05.02.14
Surgical procedures and injections are used worldwide to diminish the impact of aging on facial skin. However, effective and safe alternatives are necessary if these treatments are considered too invasive. Topical formulations can provide youth-enhancing results due to a wide range of active ingredients with rejuvenating benefits that address specific skin care concerns.
A consistently sought out desire is the need to live longer without showing visible signs of aging. As the skin loses its ability to fight internal damage, evidence of aging appears. The face is a prominent target that, in addition to chronological aging, is affected by environmental aggressors such as UV rays or pollution. All of these factors contribute to the vast difference between younger skin and aged skin.
The induced cellular damage may accumulate and result in macroscopic effects like dehydration, volume loss, sagginess, fine lines and/or wrinkles. However the face is not the only area that is affected; lips also reflect such signs of aging. Lips are a special area of focus, drawing attention immediately and thus reflect an area of skin care that is relevant when improving facial appearance. The appearance of smoking lines for example (wrinkles etching vertically from the upper lip to the nose) is more frequent with aging, but often it occurs on individuals in their 30s. Lip volume also naturally diminishes with time which may or may not be coupled with a genetic predisposition of less voluminous lips. Increasing lip plumpness can thereby bolster facial beauty.
There is currently a need for improving facial appearance as a result of aging or personal dissatisfaction with one’s own features. Beauty treatments continue to garner attention to fulfil the expectations of consumers. Surgical operations, nonsurgical procedures and cosmetics are very well known possibilities, each of them with their own pros and cons, acting on different levels.
An extreme option to erase or hide facial aging is surgical procedures but they are normally highly invasive and expensive, presenting potential adverse effects as well. Nonsurgical procedures are a less invasive option that includes injections, laser treatments and abrasion processes. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, more than 8 million treatments with botulinum toxin A and hyaluronic acid (HA) injections were done around the world in 2011, accounting for 61.4% of nonsurgical procedures. This data confirmed that the concern for wrinkles and fine lines has increased so drastically that the demand for injections of these well-known fillers was higher than other types of treatment.
In the US alone, botulinum toxin A injections increased by 8% up to 6.1 million versus 2011 and the demand for HA as a soft tissue filler jumped 9% to 1.4 million procedures, according to the 2012 American Society of Plastic Surgeons report. Recently approved by the FDA to treat crow’s feet as well, botulinum toxin A usage is expected to rise in the coming years, as is demand for HA. Although frequent application are needed and can cause adverse affects, both botulinum toxin A and HA are the primary ingredients when talking about plumping and filling.
Topical formulations provide less aggressive alternative for those hoping to enhance their youth and beauty without invasive treatments, and also for those who want to prolong and complement the effect of HA or botulinum toxins injections between sessions. However, not all cosmetic ingredients are able to provide the same effectiveness.
Topical Solutions
The cosmetic industry constantly develops molecules that target and act on specific concerns within skin care. After studying the physiological process in depth, Lipotec designs tailor-made molecules to promote, inhibit or compete with the selected targets. Key technologies such as combinatorial chemistry, molecular modelling and biotechnology screen an unlimited number of active ingredients with proven efficacy to deliver a final product that meets each consumer need. Lifting, replenishing, redefining, plumping and volumizing effects can be attained by applying a topical formulation with the most appropriate active ingredients.
Argireline peptide is the first ingredient in the market to replicate the N-terminal end of SNAP-25. It is a safe and topical alternative to botulinum toxin, and represents a breakthrough in cosmetic technology to diminish the appearance of expression wrinkles (Fig.1). With a powerful lifting effect, Argireline reduced expression wrinkles in just one week (volume by 20.6% and length by 15.9%, at 2%), in vivo. Other parameters used to evaluate wrinkles such as roughness and depth also decreased when applying the active, as demonstrated in additional in vivo tests.
To counteract the force of gravity and fight sagging especially in mature skin, Uplevity peptide increases functional elastin and provides more efficient cell support (Fig. 2). The production of extracellular matrix proteins essential to dermal firmness was increased and genes involved in cellular cohesion (focal adhesions and collagen) were upregulated with this peptide. In vivo, Uplevity decreased indentation by 9.5% and area parameter by 23.2%; results were quantified by ballistometry and can be interpreted to provide a considerable increase in firmness. It also diminished dermal fragmentation rate by nearly 40% after 55 days (using it at 2%), improving the quality of the reticular dermis.
A diverse library of active ingredients with multifunctional skin care benefits was identified through the utilization of sustainability in biotechnology and the vast diversity of marine and water habitats (Fig. 3). Hyanify marine ingredient stands out for its replenishing effect in minimizing the signs of aging by inducing HA synthesis in fibroblasts. It decreased the maximum depth of the nasogenian folds by 19.6% after 28 days (using it at 1%).
Also of biotechnological origin, Seacode marine ingredient increased type I collagen synthesis helping to reduce lipstick lines. A 16.5% decrease was measured in only 1 week (using the active at 2%), achieving a 25.1% improvement after the 4-week treatment, thus producing a visible plumping effect.
Finally, Hilurlip functional ingredient significantly increased lip volume up to 30% within a month (when using it at 2%), improving overall lip beauty (Fig. 4). This active ingredient is an advanced example of vehiculization of particles of sodium hyaluronate to enhance their efficacy and penetration. Such small particles swell when in contact with the water molecules within skin, producing a long-term volumizing effect on lips.
Conclusions
Consumers’ quest for healthy and younger-looking skin has increased the demand for anti-aging solutions. Topical solutions offer a safer way to provide rejuvenating effects without invasive procedures. Lipotec offers scientifically-based, effective ingredients that allow formulators to develop cosmetic products that make consumers feel more confident and young. These ingredients are not only the perfect alternative to invasive procedures, but deliver complementary benefits targeting the physical appearance of aging. The desire to age gracefully and slowly can be satisfied with innovative cosmetic ingredients.
