Our skin is composed of epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue, with the epidermis being the outermost layer. Subcutaneous tissue is the innermost layer.
The middle dermis is mainly composed of extracellular matrix synthesized by fibroblasts. The extracellular matrix is a complex structure composed of collagen, proteoglycans, elastic fibers and reticular fibers.
Skin aging is mainly determined by endogenous and exogenous factors.
Endogenous factors include genetic factors or other irresistible factors. Endogenous aging is also natural aging. With the increase of age, the metabolism of skin cells tends to be unbalanced, leading to the formation of excessive free radicals. This is a natural law and is inevitable.
Exogenous factors include external climate environment, ultraviolet radiation, wind, exposure to chemicals, unhealthy lifestyles, etc.
Exogenous aging can be artificially intervened, among which ultraviolet radiation is the most important factor leading to exogenous skin aging.
What is the most powerful anti-aging substance?
1.Peptides:
The biggest advantage of peptides is wrinkle removal.
Peptides are essentially polymers of multiple amino acids, which are connected by amide bonds with a certain sequence of amino acids.
Peptides composed of 2 amino acids are called dipeptides, and those composed of 3 amino acids are called tripeptides.
Collagen in the skin has its own life cycle. After a certain period of time, collagen will decompose and release small protein fragments, which are peptides. Peptides can help transmit information between cells, and peptides will promote the production of new proteins.
2.Retinol:
The biggest advantage of retinol is that it promotes cell renewal and synthesis.
Retinol is a fat-soluble vitamin A. Retinol was first added to skin care products as an anti-acne ingredient. Later, it was found that it can inhibit metalloproteinase A, promote the synthesis of collagen, and was proven by the medical community to be a very effective anti-aging and anti-wrinkle ingredient. From then on, it began to be widely used in anti-aging products.
3.ProXylane
The biggest advantage of ProXylane is that it improves the moisture and radiance of the skin.
ProXylane is not a single ingredient, it is a mixture. ProXylane = water + hydroxypropyl tetrahydropyranotriol + propylene glycol.
It has two main functions in anti-aging. The first is to activate the synthesis of mucopolysaccharides. There are a large number of mucopolysaccharides between the extracellular matrix of our skin, most of which are carbohydrate polymers composed of uronic acid and amino sugars. These mucopolysaccharides play a very important role in the skin, because mucopolysaccharides can absorb moisture and prevent the loss of moisture from the skin. Therefore, activating the synthesis of mucopolysaccharides can improve the firmness of cells and enhance the elasticity of the skin.
The second function is to stimulate the production of skin aminoglucan. Aminoglucan is the main component of the extracellular matrix. The hyaluronic acid contained in it has a strong ability to absorb and store water, which stimulates the production of skin aminoglucan and makes the skin fuller and more elastic.
Reference
[1]. Sahu PJ, et al. Study of oral tranexamic acid, topical tranexamic acid, and modified Kligman's regimen in treatment of melasma. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2020; doi:10.1111/jocd.13430.
[2].Harvard Medical School Harvard Health Publishing: "Do retinoids really reduce wrinkles?"
