Ava asks: I was hoping that you could settle something for us, being scientifically-inclined and all. I recently participated in a heated discussion about hydrogen peroxide being converted into bioavailable oxygen when in a cream, as claimed by Karin Herzog skincare. Not only does this seem impossible to me (and in fact very harmful in the long run to the skin barrier), but I tracked down all the research that supposedly upholds these claims and it is completely, utterly bogus.

Here’s my question: Is there a way to deliver oxygen to the skin in the form of a cream? Is it beneficial? Could hydrogen peroxide break down in order to deliver oxygen to the cells of the skin, as Karin Herzog claims?

The Left Brain responds:
I suggest you read the thread that Ava provided (see reference below) because it contains an excellent explanation from Paula Begoun, the Cosmetic Cop, on why oxygen is a bogus ingredient in cosmetics. Meanwhile, here’s my take on the subject:

A breath of fresh air

It’s true that oxygen is essential for healthy skin. But that’s only because you’d be DEAD without oxygen. Let me explain how that works: When you inhale oxygen it binds to hemoglobin in your red cells and is transported to various tissues throughout your body. From there it’s taken up into the cells, specifically into the mitochondria. These are tiny compartments that are equipped with special enzymes that bind to the oxygen to create energy for the cells. So oxygen that you breathe, that’s properly bound in your cells is important.

On the other hand, free oxygen is BAD for your skin because it can create free radicals that damage your cells. So despite the fact that Karin Herzog tells you her eye cream contains “0.5% oxygen that moisturizes, illuminates, tones, hydrates and firms the gentle eye area” your skin does NOT want free oxygen.

I can think of one case where there is a potential benefit to applying oxygen you skin. That’s using hydrogen peroxide as an antiseptic. The peroxide breaks and release oxygen that can have a mild germicidal effect. But that oxygen doesn’t penetrate into your skin!

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Don’t hold your breath waiting for oxygen skin care products to really work.

Reference:
Paula’s references on oxygen and skin can be found in this thread.

Here’s good news for all you Beauty Brains readers who are interested in natural ingredients that really work: a combination of Japanese honeysuckle, peppermint, peony tree root bark, atractylodes herb, and cork-tree bark may be an effective eczema treatment.

5 herbs to eczema-free

According to The Dermatology Times researchers have found that a traditional Chinese herbal medicine made from these five herbs can ease the symptoms this itchy, scaley skin condition.

In a controlled study, 85 patients were given either the herbal blend or a placebo. Those who took the herbs reported improved quality of life and a reduced need for steroids, as compared to the placebo group. Additional testing revealed that patients who took the medicinal herbal blend had lower blood levels of certain proteins that are linked to the inflammatory effects of eczema.

Tasty tea?

Does this mean you can just sip some tea made with these herbs and cure your eczema? Not necessarily, because while many drugs come from herbs they need to be purified and quantified to provide a consistent dose. Natural sources of herbs don’t necessarily offer that same consistency and purity.

– Mid Brain

Kelly’s question: Hi! I recently read something about the “Hayflick Limit” - but in relation to exfoliating and using products like Retin-A that says you can only exfoliate a finite number of times and then your skin will stop reproducing new cells! Is this true? I’ve just started a regimen of AHAs and Retin-A and my skin looks gorgeous. Am I setting myself up for the “Hayflick Limit” if I use these products once a day?

The Left Brain’s Limited Reply:
The Hayflick limit determines the life span of some types of cells. When cells replicate they lose a little piece from the end of their DNA chain, which is called a telomere. Eventually the telomere becomes so short the cell can no longer reproduce. In a cell culture, normal human cells will divide 52 times before they reach their Hayflick limit. (For a more detailed discussion of the Hayflick limit and exfoliation, check out this thread from Smart Skin Care.)

