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Skin Biology Help and Index to Products and Information
 

Are Very Expensive Skin Creams Worth The Price?
What Clinically Proven Means in Most Cosmetics
Fairy Dust Cosmetic Ingredients
Why Do Cosmetic Companies Rarely Sponsor Independent Studies of Their Products?
If They Cannot Send You Published Articles in Scientific Journals About Their Product ........
Do 62 ingredients make a better skin cream?
What You Need for a Youthful and Blemish-Free Skin
Real Science and Cosmetic Science
Why Does Every Product Claim to Reduce Wrinkles?
Products That People Often Ask Us About
 
 
 
 
 

Are Very Expensive Skin Creams Worth The Price?

For the most part, no. The cost to make a typical skin cream is between $0.10 and $0.17 per ounce. Most high priced skin creams use common ingredients. For virtually all of these creams, there is no credible evidence that they do anything special.
 

What Clinically Proven Means in Most Cosmetics

In the medical world, clinically proven means that a product has some positive action on some biological function and this has been demonstrated by well-controlled clinical studies by reputable researchers. However, in the cosmetic industry, this term can mean anything. Many products that have never been tested in any clinical study are deemed clinically proven. Most commonly, this means that some component of the cosmetic product has been shown in some study, somewhere, sometime, to have had some biological action. For example, a product may contain vitamin C and since vitamin C has been clinically proven to be a necessary vitamin, this somehow means that the cosmetic product is clinically proven.
 
 
 
 

Fairy Dust Cosmetic Ingredients

Fairy Dust Cosmetic Ingredients

Fairy Dust is a cosmetic industry phrase that refers to using products that potentially might have helpful actions but in a way that is unlikely to produce any significant biological effects in skin or hair. For example, vitamin C is often used at low concentrations or at an inappropriate pH range. The vitamin C has no effect on skin but the advertising for the product implies that it has wonderful actions on a person's skin. Likewise, water is essential for skin health, so any product with water is called beneficial for skin.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Because the studies might show their products are worthless.

If They Cannot Send You Published Articles in Scientific Journals About Their Product ........

Do not buy it if they cannot send you articles on their miracle product from science or medical journals. New improvements in skin care are easy to publish if they are real.

Do 62 Ingredients Make a Better Skin Cream?

No. This is similar to children learning to cook. At some time, they decide to mix everything good in the kitchen - sugar, spices, milk, eggs, oils, salt, flour, and so on. Of course, the result is a mess.

What You Need for a Youthful and Blemish-free Skin........

Not many products.

1. A skin remodeling cream that helps remove damaged proteins and replace them with new proteins.

2. An exfoliating product to help remove older skin cells and skin blemishes.

3.  A pure-oil moisturizer such as emu oil, squalane, or olive oil. Cosmetic moisturizers that wet the skin look good but damage skin like irritants.

4. A very mild soap for cleansing.

Real Science and Cosmetic Science

The primary problem with most these products is the lack of serious scientific studies and independent studies by reputable experts in dermatology. Many use uncontrolled studies that are never published, and could not be published, in reputable journals. Even many, very large corporations are unwilling to sponsor serious studies of the their products. As a executive of a large cosmetic company told me, "We pay our top scientist $180,000 a year and our top model $4,000,000 a year".

Real Science vs Cosmetic/Skin Company Science

	Real Science	Cosmetic Company Science
What works?	If 1% of ideas work, you are lucky.	Everything works!
Expected research breakthroughs	Take about 20 years on average	Every year a new miracle product
Results released to public	Determined by experiments	Determined by the company's marketing department
Publication of research results as manuscripts in scientific or medical journals	Always	Extremely rare
Critique and criticism of results by others	Always, breaks up many friendships	Some cosmetics associations require that you sign a non-criticism agreement to join the group.
Examples of significant contributions to skin and hair care	Retin-A, alpha and beta hydroxy acids, minoxidil, Propecia, copper-peptides, vitamin C	None over the past 50 years

Why does every skin company advertise a 40% to 50% wrinkle reduction in one month regardless of the product ingredients?

