Several skin product manufacturers are now promoting their skin products as anti-inflammatory. The theory is that skin aging is due to inflammation.
It is clear that inflammation does play a role in aging. Disease states such as uncontrolled diabetes cause an increase the rate of development of some markers of aging. Plus there is an increased risk of age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease.
Aging is a natural process, and each person probably has a genetically predetermined rate. So it may be that high levels of inflammation increase the rate of aging of the skin.
Mibelle biochemistry, which is the company that has the apple and alpine rose stem cell products, is trying to get us to use the term “inflamm-aging” or “inflammaging”.
Mibelle has a new product derived from Magnolia officinalis, which is a type of magnolia that grows in China. It is used in traditional Chinese Medicine. Two compounds found in the bark, magnolol and honokiol, have been shown to be anti-inflammatory. They inhibit an enzyme that is involved in some inflammatory processes.
The magnolia extract is incorporated into liposomes (tiny fat bubbles) and goes by the name of MAXolia.
Studies of MAXolia by the company, of course, demonstrate that it improves skin. They say that a cream containing 0.5% MAXolia resulted in measurement of increased the elasticity of skin the crows feet area and reduced skin fatigue. Apparently, skin fatigue is loss of elasticity due to repeated use and stress. Also when applied to one forearm and compared to the other, MAXolia increased hydration, firmness and TEWL (trans epidermal water loss). No idea whether these changes resulted in any visible changes.
Wonder if the anti-inflammaging effects of the product are as good as the names.
photo credit: David Noah1
One Comment
I believe the association between skin aging and inflammatory markers is certainly a strong contributing factor towards skin aging. After all, inflammatory reactions increase the free radical activity in all areas of the body and it is no secret that inflammation is the root of all disease and disorder. One can surely include aging in the disease category considering the fact that after the age of 25 our natural DNA repair capacity declines in every cell of the body including cells in the dermal and epidermal skin regions. Although antioxidants taken in through both food and supplements (both primary and secondary) can certainly help to neutralize the accumulation of free radicals that react with and damage our cellular DNA, what happens when anti-oxidants are simply not enough and free radicals cause damage? Leading a lifestyle with the right combination of exercise, whole food nutrition, and use of clinically proven natural health product that help to optimize key body functions can certainly give us the upper hand by helping to minimize inflammatory reactions taking place in the body. In this day and age, leveraging unique natural compounds that up-regulate the natural DNA repair process while also inhibiting compounds that cause inflammation while also modulating the immune system is the right plan of attack to live a life that leads to less daily inflammation, less free-radical accumulation, and less DNA damage. However, because DNA damage still takes place whether we like it our not, we should be on the constant look out for natural compounds that have been clinically proven in human subjects to up-regulate the natural DNA-Repair process of the body. My research has lead me to both http://www.ageoff.com and http://dnaessentials.ca.