Nutritional Self-Defense Monthly Commentary

Natural Skin Care For Beginners

Howdy All,

The amount of time I think about skin care can be measured in a teaspoon. Yet, for many people skin care is an area of great importance and interest. Recently, my wife chided me for teasing her about all her skin creams, ointments and elixers... saying, in effect, just because I'm "uninterested in taking care of my most important exteral feature doesn't mean others should act as ignorantly". OUCH.

O.K., then, I can take a hint... maybe I should learn more. I believe a natural (or as natural as possible) path towards health should be taken whenever possible. Therefore, I sought out and enlisted the help of Deborah Smith, who owns and operates Beauty and Balance ... and who also thinks that staying close to what is natural is generally best.

After having Deborah enlighten me a bit more on skin care, I asked her if she'd be willing to write up an article to share with everyone... perhaps opening the eyes of other "unintelligent" souls who may think skin care is a trivial issue. Below is her article... I found the info on skin and skin care pretty interesting... hope you do, too.

Hello Everyone,
Thanks for that dubious introduction, Keith, and I hope everyone with both enjoy and benefit for what I have to share.
How about we just just jump right in and start learning about skin care basics:

Cells and Skin Cells are the basic units of life, capable of performing fundamental processes. The size and shape of human cells vary depending on their particular function. Cells contain various structures such as a nucleus and mitochondria. Most human cells also contain small structures known as organelles (little organs),each of which performs a highly specialized task, such as manufacturing protein. Organelles are usually surrounded by a membrane and float in a jelly-like substance called cytoplasm. Ninety percent of cytoplasm is water; it also contains enzymes, amino acids, and other molecules needed for cell function. This normal inter-relationship of cell structures takes place every day in the trillions of cells that are in the human body. These cells of the human body are destroyed by different etiological factors. One of the most accepted theories to cell malfunction and damage is the free radical theory.

What is a Free Radical?
Free radicals are the products of oxidative reactions in the body. They are highly reactive compounds that take electrons from other molecules to stabilize themselves. In this process of electron "theft," a new free radical is created, namely, the molecule from which the electron was taken. That new free radical then practices "theft " on another nearby molecule, and a chain-reaction cycle of cell destruction begins.

It is important to realize that oxidation is a normal part of life as are free radicals. Oxidation is what enables us to get and use energy from our food. When free radicals are produced in excess, however, they are so damaging that the body maintains a sophisticated antioxidant system to hold them in check.

However, when the body ’s prolonged exposure to oxidative factors causes an excessive output of free radicals that exceeds the body ’s ability to neutralize them (technically called "oxidative stress "),the body is put in an increasingly vulnerable position due to accelerated cell destruction.

Antioxidants are substances that neutralize free radicals. The most advanced antioxidants and nutraceuticals have been formulated along with other bio-technologies to develop an anti-aging and anti-wrinkling Collagen RX cream-gel.

BACKGROUND

The Skin
The skin is the largest organ of the body. It is made up of three distinct layers: the Epidermis, the Dermis and the Subcutaneous Tissue .Each has its own unique function, yet are interrelated. The Epidermis ,the outer layer, acts as a protective shield. It is comprised of multiple cell strata that serve to regenerate the skin ’s protective function. The epidermis continuously sloughs keratinated cells of its outer layer, the stratum corneum, every thirty days or so.

This regeneration occurs naturally through wear and tear such as bathing, friction from clothing and exposure to the environment. The middle layer is the Dermis, through which blood vessels and nerve receptors penetrate to the epidermis. In this layer, chemical and enzymatic kinetic energy is constantly in motion. This motion allows cellular structures to communicate with each other whereby growth factors and stimulation of Fibroblasts produce Collagen, and provide strength and elasticity to the skin. Sebaceous glands furthermore produce protective oils in the form of an acid mantle onto the skin ’s surface to help protect from infections. Temperature and pain receptors along with blood vessels are also present.
The third layer is the Subcutaneous Tissue or fatty layer. This fat layer serves to insulate the human body and helps the skin to be smooth and plump. It also acts as a binder between the dermis and underlying tissues, allowing the body to move as one.