What they are doing is reporting very brief studies on fine wrinkles. Everything succeeds in these studies. The wrinkle reduction numbers mean little. By moisturizing and  plumping skin a little, the wrinkles are less evident. A slight irritation or edema or a bee sting would do the same. Retinol (usually as retinyl palmitate) works well in these types of wrinkle reduction studies but retinol has been around for 50 years in skin products without doing much to stop wrinkles.

Real significant wrinkle reduction studies take about a year and cost millions of dollars. Some studies to prove wrinkle reduction with Retin-A went 2 years.

Products with Bioactive Ingredients That People Often Ask Us About

The latest "Hot Product" sold by cosmetic/skin companies, and aging actresses on late night cable channels, are products with peptides claimed to improve skin by increasing the production of collagen, elastin, and proteoglycans. These peptides are similar in action to substances intensively tested in wound healing studies about 10 years ago. These peptides are compared by the manufacturer to actions of Transforming Factor beta 1.

 1. All skin renewal proteins and peptides are based on some aspect of skin repair and wound healing. In the early stages of wound repair, there is a very high synthesis of of proteins used to close the wound and produce a scar that rapidly covers and protects underlying tissues. This process can also produce hard calluses on hands and feet. In the later stages of healing, the scar tissue is removed and the skin is "remodeled" into a smoother, scar less surface.

Transforming Factor Beta was named because it made normal cells grow more like cancer cells but this does not mean it causes cancer. However, some researcher think it may speed the growth of breast cancers and play a role in the development of kidney failure.

Early stage wound repair factors such as TGF beta 1 (developed by Amgen Corporation) and RGD-collagen binding peptides based on fibronectin and collagen (developed by Telios Corporation) produced a strong stimulation of the production of collagen, elastin, proteoglycans and so on. However, these molecules failed to become wound repair products because, while they rapidly healed wounds, they also produced heavy and unacceptable scarring.

2. These peptides are said to be as effective as retinol on wrinkle reduction but said to be less irritating. The comparison to retinol and wrinkle reduction seems to be an attempt to confuse the consumers. Retinol has only a modest action on wrinkle reduction and is not very irritating. On the other hand, retinoic acid (such as used in Retin-A or Renova) has significant wrinkle reduction but can be very irritating.

3. To get any skin effects with such peptides, they must be used at high concentrations (3% to 8%) in the product. Most cosmetic companies only use trivial amounts of any potentially beneficial substance.

4. Despite the heavy promotion of these products, there are no published papers on the skin effects of these new "breakthrough" peptides in any credible scientific journal. One of the widely circulated studies is by a French professor who has apparently has never published a reviewed paper in a major journal in the past 30 years, at least as recorded by the National Library of Medicine in Medline (See http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hinfo.html).

This is baffling since France is filled with superb skin researchers. Why does not a corporation that sells billions of dollars in products yearly have its great breakthrough products tested by well known and respected skin researchers?

In contrast, the studies to determine the effectiveness of retinoic acid on skin remodeling and wrinkle reduction were funded by Johnson & Johnson for many years. Studies were performed by highly regarded, independent skin researchers.

5. Will these products give you a hard, insect-like exoskeleton? This is unlikely since these peptides must be present in concentrations of 5% to 8% in the product. Cosmetic companies are famous for putting in minuscule amounts of any potentially active factor. For example, effects on skin with retinol require about 0.6% retinol in the product. But some highly advertised retinol products have as little as 0.001% retinol. So the amount of peptide in the cream is likely to be very low.

6. On the positive side, such types of peptides could prove valuable for filling in skin defects, and hardening feet of long distance runners, and the hands of practitioners of karate and taekwondo.
 

