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There are two big buzzwords in beauty these days: inflammaging and reverse aging.
“Inflammaging … refers to chronic, low-grade inflammation that contributes to the development of age-related diseases and organ damage as we get older,” explains Dr. Monica Li, clinical assistant professor, Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of B.C., and founder, Vancouver Skin MD clinic. “As a result, certain pro-inflammatory markers are produced and may represent a strong risk factor for various, highly prevalent diseases such as cancer, depression, dementia and cardiovascular diseases.”
A term first coined in a 2000 paper, according to a 2018 edition of Pathology Magazine from UBC, the effects of inflammation on the body’s overall aging process are being studied in detail by researchers worldwide.
A major frontier of interest for inflammaging is within the beauty space.
As the skin is the largest organ of the human body, it’s often regarded as a window into what’s going on inside the body as stressors and aggressors manifest in a variety of ways on the skin’s surface.
“When our organs undergo inflammation, or there is increased inflammation due to stress, physiologic functions of our skin to repair cell damage and regenerate are blunted,” says Dr. Li. “Our skin may be more easily irritated by external aggressors, from harsh fabrics to product ingredients, and less able to restore itself from sun and environmental damage.”
According to Dr. Li, this damage shows up on the skin as fine lines, a dull skin tone and uneven colour. More severe signs include flaking and dryness with inflammation triggering pre-existing inflammatory skin conditions such as rosacea, psoriasis and eczema.
“Skin-care formulations that contain ingredients to support a healthy skin barrier structure — thereby helping with its physiologic functions including retaining moisture at the skin surface and preventing external irritants and microbes from entering — can help combat inflammaging,” Dr. Li advises, noting antioxidant-containing skin care, and antioxidant rich vitamins and foods, can also be beneficial.
A cellular examination
Inflammation is often a direct response to cell damage or other forms of harmful stimuli.
Therefore, when we talk about inflammation and its effects on physical signs of aging, it opens the discussion to another trending topic: cells.
Cell senescence, or the biological aging of cells, is causing a big buzz in health and beauty realms as researchers work to better understand aging through a biological (how old cells appear) versus chronological (actual length of life) lens.
Various lifestyle factors such as diet, activity level and stress can influence many markers of aging, but advanced, continuing research is also examining the mechanisms of aging from a more direct cellular scope. And the idea of controlling the clock, or even walking it back, on physical aging through cellular repair or reduction of damage is being referred to as ‘reverse aging’ by many insiders.
Defined as the reversal of the body’s natural ageing processes, the research field isn’t about stopping aging, but rather slowing it down.
“We age, and there is no turning back,” says professor David Furman, a researcher at Stanford University and expert in the field of reverse aging. “Biological aging as opposed to chronological aging, is malleable … But that doesn’t mean you’re going to go back in time. The only way to do that is by doing genetic modifications.”
Rather than stop the body’s natural aging process, the goal of reverse aging research is to delay the various processes.
“And to try to improve health span that the time you’re healthy on this planet, to expand that,” Furman says. “We call that the compression of morbidity. So, not to have any disease until the very, very late stages.”
As the research into reverse aging has advanced, so too has the understanding of the impact of individual cell function in the process.
“What led to the discovery of these aging mechanisms is technology. That comes first. We now have the ability to measure 20,000 genes, 10,000 proteins, 5,000 metabolites. The list goes on and on,” Furman says.
Proper cell respiration is a primary pillar of the reverse aging exploration.
Respiration happens in the mitochondria of the cells, where energy is generated. That energy is in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), and it’s generated through cell respiration. That energy is used for the cell to function in its required tasks — and even survive.
“It’s a very complicated thing, but the basic token of this energy is ATP,” Furman, speaking from an event hosted by the French luxury brand Dior last fall, explained.
Furman, who is also a member of the Dior Reverse Aging Board, an international assemblage of more than 600 researchers and experts, noted that when we age, our cells’ ability to produce ATP goes down, ultimately impacting the skin’s collagen and density to contribute to the signs of aging.
Exploring importance of oxygen
A relaunch and reformulation for 2025, Dior Capture doubles down on research-led innovation examining the effects of cellular respiration on skin.
“The core topic of reverse aging is the one that we are diving into. Obviously, behind that, there are so many things,” says Bruno Bavouzet, president of LVMH research. “I think it is so exciting for the future. Not only for skin care, but for any areas …
“Understanding that aging mechanisms are not just one. There’s multiple interactions, everywhere.”
The advanced skin-care collection, which is a reinvention of the longtime collection Capture Totale and currently includes a serum and day cream, has evolved from 50 years of skin-care science conducted by the LVMH-owned company through its Dior Science division.
Rather than focus on providing oxygen to the skin directly, the technology focuses on the transport of oxygen from the environment to cells, as a vehicle. Too much oxygen can have an oxidative effect on the skin due to free radical damage, actually accelerating signs of aging.
“Everything, in principle, can be toxic,” Furman says. “It’s all about the amount, yes. But it’s also about the ‘how’ this particular thing is made available to the cells.”
To avoid this, Dior’s approach focuses on the transport of oxygen to skin with a new technology called OX-C (Oxygeno-Collagen) Treatment, a plant-derived biopolymer.
Studies conducted using the main ingredients used in the two new formulations showed a 57 per cent increase in cellular respiration and a 22 per cent acceleration of epidermal regeneration, according to the company.
Gleaned from research and pioneering in the field of regenerative medicine, primarily with organ transplants, the skin-care range also focuses on repairing the skin’s barrier, improving hydration and plumpness through ingredients like hyaluronic acid and lily extract.
Postmedia News was a guest of Dior in California. The brand neither reviewed nor approved this article.