Biochemistry of Collagen Metabolism

Metabolism
Collagen is found in all of our connective tissues such as the dermis, bones, tendons and ligaments; it also provides for the structural integrity of all of our internal organs.1,2

Because of its wide distribution throughout our bodies, it represents one of the most abundant naturally occurring proteins on earth.

In addition to its natural abundance, over 1,000 commercial products are on the market today that contain collagen and collagen enhancers. These products are represented by body and hand lotions, nail treatments, firming gels, wrinkle injections, eye pads and even anti-cancer treatments, to name a few. In recent years, new high-tech wound dressing materials and skin substitutes have become available for the treatment of partial-thickness injuries, as well as full-thickness and chronic dermal ulcers.

There are close to twenty different types of collagen found in our bodies. Each one of these collagens is encoded by a specific gene. The predominant form is Type I Collagen. This fibrillar form of collagen represents over 90% of our total collagen and is composed of three very long protein chains.

Each protein chain is referred to as an Alpha chain .Two of the Alpha chains are identical and are called Alpha-1 chains, whereas the third chain is slightly different and is called Alpha-2.The three chains are wrapped around each other to form a triple helical structure called a collagen monomer .This configuration imparts tremendous strength to the protein. To understand the overall structure of the collagen molecule, picture the reinforcement rods called re-bar that are used in concrete construction. If one converts the molecular dimensions of the collagen molecule to measurements that we can relate to, the molecule when scaled up, would measure one inch in diameter to approximately seventeen feet long. Therefore, collagen is indeed nature ’s re-bar because it is responsible for the strength and integrity of all of our connective tissues and organ structures.

For the adult, the skin contains about 80% Type I and 20% Type III collagen. In newborns, the Type III content is greater than that found in the adult. The supposition is that the supple nature of the newborn skin, as well as the flexibility of blood vessels, is due in part to the presence of Type III collagen. When degradation to the skin occurs, whether by age or injury, the platelets and inflammatory cells are the first to arrive, providing the key functions and signals needed for the influx of connective tissue cells and new blood supply. These chemical signals are known as growth factors or cytokines. The fibroblast is the connective tissue cell responsible for the collagen deposition needed to repair the tissue injury. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the animal kingdom, as it accounts for 30% of the total protein in the human body. In normal healthy skin tissues, collagen provides strength, integrity and structure. When tissues are disrupted following injury, collagen is needed to repair the defect, and hopefully, restore structure and thus function.

Collagen Synthesis
The biosynthetic pathway responsible for collagen production is a very complex one.

Each specific collagen type is encoded by a specific gene; the genes for all of the collagen types are found on a variety of chromosomes. As the messenger RNA (mRNA) for each collagen type is transcribed from the gene, or DNA "blueprint", it undergoes many processing steps to produce a final code for that specific collagen type. This step is called the rough endoplasmic reticulum or rER. Like most other proteins destined for function in the extracellular environment, collagen is also synthesized on the rER.

Aprecursor form of collagen, called procollagen, is produced initially.

Procollagen contains extension proteins on each end, called amino and carboxy procollagen extension propeptides .These nonhelical portions of the procollagen molecule make it very soluble, and therefore, easy to move within the cell as it undergoes further modifications. As the collagen molecule is produced, it undergoes many changes, termed post-translational modifications.

These modifications take place in the Golgi compartments of the ER. One of the first modifications to take place is the very critical step of hydroxylation of selected proline and lysine amino acids in the newly synthesized procollagen protein. Specific enzymes, called hydroxylases ,are responsible for these important reactions needed to form hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine. The hydroxylase enzymes require Vitamin C and Iron as co-factors.