Top Right - Skin remodeling signals remove damaged proteins (DP) and skin lesions and replace these with new proteins and new skin.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bottom Right - TGF - like peptides increase skin protein and produce a smoother but harder and more callus-like skin.
 
 
 

Then I switched to a morning wash of Gentle Clean or Neutrogena's cleanser with salicylic acid followed by a 15% glycolic acid and CP Serum or Super Cop. In the evening, I use Gentle Clean and Protect & Restore #3 and a little emu oil on dry skin areas. My acne has cleared, scars are reducing, and the emu oil does cause any breakouts.

AY   Pennsylvania

Alpha lipoic acid is a molecule that functions in fat metabolism. It is also a key anti-oxidant that is both lipid and water soluble. Its anti-oxidant properties give it some anti-inflammation qualities. While most aging effects are due to innate genetic programs, some aging effects are due to the generation of free radicals within the cell which activate a cellular messenger called nuclear factor kappa-B. Nuclear factor kappa-B then enters the nucleus of the cell and causes the DNA to produce proteins that can cause cellular damage. Alpha lipoic acid (and other anti-oxidants) can block the development of nuclear factor kappa-B and protect the cell from damage. Alpha lipoic acid also acts synergistically with other anti-oxidants such as vitamin E and vitamin C.

In animal studies, alpha lipoic acid has remarkable success in blocking the development of degenerative diseases. It is the most effective protective anti-oxidant supplement.

Alpha lipoic acid also helps aging cells increase their energy production. This enhances their ability to repair cellular damage and expel cellular waste products. Because of this action, alpha lipoic acid, as a 1% lotion, has been used as a skin treatment for aged skin.

Prof. Nicholas Perricone (to the left), author of "The Wrinkle Cure" (Rodale Press, about $18 and highly recommended), is a research dermatologist with Yale University who has designed a line of skin cosmeceuticals (Nicholas Perricone, M.D. Cosmeceuticals). He also has conducted studies on alpha lipoic acid and found it has skin renewal properties and can diminish scarring that has been caused by acne after approximately 6-8 weeks of use. He sells a version of alpha lipoic acid for skin renewal (2 oz. / $85.00) from a website at http://nvperriconemd.com and in many high end stores. Even if you use topical alpha lipoic acid on your skin, you should still supplement with an oral dose of about 30 to 100 mgs alpha lipoic acid taken along with your vitamins.

Kinerase/Kinetin (N6-furfuryladenine) is an essential growth factor that retards senescence of plants and delays age-related changes in cultured human skin cells. An independent 48-week clinical study, begun in October 1996 at the Univ. of California at Irvine (under the direction of Gerald D. Weinstein, M.D., an authority in the area of photoaging and photodamaged-skin treatment), N6-furfuryladenine was found to be safe and effective in partially reversing the clinical signs of photodamaged facial skin during extended use. It was was effective in reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, blotchy hyperpigmentation, telangiectasia and tactile skin roughness.  The UC Irvine data were similar to the clinical efficacy results reported in a published study of Renova (Olsen et al 1997). In contrast to Renova, however, Kinetin did not cause any clinical signs or subjective symptoms of irritation.  Renova (0.05% tretinoin (retinoic acid) emollient cream) is the first prescription cream proven to diminish fine lines and wrinkles.

Paula Begoin (In: The Cosmetic Counter, March 1999) has pointed out that, while Kinerase/Kinetin is said to be as good as Renova, only 16% of women were pleased with the results in one Renova study and even less in another. Furthermore, in the Renova study more than two-thirds of the women thought the results were mediocre or nonexistent.

This product was developed for skin care by Senetek Inc., a company that develops products for reversing effects of human aging. N6-furfuryladenine for skin care is marketed by ICN Corporation as Kinerase and as a more expensive version called Kinetin by Osmotics Corporation, but both versions are similar. The product typically sells for about $70 for a 2 ounce bottle. What to expect from N6-furfuryladenine products? Some improvement in skin appearance. 

