5Oct

The University of Arizona has licensed a new, non-penetrating sunscreen to MexiAloe Laboratorios, S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of Novamex.

The novel formulation binds oxybenzone — the active ingredient in most over-the-counter sunscreens — in a way that keeps it from seeping into the skin.

Douglas Loy, a UA professor of chemistry and biochemistry and materials science and engineering, developed the formulation with UA graduate student Stephanie Tolbert.

Blocking the absorption of oxybenzone into skin would help resolve public concern over the use of the compound, which filters out ultraviolet light and is used in many commercial topical sunscreens. The American Association of Dermatology says oxybenzone is safe, but public concerns have been raised about its effects when absorbed by users.

Tech Launch Arizona, the office of the UA that commercializes inventions stemming from research, worked with Loy to protect the intellectual property and license the invention to MexiAloe Laboratorios, a major supplier of aloe verde to cosmetics firms in North America. The firm’s parent company, Novamex, is one of the largest distributors of Mexican products in the United States.

According to Loy, the inspiration for the invention came from Tolbert.

“Stephanie wanted to improve cosmetics by introducing sunscreens that wouldn’t pass through the skin,” he said. “In addition to being nonhazardous, we made the sunscreens last longer so they wouldn’t have to be reapplied as frequently.”

Sunscreens take molecules that block UV light and encase them in microscopic capsules, which the industry calls “pearls.” These pearls break down, and the chemicals they contain can become even more photosensitive — and then leach into the skin.

So Loy and Tolbert posed the question: Why can’t we take a natural product and minimize the issue of these bothersome chemicals with naturally occurring, nontoxic alternatives and achieve the same UV protection?

Leveraging the power of chemical bonds, the new formulation binds the pearls to the sunscreen’s components so they do not break down.

In addition to the science behind the invention, two additional drivers contributed to the successful licensing of the technology. First, TLA’s Asset Development Program provided funds to develop the invention beyond basic research. Also, TLA’s Commercialization Partners, a group of experienced entrepreneurs and business people who volunteer their advice to help bring UA inventions to market, helped provide input and strategic direction.

“We worked with MexiAloe on defining the Asset Development project, which we designed to provide the company with more of the product for them to test and validate the findings,” said Paul Eynott, TLA licensing manager for the College of Science. “The CEO wrote a letter supporting the project and contributed financially to the development, as well. TLA awarded the funds to Loy’s lab, and the results tipped the scales in favor of a great exclusive license arrangement.”

“Personal care consumers are connecting the dots between health, environmental sustainability and natural ingredients. This trend is shaping the future of the natural personal care category,” said Luis Fernandez, CEO of Novamex. “With these licensed patents from UA, we are looking forward to providing innovative solutions for consumers that now more than ever are looking for natural and functional sunscreens.”

Story Source: sciencedaily.com. Materials by University of Arizona College of Engineering. Original by Paul Tumarkin.

 

5Oct

Poikiloderma of Civatte is commonly found on the sides of the neck and cheeks. It presents as hyperpigmentation (darkening of skin colour) with underlying redness (telangiectasia/dilation of fine blood vessels) in men and women.

Hyperpigmentation is caused by sun exposure, hormonal changes (in women), the use of perfumes/after shaves and certain cosmetic ingredients such as Oil of Bergamot that cause the skin to become light-sensitive.

Telangiectasia becomes visible because of the loss of vascular support and thinning of skin. The lesions are usually asymptomatic, but some patients may feel mild burning, itching and increased sensitivity in the affected area.

Poikiloderma of Civatte is more obvious on the right side of the neck and face because of driving.

Recommended Skin Care

  1. It is recommended to use a non-irritating SPF 50 sun screen twice daily.
  • Heliocare Sun Protection range
  • Avéne Mineral SPF (for sportsmen and women who perspire/swim)
  1. A topical cream to lighten the dark skin may also be used.
  • Skin Tech Blending Bleaching Cream
  • Obagi Nuderm Blend fx
  • NeoStrata Enlighten Skin Brightener SPF25

Professional Treatments available at Lasermed are: 1. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) to lighten hyperpigmentation and constrict blood vessels; and Chemical Peels to lighten hyperpigmentation.

By combining topical creams, sun protection and appropriate treatments, one can improve the appearance of this condition. Prevention is better than cure: wear a cotton scarf around your neck while driving or when doing sport.

Book a free consultation with a laser operator/ skin therapist at Lasermed.

Visit www.dermashop.co.za to purchase products.

  • by Dr Francois de Goede

 

16Sep

These days, hands reveal a person’s true age. Penny Jenkinson outlines how to put your best hand forward.