What does this have to do with exfoliation? Apparently not very much. When you exfoliate you’re stripping off the top, dead layers of your skin (the stratum corneum) which triggers the deeper basal layer to produce fresh cells. I couldn’t find any references that indicated that telomere shortening of the basal layer is a consequence of exfoliation. This sounds like another marketing scam to me, so be very wary of products like Dr. Tolonen’s Bio-Carnosin Beauty Cream, that claim to reduce the Hayflick limit through the use of Carnosine.

Of course, there are other issues to worry about. Exfoliation can cause irritation. so you should still be careful how much skin you strip away.

Liz’s Lament : What are the best ingredients to look for in a product that is for depuffing and lightening dark under eye circles?
The Right Brain’s reply:

We’ve blogged about under eye circles before, but we get a lot of questions on this topic so it’s worthwhile revisiting.

Medically speaking, under eye circles are defined as bilateral, round, homogeneous pigment macules on the infraorbital regions. Practically speaking, they’re just a pain in the butt.

The best treatment depends on what’s causing the problem in the first place, Liz. And it so happens that there are MANY causes. Here’s a quick list of the major ones. In some cases there are products that can help.

1. Hematomas

This is just a fancy way of saying you’ve got blood pooled below your skin, think of it as a bruise.

Treatment: At least one study has shown that phytonadione (aka Vitamin K) can reduce this kind of dark circle. There’s not much proof that it works, but yuou might give a product called VitaK a try.

2. Pigmentation

Over-production of melanin, the same pigment that gives your skin a tan, can also create dark rings below your eyes. Sometimes this is caused by an inflammatory condition.

Treatment: The best approach is to have a doctor use a laser treatment to break up the melanin molecules and get rid of the color. But if you can’t afford that you may also see some minor improvement using skin lightening creams like Meladerm or Hylexin.  Meladerm works through an active ingredient called Kojic acid.  You could even try the Lusidina 18K Gold Nurse Whitener Nose Mask.

3. Allergies

Conditions like allergic contact dermatitis and hay fever can increase the appearance of dark circles.

Treatment: Treating the allergies with over the counter medications should help. You might want to check with your doctor on this one.

4. Swelling

This could be regular puffiness or a condition known as periorbital edema. In either case this occurs when fluid fills the tissue beneath the eyes.

Treatment: Swelling can have many causes. If you have other symptoms you should check with your doctor on this one too.

5. Visible blood vessels

For some people, the blood vessels below the eyes are more easily visible either because their skin is very pale or because the vessels are not deep beneath the skin.

Treatment: Either way, unless you want to have major cosmetic surgery, you’d better stick to covering up this problem with make up.

6. Lack of skin tightness

Saggy skin can cast shadows that exaggerate the appearance of dark circles.

Treatment: Make-up is probably your best bet here as well. You may see some slight benefit with skin tightening lotions but the effect will be minor and very temporary.

7. Lack of sleep

If you’re not getting enough sleep your eyes tend to look sunken which accentuates that raccoon look.

Treatment: Get to bed early and catch up on your sleep.

8. Dehydration

This is another cause of sunken eyes. Rehydrating the tissue may help reverse the problem.

Treatment: Drink up!

9. Persistent eye rubbing

You may not even realize you’re doing it, but continually rubbing your eyes can make dark circles look worse.

Treatment: Stop rubbing your eyes. Duh.

10. Black eye

A punch or other blunt trauma is the classic cause of very dark under eye circles. If this is what causing your problem you should spend less time on the beauty websites and more time on the boxing blogs!

Treatment: Apply cold compresses and work on your right hook.

Sources:

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Volume 6, Number 3, September 2007 , pp. 211-215(5)

Wrong Diagnosis.Com

Shelly says: Your post about donating hair to Locks of Love reminded me of this article about donating extra skin. Can this be for real?

The Left Brain responds:
It’s true. Researchers have figured out a way to “recycle” excess skin from weight loss operations into usable grafts to help with a number surgical procedures. Since the supply of skin from recently deceased donors isn’t enough to fill the surgical demand, the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, the nations largest tissue bank, is now working with almost 70 surgeons around the country on a new living skin donation program.