Kinerase™ and Kinetin™ are based on a plant chemical called Furfuryladenine. In one published clinical study, such creams have been shown to improve skin texture, reduces blotchiness, and reduce fine wrinkles while being none irritating. However, their effects are not as fast as effective as copper peptide creams. This comparison is from product literature supplied by by Procyte Corporation entitled "NEOVA - Copper Peptide Therapies".
 

Vitamin C Serums and Patches

Vitamin C based creams were researched and introduced in 1992 by Prof. of Dermatology Sheldon Pinnell, M.D. (Photograph to the left) of the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, who has researched the relationship between vitamin-C (L-ascorbic acid) and collagen. Vitamin C is critical in the cross-linking of collagen using an enzyme called Lysyl Hydroxylase. Pinnell was instrumental in the development of Cellex-C and later founded Skinceuticals.

Prof. Pinnell has published studies showing that vitamin C, applied according to his instructions, does improve the quality of collagen in the skin but this is only one aspect of skin health and beauty. Moreover, published studies on positive effects of vitamin C on the skin are very scanty. And if these effects were more significant, vitamin C products would be used clinically on slow healing wounds and skin ulcers where inadequate collagen synthesis is a serious problem.

Dr. Pinnell has stated that to get positive effects on the skin's collagen with vitamin C, the vitamin C must be at least 10% in solution and at a low pH of 2.5 or lower. He also states that only vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is effective and that many vitamin C derivatives used in cosmetics such as esters and analogs of ascorbic acid cannot be absorbed by the skin and converted into active vitamin C in any meaningful amount. Such unsatisfactory derivatives include ascorbic acid sulfate, ascorbic acid magnesium phosphate, ascorbyl stearate, ascorbyl palmitate and ascorbyl dipalmitate.

However, despite the emphasis on vitamin C and collagen production, in the only comparison study between vitamin C and copper-peptides, the copper-peptides were more potent than vitamin C on improving collagen production (Abulghani et al 1998).  It should be also remembered that copper-peptides have many other positive effects on skin besides effects on collagen production.

So expect a positive effect of vitamin C on skin if you stick to Pinnell's formulas which are available from a company he founded called Skinceuticals, which can be found on the Internet. Many other companies sell various solutions and vitamin C patches, but few are formulated according to Pinnell's recipe.

Caution: Do not mix vitamin C products with copper-peptide skin regeneration creams. The copper breaks down the vitamin C. If you wish to use both, use them on alternate days.

Re Vive is created by well-respected dermatologist Greg Brown, an expert on wound healing.

Epidermal growth factor or EGF is one of about 20 growth promoting proteins released by the skin's repair cells to stimulate skin repair. EGF was tested for clinical wound healing but was abandoned because of toxicity problems. In treated patients, the EGF accumulated in the blood and EGF can cause severe side effects such as hair loss. EGF is used in Australia to remove wool from sheep without shearing. Sheep are injected with 2 milligrams of EGF and 48 hours later all their hair falls out. Also EGF was found to inhibit gastric function. Their basic Re Vive cream sells for $120 for 2 ounces, the Eye Cream for $95 for 2 ounces, and Re Vive for sensitive skin for $165 for 2 ounces.

Re Vive has a new product containing Insulin Growth Factor and a metalloproteinase to block collagen breakdown priced at $375 for 2 ounces. There are no published studies on what it does.

Creme de la Mer (Estee Lauder) is a fermentation product that was invented by a German rocket scientist, Max Huber, but it is basically a throwback to European peasant therapies. It is a combination of kelp, alfalfa, sunflowers, eucalyptus, vitamins and minerals which is fermented for five months while enzymes break down the plants into small fragments.

The source of the idea is from European peasants who would use fermented plants (often the silage used for cow feed) to put on wounds. The fermenting plants become very warm and a handful of the plants or silage would be put on wounds and held in place with a bandage. There is no proof that these methods actually increase skin repair but the heat from the fermenting plants would increase blood flow to the injured skin and probably increase healing.

