In addition to maintaining a full head of hair, taught, smooth, youthful facial skin is equally important to me in maintaining my narcissistic sanity. Although resolving hairloss in an evidence based, no BS manner will always be our primary focus, dealing with skin aging ranks a very close second. After all, who wants a nice, full head of hair accompanied by loose, sagging facial skin??
Contrary to what many believe, it is not ultra violet radiation that is the *main* cause of skin aging, it is the age related collapse and atrophy of facial muscle and the collagen matrix that loosens facial skin over time, no matter how much you have avoided the sun. There are many examples everywhere of older women who have avoided the sun all their lives and have smooth surface skin that still gives away their age because it is loose.
I have personally for years used low temperature processed Emu Oil on my hair and Retin A on my face every night, and a combo of an organic sunscreen followed by Emu Oil every morning. I follow that up with an additional application of Emu Oil in the afternoon. This simple system( in addition supplements I take for hair growth that also help stop skin aging from the inside out) still gets me routinely carded for wine purchases at 55 years old.
The scientific community and cosmetic industry are becoming increasingly aware that Emu Oil specifically may be a key to obtaining smooth and firm skin. Major Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical companies are taking notice of these findings and are beginning to incorporate emu oil into their facial moisturizing formulas and due to its profound penetration ability, transdermal drug delivery systems. Estée Lauder, Skin Biology, and Christian Dior all use Emu Oil in their anti-aging skin care products. Actresses Catherine Zeta Jones and Charlize Theron are reportedly regular users of Emu Oil. In a recent breakthrough development, Emu Oil has been successfully formulated with insulin for transdermal delivery, precluding the use of painful injections. There are several other drugs, including analgesics that are also being compounded with Emu Oil for transdermal delivery, allowing them to bypass liver metabolism, avoiding stress on the liver and significantly enhancing bioavailability.
Causes of Wrinkles and Skin Sagging
According to the research community, there are multiple factors that contribute to the onset of lines and wrinkles. The first, and by far the most significant is the aging process itself. As one gets older, dermal cell division slows and skin begins to literally thin. The matrix of Elastin and Collagen fibers, which support the skin’s outer layer, begins to loosen and unravel, resulting in depressions on the skin’s surface and an overall loosening of the skin’s structure.
Skin concurrently loses its ability to retain moisture and lipids, and is slower to repair itself.
Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation is another factor not in skin laxity, but in the formation of fine lines and wrinkles – as are bad habits such as smoking, which upsets the skin’s renewal mechanism.
To firm existing skin and smooth out existing lines experts recommend Retin A , which for many years has been considered the gold standard of topical anti-aging treatments. Retin A’s primary mechanism of action is stimulation cell renewal and collagen production.
How Can Emu Oil firm skin?
According to Dr. Alex Zemtsov: “Emu oil is touted as a powerful moisturizer that penetrates deep into the skin. We believe Emu Oil’s fatty acids actually mirror what is found in the skin’s top layer, so it readily accepts the oil.”
Emu Oil penetrates all 7 layers of the human dermis, whereas the best moisturizers to date only penetrate 3 layers. Like Retin A, Emu Oil stimulates collagen production and DNA repair, strengthening both elastin and collagen fibers, which otherwise diminish with advancing age. The net result is a firming effect on skin, or a prevention of skin slackening from occurring in the first place.
There is mounting evidence that Emu Oil is a uniquely beneficial compound in the treatment and prevention of both hair loss and skin aging.
Nationally acclaimed researcher Dr. Barry Sears (author of “The Zone”) stated “Emu Oil is an untapped resource and is now where aspirin was in the early 1900’s.”