Autophagy & Skin: How to hack your cellular processes for a more youthful complexion
What is Autophagy?
Autophagy is the body’s way of removing dead or damaged cells, in order to regenerate healthier, newer cells. ‘Auto’ means self and ‘phage’ means eat, so autophagy literally means ‘self-eating’. It’s like pressing a reset button for your body and skin, the autophagy process recycles parts of dysfunctional cells for cellular repair and removes the rest. Alongside this autophagy promotes cellular survival and adaptation as a response to various stressors and toxins accumulated in our cells. Dr Yoshinori Oshumi received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2016 for his work on autophagy and related genes.
How does it benefit the skin?
Maintaining autophagy flux delays the appearance of ageing and reduces the visible signs of ageing. Autophagy detoxifies the skin by turning waste proteins that speed up the ageing process into amino acids, to create firmer, plumper, healthier looking skin.
Cell function declines 1% every year with age up until perimenopause, the epidermal cycle slows down, and in turn the efficiency of the autophagy process is reduced. Speeding up this process increases cell turnover and shortens the epidermal cycle, resulting in younger, fresher looking skin. Boosting the autophagy process reduces fine lines and wrinkles due to the increase of amino acids, creating a smoother complexion.
Speeding Up Autophagy with Skincare?
Good news! The autophagy process doesn’t have to reduce with age, there are things you can do to speed it up! Polyphenols, are a category of chemicals that naturally occur in plants, can be added into skincare products to promote autophagy in the skin. There are over 500 unique polyphenols, collectively these chemicals are known as phytochemicals, these powerful antioxidants protect cells from neuronal damage by inducing autophagy to remove the free radicals. Vitamin A (retinol), vitamin c, vitamin e, ascorbic acid, caesalpinia spinosa (Tara seed extract) and citrus bergamot are all polyphenols and can be used to boost the autophagy process in the skin. Here are some of the Advanced Skincare products that include polyphenols:
Recover & Renew Night Cream
A powerful and highly effective cream containing liposomal retinol, a stabilised vitamin A derivative which has been clinically proven to increase cell turnover. Retinol will reduce pore size, resulting in firmer younger looking skin as well as reduce, visible signs of ageing including pigmentation and uneven skin tone.
Eye Refine: Intensive Eye Serum
1% Lactic Acid, 7% Refined Silica, 4% Vitamin E, 1% Vitamin C
Eye Refine is an intensive eye serum which actively works to rejuvenate and repair the signs of ageing. Containing a unique blend of ingredients including vitamin E to hydrate, almond oil to repair and protect against the signs of ageing and lactic acid which has gentle resurfacing properties to diminish the appearance of crow’s feet and visibly improve clarity and tone.
Gentle Hydrate
3% Tara seed extract, 1% Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, 1% Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
This luxury silky moisturiser contains clinically proven ingredients to keep your skin optimally hydrated and in peak condition. H2∞ contains tripeptide-1 and tetrapeptide-7, biomimetic peptides to help stimulate growth factors and collagen synthesis, to protect and help restore the skin's natural moisture barrier and reduce inflammation. Natural Tara seed extract works deep within the skin to boost moisture levels and help prevent future dehydration. It’s also high in vitamin C and B.
References
Front Immunol. 2018; 9: 1376
https://juniperpublishers.com/jcmah/pdf/JCMAH.MS.ID.555573.pdf
https://www.iiaa.eu/autophagy
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2813915/
https://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/skincare-advice/anti-aging-wrinkles/what-are-ceramides-how-do-they-work-in-skincare.html
https://www.naomiwhittel.com/the-anti-aging-miracle-4-tips-to-activate-autophagy/