Creme de la Mer sells for $155 for 2 ounces.

All information about NouriCel (which is used in RevitaCel and other Skin Medica products) being effective for wrinkles or building collagen is from Advanced Tissue Sciences, a bankrupt biotech company with talented people who have managed to lose $292,000,000 (as of Dec. 31, 2002) since its founding. (Proving being smart and making money are different skills.) NouriCel is a solution that feeds and grows cells in culture. Such solutions were tested about 15 years ago for healing wounds, but the effectiveness was not sufficient for clinical uses.

Advanced Tissue Sciences has two studies said to demonstrate the effects of TNS. One had 14 participants and the other 16. Neither study was independent, nor were they placebo controlled, nor were they published in reviewed journals. In the first study 9 of the 14 participants showed facial improvements plus an average decrease in wrinkle depth of 27% after 60 days. The second study showed a 50 to 80% increase in collagen production.

What is perplexing is that Advanced Tissue Sciences - a company that has superb scientists and that usually does very good research - would sign on to such studies. These types of "in-house", uncontrolled studies always produce "good" results. There are "For-Pay" laboratories that do nothing but "prove" that cosmetic products produce wondrous results.

The problems with this are threefold. (1) These are pathetically small and uncontrolled studies for a company that burns through tremendous amounts of money. ATS could have sponsored a real, controlled study by leading academic researchers for about $200,000. (2) Improving facial appearance and reducing wrinkles in uncontrolled studies is easy. Take 20 people who have been in the wind and sun for a few days and treat them their face olive oil or butter or dog food and you will see an improvement. (3) Older skin does not just need more new collagen, the old and damaged collagen and elastin must be removed. A number of proteins and peptides stimulate collagen production but unless the old collagen is simultaneously removed, this produces a thickened and scar-like skin in time. Only skin regenerating copper peptides have been to activate both new skin protein production and the systems that remove damaged skin proteins.

But you can try the RevitaCel Replenishing Complex with NouriCel ($39.99 for 4 ounces) and another product from SkinMedica called TNS Recovery Complex ($130 for 0.5 ounce).

Certain cosmetic products are sold to increase skin oxygenation. This is done either by (1) covering the face with a mask and running a flow of pure oxygen over the face for about an hour, or (2) covering the skin with certain chemicals that carry extra oxygen into the skin. If skin is damaged, this method may cause an improvement in skin in a few days.

The problem with this method is that it will cause long-term skin problems. By artificially increasing the oxygen level in your skin, your body will decrease the blood vessels (capillaries) that feed oxygen and nutrients to the cells of your skin. Capillaries grow towards areas of the body that are low in oxygen. By adding more oxygen to the outer layers of your skin, your cells will have less oxygen and nutrients from your body. Your skin will age faster because of inadequate nutrients from the blood and your skin will be more pale and grayish because of fewer red blood cells in your skin.

Companies that sell these products say that oxygen applied to the skin has been used to heal wounds faster in hospital studies. This is true, but these types of wounds and skin ulcers are temporary and emergency therapies to heal over the wound and reduce the chance of infection. Long-term application of high oxygen to your skin's surface will not heal the health of normal skin.

Gerontologists consider the cellular degeneration caused by chronic exposure to elevated concentrations of oxygen (hyperoxia) as a model for accelerated aging at the cellular level.  In cultured mammalian cells, elevated oxygen causes progressive growth inhibition, loss of reproductive capacity, and chromosomal breakage. The earliest effect of high oxygen is an inhibition of mitochondrial respiration which is in similar to aging theories that attribute much cellular aging to loss of mitochondrial functions (Pruijn et al 1992).

