Significant Advances in Stem Cell Skin Care
Cheryl Whitman
n the
fifty plus years
since stem cells
were first identified
and their potential
for healing
observed,
researchers have
worked diligently to understand them and
harness their power. There have been many
successes along the journey so far, such as
the transplantation of healthy bone marrow
containing adult stem cells into patients
suffering from leukemia and bone or
blood cancers. There have also been
disappointments along the way, such as
many early generation topical antiaging
creams and treatments.
Many of the very early (1st generation)
products used apple and plant stem cells.
Theoretically, this held promise. In reality
there were barriers to success; but at the
time, there was little known about the
specific type of stem cells in human skin
and what was required to turn them on.
Plant based stem cells cannot penetrate the
human skin due to their large size, and they
are not viable after being incorporated into
a topically applied cream that languishes in
the jar for months before use. The results
provided by these 1st generation products
were less than stunning. At best, these
products encouraged old, existing skin cells
to work a little harder, exhausting them
even more.
Clearly, the use of foreign stem cells
was not working, but activating the human
body’s own dormant stem cells might.
Research into stem cells continued with
the focus on identifying what was needed
to grow these cells (Growth Factors) and
what was required to prod the dormant
human stem cells to provide healing and
rejuvenation. Research into growth factors
focused on conditioned medium growth
during the 2nd generation. Conditioned
Media is a liquid media in which cells have
been grown for a period of time. As they
grow, the cells condition the media by
secreting proteins, cytokines, and chemicals
into it. By studying the conditioned
medium, researchers could determine
how different substances affected the
growing stem cells. This highly potent
mixture of secreted elements offered strong
regenerative potential.
But, 2nd generation products still used
a fire-hose approach to activation. Since
the specific stem cell type and the specific
proteins required to “turn on” the healing
function of those stem cells had not yet
been identified, 2nd generation products
used a soup of proteins which activated
everything. Unfortunately, everything
included the potential to activate TGF-b,
a potent cancer trigger.
By the 3rd generation of stem cell skin
care products, the composition of the
growth factors had been defined. Scientists
were narrowing down the types of stem
cells that are linked to skin repair. By 2010,
the master dermal stem cell had been
identified. Snippert, et.al, concluded the
“LGR6 Marks the Stem Cells in the Hair
Follicle That Generate All Cell Lineages of
the Skin.1 ”
This was a significant step forward, but
there was still substantial effort needed
before these products would live up to
their potential promise. Third generation
products still relied on the “activate
everything soup” to prod the stem cells into
action. Patients saw minimal benefit from
these products despite the marketing hype
primarily due to the absence of an activator
which would “turn on” the master dermal
stem cell to begin the healing process.
Without the ability to switch on the
LGR6+ stem cells, the best that could be
done was to encourage old, tired and
damaged skin cells to work harder.
What was still missing was the key to
turning on production of new skin cells. By
now, researchers knew that peptides were
the key that was needed. Peptides are
proteins which are found naturally in the
human body. They stimulate collagen
formation and help prevent collagen
destruction. The discovery of Defensins2—
7
the peptides that function as the skin
defense mechanism—represented the
quantum leap forward into the 4th
generation of stem cell skin care. Defensins
peptides switch-on the body’s own specific
master dermal stem cells (the LGR6+ stem
cells), causing them to activate the healing
and rejuvenation process and create fresh
new skin cells.
For the first time ever, it is possible
to topically apply a stem cell skin care
regiment and see amazing results in a very
brief period of time. In as little as six weeks,
test subjects of a double blind study saw a
visible skin aging reduction of an average
of 18 years.3 Deep wrinkles were relaxed,
crepey texture disappeared, and texture
improved. The great promise of healing and
rejuvenation first hypothesized over 50
years ago by Drs. McCullough and Till is
finally being realized.
Internationally recognized aesthetic business
development expert, Cheryl Whitman is founder and
CEO of Beautiful Forever. She is a sought-after
speaker and industry marketing specialist. With her
seasoned team of professionals at Beautiful Forever,
Cheryl assists physicians and med spas in
identifying and executing new business strategies
aimed at improving their bottom line. A celebrated
author, Cheryl’s “Aesthetic Medical Success System,”
and her second book, “Beautifully Profitable, Forever
Profitable” provides solid, practical information on
how to create, launch and grow successful aesthetic
Medical Practices and related businesses. For more
information: beautifulforever.com or email
[email protected] ▲
References
1. Snippert Hugo J., et. al., Lgr6 Marks Stem
Cells in the Hair Follicle That Generate All Cell
Lineages of the Skin. Science 2010.
327:13885-9
2. Lough D., et al., Plast Reconstr Sugr.
2016 Nov; 132(5):1159-71
3. Keller, Gregory S., Use of Defensins in a
New Cosmeceutical for Skin Rejuvenation.
Defenage White Paper. Pilot Studies.
GSK