A consistently sought out desire is the need to live longer without showing visible signs of aging. As the skin loses its ability to fight internal damage, evidence of aging appears. The face is a prominent target that, in addition to chronological aging, is affected by environmental aggressors such as UV rays or pollution. All of these factors contribute to the vast difference between younger skin and aged skin.
The induced cellular damage may accumulate and result in macroscopic effects like dehydration, volume loss, sagginess, fine lines and/or wrinkles. However the face is not the only area that is affected; lips also reflect such signs of aging. Lips are a special area of focus, drawing attention immediately and thus reflect an area of skin care that is relevant when improving facial appearance. The appearance of smoking lines for example (wrinkles etching vertically from the upper lip to the nose) is more frequent with aging, but often it occurs on individuals in their 30s. Lip volume also naturally diminishes with time which may or may not be coupled with a genetic predisposition of less voluminous lips. Increasing lip plumpness can thereby bolster facial beauty.
There is currently a need for improving facial appearance as a result of aging or personal dissatisfaction with one’s own features. Beauty treatments continue to garner attention to fulfil the expectations of consumers. Surgical operations, nonsurgical procedures and cosmetics are very well known possibilities, each of them with their own pros and cons, acting on different levels.
An extreme option to erase or hide facial aging is surgical procedures but they are normally highly invasive and expensive, presenting potential adverse effects as well. Nonsurgical procedures are a less invasive option that includes injections, laser treatments and abrasion processes. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, more than 8 million treatments with botulinum toxin A and hyaluronic acid (HA) injections were done around the world in 2011, accounting for 61.4% of nonsurgical procedures. This data confirmed that the concern for wrinkles and fine lines has increased so drastically that the demand for injections of these well-known fillers was higher than other types of treatment.
In the US alone, botulinum toxin A injections increased by 8% up to 6.1 million versus 2011 and the demand for HA as a soft tissue filler jumped 9% to 1.4 million procedures, according to the 2012 American Society of Plastic Surgeons report. Recently approved by the FDA to treat crow’s feet as well, botulinum toxin A usage is expected to rise in the coming years, as is demand for HA. Although frequent application are needed and can cause adverse affects, both botulinum toxin A and HA are the primary ingredients when talking about plumping and filling.
Topical formulations provide less aggressive alternative for those hoping to enhance their youth and beauty without invasive treatments, and also for those who want to prolong and complement the effect of HA or botulinum toxins injections between sessions. However, not all cosmetic ingredients are able to provide the same effectiveness.
Topical Solutions
The cosmetic industry constantly develops molecules that target and act on specific concerns within skin care. After studying the physiological process in depth, Lipotec designs tailor-made molecules to promote, inhibit or compete with the selected targets. Key technologies such as combinatorial chemistry, molecular modelling and biotechnology screen an unlimited number of active ingredients with proven efficacy to deliver a final product that meets each consumer need. Lifting, replenishing, redefining, plumping and volumizing effects can be attained by applying a topical formulation with the most appropriate active ingredients.
Argireline peptide is the first ingredient in the market to replicate the N-terminal end of SNAP-25. It is a safe and topical alternative to botulinum toxin, and represents a breakthrough in cosmetic technology to diminish the appearance of expression wrinkles (Fig.1). With a powerful lifting effect, Argireline reduced expression wrinkles in just one week (volume by 20.6% and length by 15.9%, at 2%), in vivo. Other parameters used to evaluate wrinkles such as roughness and depth also decreased when applying the active, as demonstrated in additional in vivo tests.
To counteract the force of gravity and fight sagging especially in mature skin, Uplevity peptide increases functional elastin and provides more efficient cell support (Fig. 2). The production of extracellular matrix proteins essential to dermal firmness was increased and genes involved in cellular cohesion (focal adhesions and collagen) were upregulated with this peptide. In vivo, Uplevity decreased indentation by 9.5% and area parameter by 23.2%; results were quantified by ballistometry and can be interpreted to provide a considerable increase in firmness. It also diminished dermal fragmentation rate by nearly 40% after 55 days (using it at 2%), improving the quality of the reticular dermis.
A diverse library of active ingredients with multifunctional skin care benefits was identified through the utilization of sustainability in biotechnology and the vast diversity of marine and water habitats (Fig. 3). Hyanify marine ingredient stands out for its replenishing effect in minimizing the signs of aging by inducing HA synthesis in fibroblasts. It decreased the maximum depth of the nasogenian folds by 19.6% after 28 days (using it at 1%).
Also of biotechnological origin, Seacode marine ingredient increased type I collagen synthesis helping to reduce lipstick lines. A 16.5% decrease was measured in only 1 week (using the active at 2%), achieving a 25.1% improvement after the 4-week treatment, thus producing a visible plumping effect.
Finally, Hilurlip functional ingredient significantly increased lip volume up to 30% within a month (when using it at 2%), improving overall lip beauty (Fig. 4). This active ingredient is an advanced example of vehiculization of particles of sodium hyaluronate to enhance their efficacy and penetration. Such small particles swell when in contact with the water molecules within skin, producing a long-term volumizing effect on lips.
Conclusions
Consumers’ quest for healthy and younger-looking skin has increased the demand for anti-aging solutions. Topical solutions offer a safer way to provide rejuvenating effects without invasive procedures. Lipotec offers scientifically-based, effective ingredients that allow formulators to develop cosmetic products that make consumers feel more confident and young. These ingredients are not only the perfect alternative to invasive procedures, but deliver complementary benefits targeting the physical appearance of aging. The desire to age gracefully and slowly can be satisfied with innovative cosmetic ingredients.