Stem cells are the latest cutting-edge technology in skincare – but do they work? And what do they do? Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of stem cells in skincare.
What Are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are specialized cells that can become any other type of cell and reproduce. For example, your hair follicles contain stem cells that rapidly reproduce to grow your hair. Stem cells also play a role in healing and repairing damaged cells and tissues.
Stem cells are a hot concept in regenerative medicine, and some of their benefits can also be applied to skincare.
Where Do Stem Cells in Skincare Come From?
Unlike stem cells in regenerative medicine from human and animal sources, stem cells in skincare are almost entirely from plants like apples, grapes, and ginger.
But don’t fret: the plant stem cells used in skincare are not actual living stem cells, so they won’t give your skin plant-like properties. Instead, skincare formulators use the extracts of plant stem cells. These extracts provide many of the same benefits but are safe for human skin (more on those benefits below).
So, where do plan stem cells come from? Plant stem cells are usually cultivated in labs to ensure they are free from pollution, pesticides, and other environmental contaminants. The stem cells are “dedifferentiated”, meaning their specialized properties have been removed. The cells grow as clumps of cells in a suspension medium. Imagine a petri dish of cells rather than a plant rather than a sapling.
How Stem Cells in Skincare Work?
So how do stem cells in skincare work? First, we must look at how the skin regenerates and repairs itself.
We have stem cells in the basal layer of our skin that divide and replace lost or damaged cells. The skin is in a perpetual state of renewal, constantly shedding dead skin cells and replacing them with new ones. Thus, the stem cells in the basal layer must divide fast enough to replace the shed cells.
Eventually, however, damage from environmental factors overtakes the rate at which the stem cells can create new cells. As a result, the skin on the surface looks damaged and aged. This is the root of all skin aging.
The good news is that plant stem cells effectively support skin’s cellular turnover. Scientists began using plant stem cells in skincare thanks to an ancient Swiss apple variety called Uttwiler Spätlauber. Farmers initially cultivated these apples for their long shelf life. Then, however, scientists noticed that the fruit had a miraculous ability to heal itself. Unlike other apples, which, once damaged, remain damaged, the Uttwiler Spätlauber had stem cells that were able to heal the fruit much in the way that human skin healing works.
Eventually, scientists found a way to extract these stem cells from apples and use them in skincare. They found that plant stem cells could stimulate human cell proliferation, protect against UV damage, and reduce wrinkle depth.
What Are the Benefits of Stem Cells in Skincare?
The following are some of the touted benefits of stem cells in skincare:
-
Provide Protection Against Environmental Aggressors
Plant stem cells in skincare have strong antioxidant abilities. This means they can neutralize skin-damaging environmental aggressors like stress and pollution. For example, one study demonstrated that Swiss apple stem cells could protect against UV damage. Using skincare products formulated with stem cells may help to protect against environmental damage and reverse existing damage.
-
Rejuvenate Tired Skin
Stem cells are also rich in amino acids and peptides, which can help with skin rejuvenation. In addition, some dermatologists claim that stem cells have the ability to repair skin cells.
A study on the effects of Swiss apple stem cell extract on human skin discovered that plant stem cells could stimulate human cell proliferation by 80 percent. As we mentioned before, human skin aging is caused by slowed skin cell turnover. Thus, plant stem cells can help to promote skin cell turnover and rejuvenate tired-looking skin.
-
Reduce Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Stem cells may promote cell turnover and collagen production, which can lead to fewer fine lines and wrinkles. One study found that a cream containing the stem cell extract could reduce wrinkle depth by 15 percent in just four weeks.
How to Add Stem Cells to Your Skincare Routine
Want to add stem cells to your skincare routine? We recommend our “M” line, particularly our bestselling “M” Cream. “M” Cream is formulated with Apple Stem Cell Technology, derived from the same rare Swiss Uttwiler Spätlauber apple. In addition, “M” Cream contains some other heavy-hitting ingredients, including Bio-Engineered Renewal Complex (a growth hormone that promotes the appearance of healthy and rejuvenated skin) and Happybelle (which helps give the skin a healthy glow).
