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Growth Factors and Cytokines in Skin Care: What You Need to Know

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Maybe we aren’t like Judy Jetson, flying around the air in a futuristic shuttle, but some of the new skin care ingredients on the market make me think that we are headed in that direction. One of the most newfangled ingredients out there are growth factors, also known as cytokines. These include ingredients like:

Cytokines Growth Factor

What are Growth Factors?

growth-factors

Growth factors are naturally-occurring molecules that may boost communication between cells.

 

As you age, your body’s natural production and preservation of growth factors decreases significantly. This results in the loss of your natural collagen, collagen-preserving chemicals, antioxidant stores, and antioxidant-preserving mechanisms (amongst other things!)

While many skin care regimens are designed to boost collagen or antioxidant levels, growth factors are designed to increase the production of everything within your skin naturally.

As you might imagine, topically-applied growth factors have been shown to stimulate the production of collagen within the skin (Journal of Drugs in Dermatology). This results in an increase in skin firmness and elasticity.

What Are The Best Growth Factors or Cytokines in Skin Care? 

Most skin care products use skin cell stimulating growth factors like EGF (epidermal growth factor) or GM-CSF (granulocyte-monocyte stimulating growth factor).

These have been shown in peer-reviewed, independent studies to enhance wound healing following dermatological treatments with lasers or dermatologic surgeryreduce wrinkling, and increase skin smoothness.

In a 2007 study in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, subjects used a human growth factor-containing cream on half of their face for sixty days. After the 60-day period, 83% of the subjects showed an improved average wrinkle score in the eye area, while 50% showed an improved average wrinkle score in the mouth area. Pretty significant!

What are the Best Products with Growth Factors?

AQ Skin Solutions Active Serum

My favorite is AQ Skin Solutions Active Serum. According to AQ Skin Solutions:

  • Skin looks significantly younger with regular use
  • Diminishes wrinkles and fine lines
  • Gives skin a youthful glow and gradually fades sun/age spots
  • GF (growth factor)-technology restores youthful skin function to repair damage

AQ Skin Solutions Active Serum contains a concentrated blend of over 40% stem cell derived growth factors, the highest of any brand that I have seen. This solution contains even more stem cells than water, which is exceptionally rare to find in a skin care product!

Vitamin C and E

 

Second, AQ Skin Solutions Active Serum also contains vitamin C (as tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate) and vitamin E. As longtime FutureDerm readers know, these are two of my favorite ingredients, because use of the two ingredients together has been shown to stimulate collagen production, enhance antioxidant activity, and increase the power of sunscreen in studies (American Journal of Dermatology2005).

Cell Sorting Technology AQ Skin Solutions

Lastly, AQ Skin Solutions Active Serum utilizes a special process to get the human growth factors.  The solution in which the cells grow contain all of the human growth factors necessary to grow new skin cells. AQ says that it uses a “cell sorting technology” to ensure that the formula only includes growth factors that are beneficial to the skin. An AQ representative I spoke to assured me the cell culture is pure, and no embryos are utilized in the creation of the serum.

Bottom line

AQ Skin Solutions Active Serum

I’m a huge fan of growth factors in general and AQ Skin Solutions Active Serum in particular, and I’m ecstatic to recommend it to anyone looking for a boost in their anti-aging regimen.

Human Fibroblast Conditioned Media, Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Cellulose Gum, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol.

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Nicki Zevola is the founder and editor-in-chief of FutureDerm.com. Named one of the top 30 beauty bloggers in the world by Konector.com since 2009, Nicki

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