Stem Cells - Myth or Medical Breakthrough?

Years ago, stem cells and growth factors became hero ingredients in skin care formulations. Some brands have claimed plant-based stem cells helped reproduce human stem cells and growth factors, directly changing the behavior of human DNA. Our revolutionary concept aims to match an individual’s biochemistry with the appropriate skin therapy. This article will explore the facts on stem cells in skin care products.

Growth Factor Facts

Let’s start by clearing up some confusion about the roles that stem cells and growth factors perform in regenerating skin.

• Growth factors are proteins that regulate cellular growth, proliferation and differen­tiation under controlled conditions, maintaining healthy skin structure.
• Growth factors are secreted by all cell types that make up the epidermis (outer layer of skin) and dermis (the layer of skin between the epidermis and subcutaneous tissue) of the skin, including keratino­cytes, fibroblasts and melanocytes.
• Growth factors are naturally occurring regulatory molecules. They stimulate cell and tissue function through influencing cell differentiation by changing their biochemical activity. They regulate the rate of proliferation-certain beta glucans are in this class.

Plant Stem Cells and Skin Care

Medical stem cell implantation plays a role as back-up support to the implanted cells and potential auto-immune rejection. However, this is a far cry from creams, serums etc. in skin care.

Most people wonder how stem cells in creams work with their own stem cells, and the short answer is they do not. As a way of inflicting miniature wounds, technicians extract and scratch cultured plant tissue. This damage stimulates the plant’s stem cells to act and heal, inducing the formation of new stem cells on the wounded surfaces. After slow replication and division on the outside, new cells fashion a large accumulation of colorless cells, known as callous. Cells composing the callous divide into cells that do not carry the specific features of individuated plant cells. This callous is used as an ingredient in facial creams. Downstream differentiated plant cells are ones that possess the biochemical machinery required to produce the myriad of substances derived from plants that have pharmaceutical or other value (e.g. quinine, digitalis, aloe vera, etc.).

Plant totipotent stem cells do not produce substances capable of affecting other cells. Callouses are forced upon living plant stems to encourage new baby cells, harvested and then put into creams as “stem cell therapy.” Even rubbing human stem cells on the skin would never work. They have to be alive in the product despite any effective delivery mechanism.

Use Skin’s Biochemistry

There are many types of stem cells with a variety of special functions, and there is so much more to say. Many research papers have concluded that stem cells are just too large to penetrate the lipid barrier of the epidermis. Rather than looking at stem cells as the answer to healthy skin, we should look at what produces a positive response in skin cells and what they recognize. Then, we can determine how we can influence and support growth factors and the life-cycle of cells. The answer should involve the body’s chemistry. DMK Skincare does just that, using skin’s biochemistry to Remove, Rebuild, Protect and Maintain.

-Danné Montague-King.

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