Dr Holick’s Patent on Emu Oil
Dr Michael Holick , MD. PhD, is an Endocrinologists and Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics and Director of the Clinical Research Unit at Boston University. Dr. Holick has been awarded for his outstanding contributions to the field of vitamin D and Dermatology research with many prizes.
It was the same world renowned Dr Holick who filed a patent application on the use of topically applied free range fed Emu Oil for skin anti-aging and the stimulation of hair growth. It is specifically the use of oil from free range roaming Emus that Holick recommends due to its “naturally occurring bioactive compounds.”
It is unlikely that Oil from feed fed Emus would produce the same beneficial effects on hair growth and skin aging.
Following are excerpts from his patent application that give a succinct overview of the profound benefits offered by Emu Oil for both skin aging, and male and female pattern hair loss.
Use of Emu Oil for Stimulating Skin and Hair Growth
Abstract
The present invention is directed to the discovery that topical or parenteral administration of emu oil to a mammal stimulates the proliferation of skin. Emu oil can be used to treat skin wrinkles and rejuvenate aged and photo-damaged skin. It has also been discovered that emu oil can be topically applied to stimulate melanogenesis in the skin and to stimulate hair growth. Thus, emu oil is useful to treat pigmentation disorders such as hypopigmentation, stimulating melanogenesis to enhance skin tanning, and treating disorders relating to disturbances in hair cycling such as alopecia, male pattern baldness, female baldness, and chemotherapy-induced alopecia.
Inventors: Holick; Michael F. (31 Bishop La., Sudbury, MA 01776).
“The natural diet of the emu consists of seeds, berries, grasses, leaves and plants present within the Australian bush which would be expected to contain a large variety of carotenoids, vitamins, terpenes, saponagens, flavones and other naturally occurring bioactive compounds.”
Comment: It is unlikely that Emu Oil from feed fed Emus would produce the same beneficial effects on hair growth and skin aging. Unfortunately, virtually all commercially available Emu Oil the United States comes from Emus that are fed a corn based feed. This type of feed, even in its “organic” forms, produces an Emu Oil that less than optimal anti-inflammatory benefits.
“The invention relates to methods of topically, orally or parenterally applying emu oil or a fraction thereof to mammalian skin or hair for the purposes of stimulating skin and hair growth, or to enhance pigmentation of the skin.”
“In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for treating skin conditions of skin slackness, wrinkles, dry skin, and insufficient sebum secretion comprising topically applying to the skin of a mammal a composition comprising emu oil or a biologically active fraction thereof.”
“A second aspect of the present invention generally involves enhancing melanogenesis in mammalian skin tissue by contacting the skin tissue with emu oil or a biologically active fraction thereof. This aspect of the invention has particular utility in treating pigmentation disorders such as hypopigmentation disorders, and for enhancing skin tanning.”
“There was a more marked increase in the size and length of the hair follicles and thickness of the skin in the mouse skin that was treated with emu oil.“
“For application as skin tanning enhancers, the compositions of the invention are administered in an amount sufficient to enhance the tanning of a subject’s skin. The compositions can be applied in conjunction with exposure to the sun, or artificial ultraviolet radiation such as a suntanning bed, or the compositions can be applied without subsequent exposure to the sun or tanning lights. In either instance, the benefit of an enhanced skin tan will be achieved.”
Comment: Emu Oil will produced an enhanced tan, even in the absence of UV light, without any UV damage to the skin, seen in standard sun tanning.
“The histological analysis demonstrating an increase in the thickness of the epidermis and size and length of the hair follicle provides strong evidence that the topical application of emu oil stimulates skin growth, hair growth and induces the proliferation of the cells around the hair follicle.”
A Boston University study reported that emu oil activated 80% of dormant hair follicles into the hair-growing stage.
“We found that there was an enhancement in the growth activity of the hair follicles. So it gives us very good scientific indication that we were stimulating skin growth. Over 80% of hair follicles that had been asleep were woken up and began growing hair.”
From Holick’s research, it is evident that Emu Oil offers an array of anti-aging benefits including not only hair growth stimulation , but tanning enhancement, gray hair re-pigmentation, and tightening of slack skin, via its ability to stimulate collagen production. In evaluating its skin anti-aging mechanisms, Emu Oil has been found to compare favorably to Retin A, which is considered the anti-aging Gold Standard in Dermatology.
Like Dr. Holick, our Emu Oil at MPB Research is from Australian Ranchers who not only let their Emus graze in a natural Outback environment for their food, but is rendered at a very low temperature that optimizes the Emu oils’ dermatological benefit.