One approach to skin repair was to coat the skin with a mixture of lipids that closely approximately natural skin lipids (fats). When applied to dry and cracking skin, this method produced very rapid (within 2 hours) and striking changes in water loss across the skin barrier and this was called "skin repair". The problem with this method was that the added lipids caused a later inhibition of the skin's natural lipid production in a process called in biochemical terms "feedback inhibition". The ultimate result is that the shutting down of the skin's lipid biosynthesis leads to a skin state that is worse than before the application of the lipids.

An example of a cream said to improve skin by replacing the skin's lipids is A-Cute Derm's PRO-C LIPID ENHANCER SERUM (1 oz for $40) which is sold as a "A barrier protectant system with all 5 critical lipids. Helps replenish and maintain lipid levels in the stratum corneum. Enhances the activity in the stratum corneum by impeding both lipid loss and transepidermal water loss due to irritants, sun damage, smoking and the normal aging process." This is sold with their PRO-C LIPID ENHANCER CREME ($45 for 2 oz) which is said to "enhances the performance of our Lipid Enhancer Serum."

This is not to say that all fatty creams will damage skin, but replacement of the skin's critical lipids is very difficult without starting a destructive feedback inhibition on natural lipid synthesis.

Skin Exfoliating Methods

Hydroxy Acids

Hydroxy acids are one of the best of the skin renewal approaches. They are naturally occurring, non-toxic substances found in the  human body, fruits, wine, milk and sugarcane, to name a few sources. Scientifically, these chemicals are known as alpha keto/carboxylic acids or beta keto/carboxylic acids. They are more commonly known as alpha hydroxy acids, or AHAs and beta hydroxy acids, or BHAs. The AHAs and BHAs help retain moisture in very dry skin, as well as helping reduce fine lines and uneven color of sun-damaged skin. They often lighten "age" spots.

Part of their effect is decreasing the "glue" that holds dead cells on the surface of the skin.  Hydroxy acids reduce the thickness of the hyperkeratotic stratum corneum by reducing corneocyte cohesion in lower levels of the stratum corneum. This induces epidermolysis, which triggers an increase in cell renewal. This helps the dead cells to slough off (desquamation), speeds skin turnover, and brings to the surface a layer of smoother, softer skin.

Of the AHAs, glycolic acid, which comes from sugarcane, is generally regarded as the best for skin renewal. Mixtures of several different AHAs have no advantage. Glycolic acid speeds the turnover of the skin cells resulting in a smoother texture and healthier appearance. It usually takes about eight weeks of regular use to see a significant improvement in the skin. Glycolic acid can be combined with other bleaching agents that are used in the treatment of dark spots on skin.

Products containing hydroxy acids include cleansers, moisturizers, toners, masks, age-spot removers, and other preparations.

Types of AHAs and BHAs

AHAs include:      Glycolic acid - The most popular AHA
                         Lactic acid
                         Malic acid
                         Citric acid
                         Glycolic acid + ammonium glycolate
                         Alpha-hydroxyethanoic acid + ammonium alpha-hydroxyethanoate
                         Alpha-hydroxyoctanoic acid
                         Alpha-hydroxycaprylic acid
                         Hydroxycaprylic acid
                         Mixed fruit acid
                         Tri-alpha hydroxy fruit acids
                         Triple fruit acid
                         Sugar cane extract
                         Alpha hydroxy and botanical complex
 

BHAs include:     Salicylic acid
                        Citric acid

Effective and Ineffective AHA Creams

Research of Eugene J. Van Scott M.D. and R. J. Yu Ph.D. opened the modern era of AHA use. In 1976 they reported that glycolic acid, in specially designed formulations, helped in the treating of a scaling skin disease (ichtyosis) and in 1988 they founded NeoStrata, a company where they continue to develop novel methods for the treatment of skin problems.

Further studies by them indicated a use for hydroxy acids in skin renewal - however, their work was ignored by the skin care industry until the 1990s when alpha and beta hydroxy acids began to be incorporated into skin care products (Van Scott and Yu 1989). Later, Stiller et al conducted large-scale, placebo-controlled studies with AHAs and found they reversed premature aging caused by sun exposure (Stiller et al 1996).  Their use was soon extended to chemical peels (Dial 1990).