The current recommended daily allowance for Vitamin C is 60mg; however, 200mg may be optimal. If a patient is Vitamin C deficient, then this reaction will not occur. In the absence of hydroxyproline, the collagen chains cannot form a proper helical structure, and the resultant molecule is weak and quickly destroyed.

Some of the newly formed hydroxylysine amino acids are glycosylated by the addition of sugars, such as galactose and glucose.The enzymes that catalyze the glycosylation step, galactosyl and glucosyl transferases, require the trace metal manganese (Mn+2). The glycosylation step imparts unique chemical and structural characteristics to the newly formed collagen molecule and may influence fibril size.

It is of interest to note that the glycosylation enzymes are found with the highest activities in the very young, and they decrease as we age.11 While inside the cell, and when the procollagen peptides are intact, the molecule is about 1,000 times more soluble than it is at a latter stage when the extension peptides are removed. This high degree of solubility allows the procollagen molecule to be transported easily within the cell where it is moved by means of specialized structures, called microtubules ,to the cell surface where it is secreted into the extracellular spaces.

As the procollagen is secreted from the cell, it is acted upon by specialized enzymes,called procollagen proteinases ,that remove both of the extension peptides from the ends of the molecule.

Portions of these digested end pieces are thought to re-enter the cell and regulate the amount of collagen synthesis by a feed-back type of mechanism.

The processed molecule is referred to as collagen and then participates in the important process of fiber formation.

In the extracellular spaces, another post-transitional modification takes place as the triple helical collagen molecules line up and begin to form fibrils and then fibers. This step is called crosslink formation and is promoted by another specialized enzyme called lysyl oxidase.

This reaction places stable crosslinks within (intramolecular crosslinks) and between the molecules (intermolecular crosslinks). The crosslink formation is the critical step that gives the collagen fibers such tremendous strength. On a per weight basis, the strength of collagen approaches the tensile strength of steel! One can visualize the ultrastructure of collagen by picturing the individual molecules as a piece of sewing thread. Many of these threads, called fibrils, are wrapped around one another to form a string. These strings then form cords; the cords associate to form a rope and the ropes interact to form cables. The structure is just like the steel rope cables on the Golden Gate Bridge. This highly organized structure is what is responsible for the strength of tendons, ligaments, bones and dermis.

Collagen Degradation
Of equal importance in the total picture of collagen metabolism is the complex process of collagen degradation. Normally, the collagen in our connective tissues turns over at a very slow and controlled rate of growth. In normal healthy tissues where the collagen is fully hydroxylated and in a triple helical structure, the molecule is resistant to attack by most proteases. Under these normal healthy conditions, only specialized enzymes, called colagenases, can attack the collagen molecule.

The group of collagenases belong to a family of enzymes, called matrix metalloproteinases or MMPs. Many cells in our bodies can synthesize and release collagenase including fibroblasts, macrophages, neutrophils, osteoclasts and tumor cells. One of the reasons that some neoplastic cells can be so invasive is because they release potent collagenases and can break down the collagen around them. They then can break down the basement membranes of blood vessels and spread throughout the body.

That should be enough skin care information to give even the most ardent skin care beginner a lot to think about.

Hopefully, Keith has a new respect for the skin care field. If not, I may have to make him read it out loud in public.

For more, free skin tips visit my web site http://www.beautyandbalance.com/skin-tips.html.
Feel free to contact me at my website if you have any questions.

Sincerly,
Debhora Smith,
Beauty And Balance

Some information reproduced with permission by Tony Musso, co-formulator of CollagenRX.
Excerpt from The Clinical Study on CollagenRx by:
Dr.Albert J.LaTorra
Board Certified General Surgeon
"Skin Care For Beginners" article © Beauty and Balace... all rights reserved. No reproduction with out permission.

Well, that takes care of both enlighting me about skin care, skin health, collagen and so forth... but also giving me something to read that makes me sleepy. Sorry, but I guess I'll never be a skin care kinda' guy. However, yes, I do have a new respect for the skin care field.

See you all for next month's article. To read last month's article Go Here