How does living skin donation work?

When you’re having a tummy tuck or any other procedure that involves skin removal, you can chose to donate the skin for surgical use. After the skin is removed from your body, it’s prepared for its new home. First it must be stripped of fat; even though you may have lot of weight your skin can still contain excess fat. Then, other cells must be removed to prevent the recipient from rejecting the new tissue, as frequently occurs in organ transplants. The remaining slabs of skin are known as a collagen matrix.

These slabs are then cut and shaped into pieces that can be used in surgical procedures. The final pieces are packaged, frozen, and stored for distribution.

Once the harvested skin reaches the hospital, it is implanted in its new body so the collagen matrix can act as a scaffolding that the patients’ bodies use to regrow skin of their own.

What is living skin used for?

Living skin donations can be used for a variety of procedures, like reconstructing breasts after mastectomy, repairing abdominal walls from hernias, building bladder slings to control incontinence, and reshaping facial features damaged by cancer.

Researchers are still learning how to use living skin in place of cadaver skin. Cadaver skin is better for treating burn victims because it’s easier to shave off thin sheets of skin when it’s still attached to the body. Living skin requires new tools and new procedures that are still being developed.

So if you’re going ahead with that tummy tuck because you’re not satisfied with the weight loss from that new diet pill Alli /, you might want to consider living skin donation.

Source: Boston.com

Susan’s Dissatisfied: I just read your article on natural skin oil and psoriasis. I’m sorry but “phosphatidylglycerol” doesn’t sound all that natural to me. And I don’t even want to know WHERE you get the skin oil to put into the product. Yuck! Isn’t there something else we could use instead?

The Right Brain responds: What’s the matter Suzie? You don’t like the idea of smearing oil from someone else’s skin all over your body? You’ll never get invited to a party at the Left Brain’s place with THAT kind of attitude.

Another natural ingredient that really works

No worries, though, because there IS another natural anti-itch ingredient that just made science headlines. The latest and greatest magic ingredient is… Ta Da! Green Tea!

Ok, I know what you’re thinking: “Didn’t we already know that green tea is good for us because it’s an antioxidant? This isn’t new news!” You’re right, tea has long been known for its beneficial properties. But researchers at the Medical College of Georgia have just discovered a NEW benefit of green tea – it can soothe the kind of dry, red, flaky skin like you get with dandruff and psoriasis.

What causes dry flaky skin?

Both conditions occur when the mechanism that controls skin cell growth goes crazy. The cells don’t die when they’re supposed to and create lesions on the skin. Green Tea can regulate the expression of a protein known as Caspase-14 that controls the life cycle of a skin cell. When the skin cells die off at the right rate, dandruff disappears.

Where Can I Buy This Magic Tea Treatment?

Slow down, there’s a catch. Actually, there are two catches. One, the active ingredient in green tea has to penetrate the skin to work. Two, the ingredient is very reactive and will oxidize before it ever gets on your skin. So there’s no product on the market right now using this technology. But if cosmetic chemists can figure out how to properly stabilize and deliver the ingredient, we could all be living in a flake free world without Head & Shoulders. Woo-hoo!

Shelley says: I love it when you tell us about natural ingredients that REALLY work, like you did with Avocado sugars. Got any more natural goodies that really deliver? The Left Brain replies:

Thanks for the very timely question, Shelley. In fact, I just read in the Dermatology Times that studies done at the Medical College of Georgia suggest that a natural skin oil, phosphatidylglycerol, may be the key to slowing psoriasis and some non-melanoma skin cancers.

What is Psoriasis?

In case you don’t know what psoriasis is, you can find out from CariDee English, America’s Next Top Model who’s the new spokesperson for the National Psoriasis Foundation. But for the moment let’s just say that it’s a condition that occurs when the skin’s natural signaling pathway goes berserk and causes cells to start multiplying at abnormal rates. And that makes your skin become itchy and flaky.