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA's) are one of the safest methods of skin renewal. Their effectiveness depends on the type and concentration of the AHA, its pH (acidity), and other ingredients in the product. AHAs become effective at concentrations of about 7% to 8% with a pH of 3.5 to 4.0. Many AHA-containing cosmetic products have very little skin renewal effects because the AHA concentrations are too low and the pH is too high. There is little evidence that concentrations below 5% have beneficial actions on skin.

Skin improvements should be apparent after four weeks of AHA treatment, but AHA therapy also helps maintain skin health and is normally continued indefinitely.

Chemical peels with stronger AHA's (40-70%) speed the process, but skin rebuilding induced by a 70% AHA chemical peel (which is costly and may cause scarring) in 3 months can be duplicated by a 7% AHA cream in 9 months.

AHAs are marketed for a variety of purposes: to smooth fine lines and surface wrinkles, to improve skin texture and tone, to unblock and cleanse pores, to improve oily skin or acne, and to improve skin condition in general. In reality, they do increase the turnover of skin cells and enhance the rebuilding of collagen and elastin plus improve the internal moisture-holding properties of GAGs and proteoglycans. With long term use, AHAs alleviate fine to moderate wrinkles, and remove many skin lesions such as weathered skin, freckling, blotchy pigmentation, sun damage, age spots, mild acne scars, benign overgrowths of skin, and flat warts. They appear to work by causing an increased skin peeling of the lesion plus an irritation around the lesion. In time the lesion becomes smaller and is replaced by normal healthy skin.

Hydroxy acids are helpful in treating oily and acne-prone skin. Persons with these conditions often see dramatic results. Blackheads, white heads and acne breakouts are caused when the hair follicles clog and trap sebum in the follicle. Removing the upper layer of skin promotes natural sebum flow to the skin.

Long Term Low Dose AHAs as Good as Short Term Chemical Peels

 Reports by various skin researchers strongly suggest that long term use of AHAs give results similar to chemical peels. The key to skin renewal is a process where (1) the skin is irritated or slightly damaged by exfoliating agents (alpha hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, retinoic acid, or mildly burned by by laser re-surfacing). This is followed by (2) a natural rebuilding of the skin that removes imperfections, rebuilds collagen and elastin fibers that tighten skin, and increases the amount of glycosamoinoglycans. The stronger the exfoliation or skin damage, the stronger is the skin rebuilding action. Unfortunately, strong exfoliation causes strong skin irritation with itching, burning, and pain.
 

 Alpha Hydroxy Acid ( 7-8%, Ph=3.8 ) Effects on Skin

Effects in 3 months	Effects in 9 months
Softer smoother skin Increased moisturization	Softer smoother skin Increased moisturization Increased glycosaminoglycans Strong rebuilding of collagen, and elastin Pigment more uniform Skin imperfections reduced

AHAs increase sun sensitivity by 13% on average but in some persons by as much as 50%. For a 50% increase in sun sensitivity, a hydroxy acid formulated with a sun protection factor of 2 would eliminate the added sun sensitivity. AHAs with concentrations of 20% or higher are skin peels (see below) and should be applied by a dermatologist or trained cosmetologists at salons.

AHAs also may increase the penetration of other chemicals used on the skin. These include vitamins, antibiotics, Retin-A, benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, and other dermatological medications. One should be aware of this possible interaction when using AHAs along with other skin treatments.

