related is actually a distinct substance. The effects of retinoic acid on the process of skin ageing have been well documented and include increase synthesis of collagen, reducing fine wrinkles, improve skin texture and increase skin thickness. The downside with retinoic acid is the common side effects such as irritation, dryness and sun sensitivity. The other important thing to note is that retinoic acid is only available by prescription.

Over the counter products generally use retinoids. Retinoids have shown anti-aging benefits, however higher concentrations are generally needed and the hight the concentration the high the risk of side effects similar to retinoic acid. Low dose retinoids may or may not have anti-ageing effects on the skin. The effects depend on an individual’s skin cell responsiveness to retinoids. Vitamin A is a precursor to retinoids however it requires conversion before it can be active. So again, it may or may not have specific anti-aging effects.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

As an antioxidant, Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is both water and fat soluble, which means it is able to reach and protect both water and lipid portions of skin. This is particularly relevant to our skin as fats play a vital role in maintaining healthy skin. One of the roles ALA plays in the health of the skin is to inhibit cross-linking which is the formation of chemical bridges between proteins or other large molecules. Cross-linking contributes to the ageing process by causing hardening of arteries, stiffening of the joints and wrinkling of the skin.

Topically ALA acts as a skin antioxidant, penetrating skin cell membranes, where it neutralizes free radicals and increases the effectiveness of other antioxidants such as vitamins C and E. By reducing free radical damage it potentially slows the effects of ageing. In studies ALA has shown strong potential as an anti-wrinkle agent. In one small-scale study, high potency lipoic acid reduced mild-to-moderate wrinkles by up to 50 percent, whereas fine lines almost disappeared. In another study, lipoic acid significantly improved the appearance of certain types of scars. From a clinical perspective, ALA has received a lot of hype. Its role as an anti-ageing nutrient is largely due to its free-radical quenching effects which is an attribute shared by a number of other ingredients including CoQ10, green tea and vitamin C.

CoEnzyme Q 10

CoQ10 is naturally found in all cells of the body. It has dual functions acting as a potent antioxidant as well as increasing cellular energy production (specifically mitochondrial activity). As we age, the levels of CoQ10 reduce, particularly in our skin which leads to less skin cell energy production. The net result is a reduction in our skin’s ability to produce skin molecules such as collagen and elastin. In addition, skin cells low in antioxidants such as CoQ10, have reduced ability to stop free radical production. Specifically the topical application of CoQ10 restores mitochondrial activity which increases cellular energy production thereby improving the cells ability to produce new collagen. It also increases the ability of the cell to minimise damage from free radical production.

When choosing a slow aging product for your skin, ensure that you choose those with a high enough concentration of the active ingredient where it is known and otherwise, that it is in at least the top 2/3 of the ingredient listing. Ingredients in the last 1/3 of the label listing are included in very small quantities. Alternatively, if an ingredient is touted as the active in a product then the concentration may be listed on the label. If in doubt, ask the retailer or manufacturer for this information.

Slowing Down the Aging Process

Skin aging is often divided into two categories, "chronological aging" which is a consequence of the passage of time and "photoaging" which results from damage caused by ultraviolet light from the sun. It is estimated that up to 80% of skin aging can be attributed to photoaging from sun exposure in non-smokers as it is cumulative and starts from youth (Fisher G, 2002).

The collagen in our skin is constantly undergoing “remodelling”. Sun exposure causes the production of metalloproteinases which break down collagen and cause microscarring. At the same time there is a decrease in the body’s production of collagen and overtime the cumulative damage from microscarring becomes macroscarring and eventually leads to the age related changes in our appearance such as fine lines, wrinkles and fat dimpling (Varani, J. 2000).

The natural aging process is influenced by three key processes. Every day cells die and are replaced by new cells. As we grow older mistakes in the cellular reproduction process start to increase leading to non-functional cells. As the number of non-functional cells increase, so too does the deterioration in bodily functions. Secondly, there is increased damage to the DNA within the cells and the older we get the less able we are to produce replacement cells to compensate for the damaged ones. The most obvious sign of this effect is the thinning of skin.

The third process is an underlying factor common to both photoaging and natural aging and is that of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress gives rise to the production of free radicals which can cause damage to our DNA, protein (collagen and elastin), protein synthesis (collagen remodelling) and fat stores. Ultraviolet light from the sun, normal metabolism and environmental stresses such as smoking, pollution, poor diet and chemical exposure all contribute to the production of free radicals. The damaging effect of free radicals is exacerbated if the presence of an antioxidant deficiency.

Every day skin cells are bombarded by damaging free radical assaults, even more so than other body organs because they are external and therefore exposed to sun, wind, pollution and chemicals. Free radicals degrade collagen fibres in the dermis, causing it to weaken over time. This leads to collagen cross-linking, resulting in loss of elasticity and contributes wrinkles.

At this stage, the process of skin aging sounds fairly grim however; there are certainly measures we can take to improve skin health. While much of the photoaging damage is irreversible, we can reverse some of the sun damage and importantly slow down the development of further damage. The natural aging process can also be slowed down by incorporating key dietary and lifestyle factors so that we look and feel younger than our chronological age.