Hands begin to age fairly soon, often between the ages of 30 and 40. Patches of hyperpigmentation (dark) appear. The skin becomes dehydrated and starts to wither. Between the ages of 40 to 50, the dark marks grow and solar keratoses (rough sun spots) are visible. Hypopigmentation (white spots) will also begin to appear. Between 50 and 70, in parallel with a decline in sex hormone production (more gradual in men than women), signs of atrophy (thinning) in the epidermis, subcutaneous fatty tissue, muscle and bone start to appear. Rheumatic disorders often develop, deforming joints. Veins, that have become more sinuous, stand out through the thinned epidermis. Fragile capillaries easily cause bruising, friction wounds are more frequent as the epidermis is not held as tightly to the dermis.

Although we can’t stop the ageing process, we can certainly delay it by leading a healthy life style, ensuring that our diet contains vitamins, antioxidants and fatty acids; keeping out of the sun and maintaining good estrogen and progesterone levels.

So how can we repair our damaged hands? A variety of treatment modalities are available. Freezing and fat fills can be considered. Chemicals Peels, IPL and needling are ideal for smooth flat sun spots, rough and dehydrated skin. After completing a course of three to four treatments, the skin quality is better, stronger and well hydrated. Applying topical active products and sunscreen will complement these treatments. A course of treatments should be done annually as maintenance.

Be proud to show off hands that look as young as your face!

Recommended products:

Skin Tech: DHEA Cream , Atrofillin Cream

Zone: Night Cream

Dermastine: Emulsion with Vitamin A

Sun Protection: Heliocare, Bioderma, Avene, Skin Tech

 

REFERENCE: TEXTBOOK OF CHEMICAL PEELS 2ND EDITION BY DR PHILIPPE DEPREZ

21Aug

A Henry Ford Hospital study has shown that skin transplant surgery has long-term benefit for restoring skin pigmentation caused by the skin disease vitiligo.

In a retrospective study, researchers found that a majority of areas of the skin treated with surgery still had “very good to excellent” color match pigmentation five years later.

Treated areas included the face, neck, hands, torso, legs and feet. Skin type, age and location of the vitiligo had no significant effect on the outcome of the repigmentation.

The surgery is known as melanocyte-keratinocyte transplantation or MKTP. During surgery, melanocyte skin cells responsible for giving color to the skin, hair and eyes are harvested from healthy, pigmented areas of the body and transferred to an area that lost its pigment. Pigmentation starts to return to the surgery area in about two months.

The study is published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

“MKTP works and it lasts a long time,” says Iltefat Hamzavi, M.D., a Henry Ford dermatologist and the study’s senior author and principal investigator. “It’s better than any technology we have to treat this condition.”

Vitiligo develops when melanocyte cells are killed by the body’s immune system, causing the area of the skin to turn white because the cells no longer make pigment. The white lesions vary in size and location — face, hands, arms, feet and torso. It is more noticeable in people with darker skin.

The American Academy of Dermatology says millions of people are living with vitiligo worldwide.

Vitiligo has two types — segmental and nonsegmental. Segmental vitiligo appears on one segment, or part, of the body like the face or arm. Nonsegmental vitiligo is the most common type and appears on both sides of the body such as the hands and knees.

The skin disease is non-contagious and treatable — topical medication, light therapy, depigmentation and skin grafting, among them. However, it’s emotionally stigmatizing for those living with it and often comes with awkward stares and impolite comments.

Henry Ford’s study is believed to be the first in the United States to evaluate MKTP’s long-term benefit. Researchers analyzed repigmentation results in 63 vitiligo patients who underwent MKTP between January 2009 and April 2014. Key highlights:

  • 71 percent repigmentation was maintained in 45 segmental vitiligo lesions five years after surgery.
  • 64 percent repigmentation was maintained in 90 nonsegmental vitiligo lesions five years after surgery.
  • 75 percent repigmentation was maintained in all vitiligo lesions at two, four and five years after surgery.

In 2009 Henry Ford became the first hospital in North America to perform MKTP. Its benchmark research published in the Archives of Dermatology found that MKTP was safe and effective for treating vitiligo, for which there is no cure. It also demonstrated the potential for restoring pigmentation — in eight patients with a specific type of vitiligo, the treated area regained on average 74 percent of its natural skin color after six months.

“We were the first North America center to show it works. Now we can show that not only does it work, it lasts for years in a majority of patients,” Dr. Hamzavi says.

Since the early years, Dr. Hamzavi and his team have refined MKTP’s technique to maximize the potential for repigmentation. Most notable is that a laser is now used for removing the white vitiligo lesions and prepping it to receive the healthy melanocyte cells. Previously, doctors used a dermabrader. Also, more superior dressings bring improved comfort to patients.

