NEW "MIRACLE" SKIN CARE PRODUCT
In
the months to come, you may be hearing a lot about a seemingly new “miracle”
skin care ingredient called Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF). EGF has been called the “single most
important substance for development and maintenance of both the epidermis and
dermis.” What exactly is this substance
and what makes it so effective?
Epidermal Growth Factor is a protein
that catalyzes the healing process by causing epidermal and epithelial cells to
divide and grow. It is not new; it
exists in our skin. In fact, EGF is the
most potent mitogenic (mitosis inducing) agent in the skin. Skin constantly produces and utilizes Epidermal
Growth Factor, but in a more pronounced way when it is damaged. When topically applied to the skin, EGF not
only increases mitosis - the process by which the body generates and replaces
cells - but also synthesis of proteins. In
addition, circulation increases, collagen accumulates and more blood vessels
form.
USE of EGF
EGF is best used after facial peel/exfoliation
treatments. These procedures force the
skin to produce EGF through ostensibly controlled damage of the stratum corneum,
which causes the formation of new cells at a more rapid rate than normal. Without topical application of EGF, the skin
is left to heal itself through an immune system that wants to reject the peel. This puts the skin under great stress. Topical EGF - especially in combination with
other beneficial ingredients - helps heal stress to the skin. It functions as a balancing agent or
neutralizer, helping counteract any side effects.
Aging - in itself a stressful process -
is predominantly a breakdown of the connective and elastic tissues of the skin.
As the skin ages, the connective and
elastic tissues degenerate and the subcutaneous fat begins to atrophy. Communication between the skin’s various
layers begins to break down as the number of growth factors and growth factor
receptors decrease. The result is
sagging skin and wrinkles. Topical
application of EGF replaces those growth factors in order to achieve immediate,
visible improvement in the quality of the skin.
EGF is also used successfully in
clinical applications that include post-operative healing, scar and keloid
reduction. Medical centers in Los
Angeles are currently testing on open heart surgery patients an EGF product
called BioSyl, developed by Sonäge, Inc. BioSyl uses bio-engineered EGF in combination
with botanicals and other “growth promoting” ingredients such as yeast and barley
in order to encourage deeper reception of these ingredients.
Beta Glucan is a yeast protoplasm that
improves the efficiency of cell division. It is a “helper molecule, said to strengthen
the immune system. By expanding the
protective coat around the cells, it delays the penetration of foreign bodies,
including free radicals, into the skin. Beta Glucan energizes while EGF builds, generating
new tissue to replace older, damaged tissue. Together they build immunity for the newly
generated cells. The combination is
powerful and offers immediate results.
Twenty million cells are created in the
body every minute. They require enormous
amounts of oxygen and nutrients to do their work. There are hundreds of different cells able to
manufacture some 50,000 different proteins that control the work of all cells:
collagen to build skin; insulin to control energy use; hemoglobin to supply
oxygen. Old, damaged cells self-destruct
by releasing a powerful enzyme that digests the cell from within. Normal human cells, cultured in the
laboratory, divide up to 50 times before dying. Skin is made up of the body’s largest
concentration of cells, which divide actively throughout a person’s life. Its total mass remains constant due to the continuous
replacement of dead cells.
Hormones control the rate at which cells
grow, reproduce and are repaired. Although the amount of growth hormone secreted
by the pituitary gland is genetically determined, external factors such as
environment (sun exposure), climate, diet, pollution, smoking and/or alcohol
consumption modify our body’s natural control of cell growth.
The stratum corneum is comprised of
keratin, which is a protein. For a cell
to mature normally, it must contain certain amino acid compounds including
calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, iodine, vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamins
C and D supplied by protein. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. The more amino acids, the more moisture is
supplied to the skin and the longer it will retain that moisture without
evaporation.
The basic material of protein consists
of 20 different amino acids, which are formed by combinations of carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. The
activity of the amino acids, in turn, is directed by enzymes, which accelerate
bio-chemical reactions.
Enzymes are protein molecules produced
by living cells; they are the body’s catalysts. The natural turnover of skin
cells must by catalyzed by either a protein or a polymer. Topical enzymes in
skin care catalyze the skin’s bio-chemical process of breaking down keratin and
expediting the natural shedding of this protein. While a glycopolymer is not an enzyme per se,
its action is enzymatic in that it catalyzes a natural bio-chemical process. It “speaks” to the protein in the skin, which
is polymeric, in the language of polymers. Thus, it improves signals between cells,
allowing many cells to work in concert as though it was one big cell. This imparts greater strength and longer life
to the skin.
SELECTING AN EGF PRODUCT
When selecting an EGF product, it is
important to choose one that is bio-engineered rather than animal-derived. The polymeric structure (long chains) of a
glycopolymer formula such as BioSyl allows the ingredients to enter the body
through the body’s own polymeric structure. The acidity of the ingredients is gradually
released by the slow breaking down of the polymer, similar to a time release
capsule. The body slowly digests the
polymer, maximizing the physiological benefits of the acid instead of being
swiftly hit with a potentially dangerous free acid. BioSyl is a laboratory culture using man-made
phyto-hormones from cellulose, a carbohydrate that acts like an enzyme,
promoting growth and healing.
Glucose is the body’s major fuel, or
source of energy. The cells need sugar
(energy) to produce the oxygen that releases heat. The cells use some of the nutrients to build
structural components for cell growth and replacement. Once inside the cell, nutrients are used for
one of two enterprises that take place continuously and simultaneously:
catabolism, the process by which glucose or other nutrients are broken down to
release energy, and anabolism, the process by which nutrients are built into
new products.
Women, in particular, can benefit from a
regular regime of topical EGF because the production of EGF in the skin is
androgen (male hormone) dependent, which means women produce far less than men.
That is why the passage of time
generally seems more apparent on a woman’s skin than a man’s.
Another advantage of EGF is that due to
its natural presence in the dermis and epidermis, it can be topically applied
on a regular basis along with other skin care products without fear of
sensitivity or reactivity.
An EGF night cream works best when
applied to clean skin, freshly exfoliated if possible. When used in conjunction with other creams,
lotions or ointments, it should be applied first to allow unimpeded passage
into the skin.
EGF is one ingredient that truly lives
up to its reputation as a growth promoter and healer. Not only can significantly lower the risk of
problems in facial peel treatments, but there is also clinical evidence that it
can stimulate dermal repair of wounds and scarring at donor sites and from
partial thickness burns or chronic skin ulcers.
Clearly, EGF is a powerful ingredient
with enormous potential for the skin care industry. Though the ingredient itself is not new,
current bio-engineering capabilities put it at the cutting edge of skin care
science.
