Growth Factors in Skin Care Products

Everybody’s doing it. You are, I am, they are… AGING! I know, bummer, right? Now don’t get me wrong, I am GRATEFUL for the wisdom, the lessons, etc. HOWEVER, I am NOT A FAN of WRINKLES!!! Who is with me??!!??

Let’s find out how they form, so we can then look at what we are seeing in ingredients and products that are addressing aging.

The basic structure of the skin is the epidermis (what you see) and the dermis (what you don’t). The epidermis provides a barrier, not just from foreign invaders (bacteria that can cause any number of skin challenges, i.e. acne) but from LOSING MOISTURE!!!!

Ok, we all know how crazy I am about hydration…right? IMHO the 2 easiest things you can do to keep your skin healthy and youthful are HYDRATION and SUN PROTECTION- every skin type, every day, male or female, young or old.

So what does that fact have to do with aging and ME? A lot, actually…Just below what you can touch is a fantastic world of moisture and metabolic processes that allow your body to replace cells, nutrients, and do its day to day jobs. MOISTURE IS THE KEY TO METABOLIC FUNCTIONING. We are made of mostly water (approximately 70%), so this makes sense, no?

So, if your skin cells are swathed in moisture, they can function better. BUT THAT IS NOT ALL! As we age, everything starts to slow down, including the production of proteins that are a huge part of every process in the body, and are now being considered in serious age management protocols.

Growth factors are natural messenger proteins that allow communication between cells in our body. They are the control mechanism for all wound healing and repairing skin that is damaged from natural aging. As we age, our bodies produce lower levels of natural growth factors, resulting in more breakdown of collagen that is the foundational support to the skin. Over the past decade, many universities are researching if supplementing the skin with topical growth factors may enhance natural repair processes that accelerate the reversal of skin aging. To date, multiple clinical studies show that topical application of growth factors reduce the signs and symptoms of skin aging including fine lines, wrinkles, age spots and increase in the production of collagen.

There are several topical growth products available on the market today; however, choosing the right one is an important decision. There are two main ways to harvest growth factors:

1) Derive the growth factors from natural skin cells or

2) Synthetically create individual growth factors. Research demonstrates that the ideal topical product is a physiologically balanced mixture of skin cell-derived growth factors (active proteins) that work synergistically to promote skin repair.

This mixture is superior because it most closely resembles the complexity of the skin’s natural process of combating aging.

There are plant-derived growth factors that are promising to show the same results-- apple stem cells have been shown to do much of the same as human-derived epidermal growth factors.

I have had the pleasure of trying many of the available products with GF’s in them. The one that I saw that had great results, did not smell funky (they can smell really funky) and worked the best for the $$ is FIX Malibu Immaculate Complexion. I saw changes in a few weeks. Number two, BENEV GF DNA Repair Serum, is lovely as well.

You should always use these products on clean skin. I also incorporate skin stamping (micro needle collagen stimulation) and alternate my Radiancy LHE photofacial treatments. You should see results with just adding a GF serum to your regimen in the p.m. I would start in your early 30s, if you are trying to figure out if it is time for you to add to your regimen.

Let me know which one you have tried and why YOU love it!

Chandra Bredel, licensed aesthetician, is the former Director of Education for several top luxury brands in the U.S. She travels the world as a product development consultant, author, educator and speaker, sharing her knowledge of ingredient technology with a special emphasis on how ingredients impact the structure and function of skin. Chandra has more than 35 years of being a geek4beauty, geek4beauty.wordpress.com, with 20 of those years gaining experience in the beauty and wellness industries where she has held the position of makeup artist, spa owner, educator, product formulator, consultant, director, patient care coordinator, aesthetician and body therapist. She has honed and developed results-driven products, successful treatment protocols and results required for opening and operating a successful skin care center for top skin care brands, resort spas, spas, doctors, and entrepreneurs alike.