By 1997, The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had received about 100 reports of adverse effects with AHAs ranging from mild irritation and stinging to blistering and burns. The FDA advises you to test any product that contains an AHA on a small area of skin before applying it to a large area. If you you experience skin irritation or prolonged stinging, you should stop using the product and consult your physician.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel of the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association concluded in December 1996 that AHAs are "safe for use in cosmetic products at concentrations less than or equal to 10 percent, at final formulation pHs greater than or equal to 3.5, when formulated to avoid increasing the skin's sensitivity to the sun, or when directions for use include the daily use of sun protection." For salon use products, the panel said that the products are "safe for use at concentrations less than or equal to 30 percent, at final formulation pHs greater than or equal to 3.0, in products designed for brief, discontinuous use followed by thorough rinsing from the skin, when applied by trained professionals, and when application is accompanied by directions for the daily use of sun protection."

Are Beta Hydroxy Acids Better?

BHAs include salicylic and citric acid. Some research suggests that BHAs, especially salicylic acid, may be more effective in exfoliating the lower dermal skin layers and may be less irritating. Synthetic salicylic acid has long been in dermatology for treating adult acne and removing corns on feet.  Salicylic acid is lipid soluble and hence penetrates the fatty sebum produced by sebaceous glands, eliminates acne causing bacteria, and reduces the clogging of infected pores and acne.

A leading dermatologist, Dr. Albert Kligman, believes that BHAs, in particular salicylic acid are better than AHAs for  anti-aging and for skin exfoliation. Professor Kligman is well known in  dermatology for his research on the anti-aging actions of retinoic acid (Retin-A). Results from Dr. Kligman's laboratory found that the outermost stratum corneum layer is renewed after applications of salicylic acid.

This line is heavily endorsed by celebrities and jet-setters. COLLAGEN 2000 is said to hydrolyze the skin (comment - which would dissolve the skin if it did this), attract moisture and vital elements (comment - what are "vital elements"), reduce susceptibility to the wrinkling process, promote suppleness, regeneration activity and a healthy skin tone. It is said to absorb 20 times its weight in
liquids thus helping to build up the skin and reduce wrinkles.

The product contains collagen breakdown products which cannot penetrate the skin barrier. When these are applied to the skin, they attract moisture from the air and might give an impression of skin moisture but this is all external. Real skin moisture is held by the skin's proteoglycans and glycosoaminoglycans. Reducing wrinkles requires activation of the metalloproteinases to remove old collagen and elastin and the synthesis of new collagen and elastin. External collagen cannot do this.

A more interesting product is "DNA" which is called a revolutionary product and said to be capable of skin restoration. The company literature also says "DNA" (Deoxyribonucleic acid) has been discovered to work with young skin cells in reprogramming and activating older skin cells to reestablish the cell's proper balance. DNA is the active molecule extracted from the salmon roe. The product is recommended for the delicate areas around the face, neck and bust. It is said to combat stretch marks and acne marked skin. and promote the cells ability to reproduce itself, thus bringing fresh, young cells to the surface of the skin within 28 days. DNA PLUS is DNA with vitamins A and E. DNA PLUS is recommended for mature and damaged skin.

The problem here again is that the DNA cannot penetrate the skin and even if it did, could not penetrate the skin's cells. Even if it did, what would you get with salmon DNA? Scales?

A third product is O2 OXYGEN BLU which contains potassium, phospholipids, sphingolipids, glycolipids and vitamin E. It is a gel said to be "laced with oxygen" and is claimed to increase your skin's oxygen content up to 100% in twelve to fourteen days. The company literature says "Skin's oxygen content begins to diminish at the age of twenty. After you have reached the age of thirty, up to twenty-five percent is lost, and by the age of forty as much as 50 percent is gone. Once you start using "O2 OXYGEN BLU", after three days your oxygen level will start to increase.... The "O2 Oxy Blu" gel has also a very powerful antibacterial effect... An acne bacteria cannot live in an oxygen rich environment. Recapturing a baby smooth skin is the promise of "O2 Oxygen Blu" laced moisturizer".

It is true that skin oxygen levels drop with age. But the only way to re-oxygenate the skin is to (1) either improve the skin's microcirculation of capillaries that bring oxygen to the cells or (2) put a person in a hyperbaric chamber containing a higher than normal level of oxygen at a very high pressure.