20 SKIN CARE
Facial lifting: mimicking microcurrent efficacy
Mauricio Valerio-Santiago, Consuelo Garcia, Belén Aguirre, Ramón Subirós, Albert Soley, Gemma Mola, Raquel Delgado – Lubrizol
In an era marked by advancing technology within an evolving landscape, the burgeoning demand for performance-driven skin care technology tools and devices persists. Convenient, at-home microcurrent devices have seen a surge in popularity, likely stemming from consumer interest in non-surgical medical aesthetic treatments. However, the steep cost and apprehensions
regarding safety issues such as potential skin damage, irritation, or discomfort may pose significant barriers, compelling consumers to seek more accessible topic alternatives that replicate comparable effects in an efficient and gentle manner. Microcurrent devices leverage low electrical signals, typically less than 1000 mA, to effectively combat aging indicators such as facial sagging and wrinkles, yielding remarkable outcomes. These signals prompt cellular responses across various skin layers. Within the dermis, microcurrents stimulate enhanced extracellular matrix production and dermal contraction capabilities. Simultaneously, at the muscular level, they contribute to elevating the tonicity of facial muscles. Collectively, microcurrents synergistically
counteract facial sagginess by orchestrating a mechanism involved MBNL1, an RNA binding protein pivotal in the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, a cell type exhibiting heightened contraction ability. Additionally, microcurrents have been associated with augmenting ATP production in muscle cells, enhancing their metabolic vigor – a process reliant on MBNL1 – and consequently contributing to fortified muscle tone. Drawing inspiration from the strides
A
120 100 80 60 40 20 0
*
52.7 *
60.7 ***
74.9 ***
0.5 mg/mL Uplevity e-Lift peptide
in at-home devices, Lubrizol Life Science has pioneered the development of a novel tetrapeptide, Uplevity™ e-Lift peptide, designed to emulate the skin benefits offered by microcurrent devices, specifically targeting upper facial lifting effects, validated through in vitro and in vivo studies. Human trials exhibited a visibly lifted upper facial appearance and a reduced severity of wrinkles following topical application of this ingredient, demonstrating efficacy akin to that achieved with a microcurrent device.
B Control Electrical stimulation
Green chemistry and sustainable ingredient development The peptide, INCI: Water (Aqua), Tetrapeptide-1, Caprylyl Glycol, is a naturally-derived eco- friendly peptide produced following the principles of green chemistry. This tetrapeptide brings minimal environmental impact as a result of its high natural origin content (99.5% in the commercial solution according to ISO16128) and readily biodegradable status according to OECD guidelines (98% degradation in 28 days).
Control
Electrical stimulation
0.01 mg/mL
Uplevity e-Lift peptide
0.1 mg/mL
Uplevity e-Lift peptide
0.5 mg/mL
Uplevity e-Lift peptide
Figure 1: A) Percentage of variation in MBNL1 levels (*p<0.05, ***p<0.001, calculated using an unpaired Student´s t-test). B) Representative images showing MBNL1 (green) protein in fibroblasts after Uplevity e-Lift peptide treatment and after microcurrent stimulation (<1000mA, 70mV/mm, 2h)
PERSONAL CARE February 2024
Mimicking the skin benefits of microcurrents in the dermal layer We firstly demonstrated that the peptide was able to boost the levels of MBNL1, which is known to promote the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts. In turn, this helps to induce collagen contraction in the dermis. To determine this, human dermal fibroblasts (HDFa) were treated with 0.01 mg/mL, 0.1 mg/mL or 0.5 mg/mL of the novel peptide for 24 hours. Non-treated cells exposed to microcurrents stimulation (C-Dish device, IonOptix) were used as a positive control. MBNL1 protein quantification was measured as fluorescence intensity of MBNL1 normalized by the number of nuclei for each condition using a confocal
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Variation in MBNL1 levels (%)
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