Is There A Natural Psoriasis Cure?

Amazingly, according to this study, phosphatidylglycerol may send a signal to skin cells that tells them to ‘slow down’ so they grow normally. Researchers are seeking funding for further studies from the National Institute of Health. So if you’re looking for a natural remedy for some particularly nasty skin problems stay tuned. Maybe you’ll never have to take Enbrel again!

Grace is grumbling: I have severe allergies to dust and pollen and it really bugs me when I hear my friends say they’re “allergic” to cosmetics. I don’t think they’re allergic, the cosmetics are probably just irritating their skin. Please tell me who’s right so I can make them shut up!

The Right Brain Has An Allergic Response:

Actually you AND your friends might be right. Certain cosmetic chemicals can cause negative reactions in some people. There are two basic types of reactions: irritation reaction (also known as Irritant Contact Dermatitis, or ICD) and allergic response (known as Allergic Contact Dermatitis or ACD). In general terms, irritation occurs when your cells are attacked by harsh chemicals. An allergy occurs when your immune system develops antibodies in response to a chemical you’ve been exposed to. (Just like your hayfever.)

It’s important to understand if you’re irritated or allergic because it will help your doctor determine the right course of treatment. Here’s how you can tell the difference.

What They Do To Your Skin

Irritation: Gives you redness with possible oozing sores. Your skin may develop a chapped, glazed or scaled appearance. You’ll feel burning, stinging, pain and soreness. You may also have some itchiness.
Allergies: The skin appearance may be similar, but the main symptom is itchiness.

Where The Response Occurs:

Irritation: The effects are usually limited to the part of the skin that was contacted by the chemical.

Allergy: Because you’re producing antibodies, the effect is not limited to the contact point. The effects may be worse in the contact area, but you can develop symptoms any where on your body.

How Long It Takes For The Response To Develop

Irritation: Symptoms develop after a single exposure. They usually appear in a few minutes, at most within a few hours, after contact.

Allergies: After the first exposure, you typically have no symptoms. That’s because your body hasn’t developed an antibody response to the agent yet. After subsequent exposures, Symptoms may take 24 to 72 hours to develop.

Source:
Dermatotoxicology, 6th edition. Edited by Hongbo Zhai and Howard I. Maibach

The results of our beauty science poll are in and it looks like most people missed this one. Only 14% of you were able to identify the third story as the fake headline. Most of you (52%) thought the first story was BS. But it’s actually true! Read below for an explanation of each story.

1. Your skin color may be influenced by what your grandmother ate. TRUE. In stuides with mice scientists demonstrated that the food eaten by one mouse could affect the skin and fur color of both their direct off-spring and the next generation. This is because their diet affects the genes that are turned on during the development of their off-spring. Skin color is one such gene and it is found in both mice and humans.

2. Excess melanin can make you more susceptible to skin cancer. TRUE. In a study published in a recent issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences scientists showed that the presence of some types of melanin actually caused skin cancer. The type of melanin that was most responsible was the kind found in the hair of blondes and redheads. Just more evidence for these people to limit their sun exposure.

3. Regular running makes you more prone to skin cancer. FALSE! Cancer researchers at Rutgers found that exercise can actaully protect against skin cancer. In the study, they found that mice exposed to UV while they were running developed less cancer than similarly exposed sedentary mice. Of course when you are running outside, make sure you use sunscreen.

4. High stress can increase acne severity. TRUE. In research conducted by scientists at Wake Forest Univeristy School of Medicine, teenagers under higher levels of stress were found to be 23% more likely to have increased acne. So, if you want to keep a clear face reduce stress in your life.

Hello Beauty Brains community. How well do you know your beauty science? Check out the new poll and see if you can find the BS from the Beauty Science. Three stories are true but one is completely bogus. Can you find the fake?

Check out the left column of the Beauty Brains and click your answer today. Results will be published one week from today (5/29/07). Good luck!