Treatment for Skin Care

Why does sking aging happen?

Our skin is the largest organ of our body, that is a fact. Also, our skin is the largest of our organs that is directly exposed to the outer environment (contamination, radiation, among other factors that impact our skin’s health). Our skin suffers from both intrinsic (inner of our body) and extrinsic aging factors. Skin aging is characterized by features such as wrinkling, loss of elasticity, laxity, and rough-textured appearance. This natural aging process is accompanied with visual changes, as well as structural and functional changes in extracellular matrix components such as collagens and elastin. Fortunately, there are things you can do to protect your skin and to make it feel and look better. Among diverse options to procure skin health, stem cells are a natural, healthy and deeply effective treatment for skin care.

What are the layers of the skin?

Three layers of tissue make up the skin:

• Epidermis, the top layer.
• Dermis, the middle layer.
• Hypodermis, the bottom or fatty layer

Can we avoid getting older?

The short answer is no. Getting older is inevitable, but aging with grace is a reality. Although many a sources recommend different approaches to avoid aging, the National Institute of Aging advices useful healthy practices to reduce our aging rate (1):

• Limit time in the sun (especially between 10 am and 4 pm)
• Use sunscreen (regardless of age, gender or race)
• Wear protective clothing (hats, sunglasses and long-sleeved shirts)
• Avoid tanning

Options for skin care anti-aging

It is widely believed that cosmetics and personal care items are the foundation for healthy skin care. These products include: mascaras, face and body lotions, soaps and shampoos, hair styling products, deodorant, toothpaste, hair dyes, and nail polish. They are considered safe, but that doesn't mean that there aren't risks associated with their use, particularly if you don't use them correctly.  Also, these products require daily use, continuous expenditure and some are tested on animals. Sadly, these products also actively contribute to the contamination of our environment.

If you want to know how safe are cosmetics and personal care products, feel free to read this article by the University of Rochester Medical Center: read article (2)

A couple of important facts

• At the end of the tests, the animals are killed, normally by asphyxiation, neck-breaking or decapitation. Pain relief is not provided. In the United States, a large percentage of the animals used in such testing (such as laboratory-bred rats and mice) are not counted in official statistics and receive no protection under the Animal Welfare Act. (3)
• An estimated 120 billion units of packaging are produced every year by the global cosmetics industry, most of which are not recyclable. Scientists suggest that by 2050, about 12,000 metric tons of plastic waste will be in landfills or the natural environment. (4)

Studies that show hazards of common skin care products

In June 2004, Environment California issued Growing Up Toxic: Chemical Exposures and Increases in Developmental Diseases, which details chemicals found in consumer products and their potential health impacts. Other reports released around the same time by the Environmental Working Group (Skin Deep: A Safety Assessment of Ingredients in Personal Care Products) and Friends of the Earth (Shop Till You Drop? Survey of High Street Retailers on Risky Chemicals in Products 2003–2004) support Environment California’s publication.

According to these three reports, makeup, shampoo, skin lotion, nail polish, and other personal care products contain chemical ingredients that lack safety data. Moreover, some of these chemicals have been linked in animal studies to male genital birth defects, decreased sperm counts, and altered pregnancy outcomes. There is no definitive evidence for the same effects in humans, but widespread exposure, primarily to phthalates, has been shown to occur.

Some of the safety concerns that may be associated with cosmetics and personal care products include:

• Eye infections
• Spreading bacteria on the skin
• Irritation and scratches on the eye
• Fire hazards, in the case of aerosol products such as hairspray
• Allergic reactions or sensitivity to ingredients
• Contaminants in products not manufactured in the U.S.

Links to studies

• Chemical Exposure: The Ugly side of Beauty Products - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1253722/
• How safe are Cosmetics and Personal Care Products - www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=4498

Are creams with stem cells True or False ?

For stem cells to regenerate healthy cells to replace diseased ones, they would need to be transplanted directly into patients. In addition, stem cells used for such purposes must be obtained from the patient himself/herself or other human donors. It is not possible for stem cells derived from animal placenta to regenerate new human tissues.

There are also other untruthful claims that such products can cause embryonic stem cells in the body to form new tissues. This is not possible as embryonic stem cells are not present in adults.

Fact: for stem cells to retain activity outside a body, they need to be stored under very cold temperatures, as low as -196 °C.

Link to study

• False and misleading Stem Cell claims made on supplements - www.hsa.gov.sg/consumer-safety/articles/false-and-misleading-stem-cell-claims-made-on-supplements

Stem Cell Therapy for Anti aging Review

References of skin care studies with facts based on research