“If you pick the right patient, do the procedure properly — the majority of patients will maintain their color,” Dr. Hamzavi says of MKTP. – sciencedaily.com; materials by Henry Ford Health System.

2Aug

Is your reflection in the mirror showing you the first signs of wrinkles and dark spots? Your days of smooth, radiant, and elastic skin are numbered, and the ticking clock of time and sunlight are to blame.
Skin aging is caused by a combination of natural aging and exposure to sunlight. A little bit of sunshine goes a long way, helping to boost vitamin D levels and keeping seasonal affective disorder at bay. However, soaking up too much is incredibly bad for our skin.

Add to this the inescapable factor of time, and the result is sagging skin, wrinkles, and discolorations: the characteristic signs of skin aging.

Our skin has two distinct layers. The epidermis makes up the outer barrier of our skin and protects us from environmental insults, such as bacteria and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Meanwhile, the dermis is rich in collagens and other proteins, which are responsible for skin’s strength and elasticity.

Both layers take quite a beating during our lives, and over time, irreparable damage accumulates. But why is skin unable to repair this damage?
Dermal cells lose connections
The dermis contains a very complex arrangement of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, including collagens and others, such as elastin, which provides elasticity.

Fibroblast cells in the dermis not only produce these proteins, but they are also firmly lodged in between these proteins and connected to them. As we age, the ECM progressively loses its integrity as the protein structures become fragmented.

Fibroblasts lose their ECM connections as enzymes slowly degrade the protein networks. This leads to a change in fibroblast shape, severely affecting the cells’ function. Protein production by fibroblasts is reduced, contributing further to the breakdown of the ECM network.

This detrimental circle of events causes a significant reduction in elasticity and results in the loss of our pert skin tone. Why this happens during the normal aging process is not clear, but scientists think that it is caused by a combination of oxidative stress damage to DNA, cell senescence, and chronic inflammation.

However, the dermis is not the only culprit at play.

Epidermal cells and UV damage
Although we all experience some natural loss of elasticity and ECM integrity as we age, sun exposure makes this much worse.

But fibroblasts themselves do not react to direct irradiation with UV light in laboratory studies. Instead, scientists think that cells in the epidermis respond to UV exposure by releasing chemicals that diffuse into the dermis and lead to enzyme release in dermal fibroblasts.

This complex interplay is thought to result in deep wrinkles, which is a hallmark of UV-induced skin aging. And recent evidence implicates a third player in causing the signs of skin aging.
Fat tissue and aging
As our bodies age, the fat layer below the skin naturally shrinks, resulting in sagging. But until recently, scientists were unable to see any connection between UV damage and fat; UV rays do not penetrate deeply enough to reach the subcutaneous fat.

However, a new type of fat depot in the deep dermis was recently discovered that can penetrate the upper dermis, which is well within reach of UV light.

These specialized fat cells can also respond to chemicals released by cells in the epidermis. In response to chronic UV damage, these fat cells die and are replaced by scar tissue.

Armed with this knowledge, can we avoid the inevitable accumulation of skin damage? Sun exposure at safe levels will certainly limit the amount of damage that UV can inflict on your skin.

As of yet, no one has found an answer to stopping the natural aging process. But rest assured: scientists are continuing their search for the holy grail of aging.
– medicalnewstoday.com

20Jul

Micro-needling has been heralded as a non-invasive way to achieve youthful, dewy-looking skin. Dermapen skin needling is done at Lasermed with a device that has small needles which are rolled over your face and neck area to create controlled punctures. This forces your skin into repair mode. So, when your skin starts repairing itself it turbocharges your body’s natural ability to produce collagen and elastin. It also helps improve skin texture, reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks and creates a more youthful skin tone.

The procedure starts with your face being anaesthetised with topical cream and has minimal downtime. It usually means just a few hours of redness, mild swelling and red patches. However, depending on your tolerance levels, these symptoms can last for one to two days and you may also experience pinpoint bleeding and bruising.

The number of sessions depends on the skin condition, but typically you’re looking at 3 to 5 treatments in 4 to 6-week intervals with maintenance treatments every 6 to 9 months. Take note that the final results might not be noticeable until you hit the three- to 12-month mark because boosting collagen and elastin within the dermis takes time.

It can be used on all skin colours and skin types, however it should be avoided if one has an active infection on the skin such as impetigo, active and inflamed acne or rosacea. Those with hypersensitive skin, acute eczema or sun burnt skin should also avoid the treatment.