What would the ideal anti-aging skin
care product look like? To begin with, it would need to provide protection against sun damage from UV exposure.[i] Of
course any sunscreen does that, so what we really want is something that can
help reverse the effects of UV exposure, which include mutations in the DNA of
skin cells. This is where the idea of working at a molecular level comes into
play. While many products talk about “DNA repair” the evidence for a role for
resveratrol is particularly strong. There are several ways that resveratrol
functions in this regard, the best known of which is its powerful antioxidant
effects.
Healthier DNA means not only more
attractive skin but a lower risk of skin
cancers. The use of antioxidants such as resveratrol to lower risk of skin
cancer is known as chemoprevention. There
is evidence that it may help prevent many other types of cancer as well.
Another measure of aging has to do
with integrity of sequences on the ends of the chromosome known as telomeres[ii].
Each time a cell replicates, the DNA must “unzip” to provide a template for the
chromosomes in the new cell. It is prevented from unraveling by telomeres, which
are sort of like the caps on shoelaces, but with each cycle the telomeres get
shorter.. Restoring telomeres is a major effort in anti-aging, and it appears
that resveratrol may activate the enzyme that restores telomeres (telomerase),
thereby improving cellular health and longevity.
Nothing will magically undo every
DNA mutation or the visible manifestations of them in the skin (such as discoloration,
wrinkles, and other blemishes) so our ideal product should help with those too.
One way that resveratrol improves skin is by inhibition of the enzyme that
makes pigment, which results in lightening of dark spots and overall brightening[iii]
of the skin.
Facial redness[iv]
is another manifestation of the type of inflammation associated with
accelerated aging. Resveratrol has also been shown to reduce facial redness
with a twice daily application for 6 weeks, and continued improvement beyond
that.
We all know that good skin is built
by good collagen and elastin (a
type of collagen.) These proteins are
constantly being rebuilt by enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinases, referred to as
“MMP’s.” Regulation of MMP activity is critical to skin health and aging. It
should come as no surprise then that resveratrol is implicated in regulation of
MMP via SIRT activation[v],
improving the skin’s stress response to UV exposure. This translates into
healthier collagen and more elastic skin.
Sometimes however collagen
rebuilding is overly exuberant, resulting in thickened scars. An extreme form
of scarring is keloid, and treatment
of keloids remains a challenge for
plastic surgeons. An effective weapon
may be found in resveratrol, which has been shown to inhibit the cells
(fibroblasts) that are overly active in keloids, while having no adverse effect
on normal fibroblasts.[vi]
Acne is another common problem, and
not one limited to teenagers. While there are effective treatments for acne
such as benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin (Retin-A), these can cause irritation. Resveratrol is proving to be a useful
adjunct to acne treatment,[vii]
with more than one mode of action: It is antibacterial with specific
effects on the type of bacteria associated with acne, while its
anti-inflammatory properties reduce the redness and irritation.
A later life issue is changes in the skin with menopause. These
include thinning due to lowered collagen production, dryness due to lessened
moisture retention, and others. Given the controversies with estrogen
replacement therapy, the need for a product providing estrogen-like effects in
the skin is substantial. Resveratrol is one of the few ingredients capable of
stimulating collagen production through estrogen-like effects.[viii]
If resveratrol is going to
accomplish all of these anti-aging feats in a skin care product, it has to
permeate the skin and reach the cells active in regeneration (bioavailability.) resveratrol is
uniquely suited to traverse the barrier of hardened surface cells known as the
stratum corneum because of a few features. One is the small size of the
molecule, probably the smallest of the antioxidant polyphenols; the other is
that it is hydrophobic, meaning that it is more comfortable in lipids (fatty
molecules.) These types of molecules are able to penetrate better.
[i]
Nichols JA, Katiyar SK. Skin photoprotection
by natural polyphenols: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and DNA repair
mechanisms. Arch Dermatol Res. 2010 Mar;302(2):71-83
[iii]
Park J, Boo YC. Isolation of Resveratrol from Vitis Viniferae Caulis and Its Potent Inhibition
of Human Tyrosinase. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:645257
[iv] Ferzil G, Patel M, Phrsai N, Brody N. Reduction of facial redness with resveratrol added
to topical product containing green tea polyphenols and caffeine. J Drugs Dermatol. 2013 Jul 1;12(7):770-4.
[v] Lee JS, Park KY, Min HG, Lee SJ, Kim JJ, Choi JS, Kim WS, Cha HJ.
Negative
regulation of stress-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 by Sirt1 in skin
tissue. Exp Dermatol. 2010
Dec;19(12):1060-6.
[vi] Ikeda K, Torigoe T, Matsumoto Y, Fujita T, Sato N, Yotsuyanagi T. Resveratrol inhibits
fibrogenesis and induces apoptosis in keloid
fibroblasts. Wound Repair Regen. 2013 Jul-Aug;21(4):616-23.
[vii] Fabbrocini G, Staibano S, De Rosa G, Battimiello V, Fardella N, Ilardi G, La Rotonda MI, Longobardi A, Mazzella M, Siano M, Pastore F, De Vita V, Vecchione ML, Ayala F. Resveratrol-containing gel for the treatment of
acne vulgaris: a single-blind, vehicle-controlled, pilot study. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2011 Apr 1;12(2):133-41.
[viii]
Giardina S, Michelotti A, Zavattini G, Finzi S, Ghisalberti C, Marzatico F. [Efficacy study in vitro: assessment of the
properties of resveratrol and resveratrol + N-acetyl-cysteine on proliferation and
inhibition of collagen activity]. Minerva
Ginecol.
2010 Jun;62(3):195-201.
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