Stem cells skincare; worth the hype?
By: Serene T.
Tags: Cosmetics, Education, Skincare, Bioscience, Stem Cells

I don’t think so.

Stem cells have become one of the most talked about magical ingredient in the skincare sphere, with companies attempting to include into their products accompanied with a hefty price tag. Typically they are found in anti-ageing skincare products that pay dramatic lip service to their claims, but do they really deliver?

So, what are stem cells?

Stem cells are like raw materials, they are undifferentiated and can become specialised cells such as muscle cells to brain cells. Also known as worker cells, they play an important role for the repair of damaged tissues, and the regeneration of tissues that turn over rapidly, such as the skin and blood.

While Wolverine and Deadpool in Marvel’s exhibit their ability to heal and produce stem cells with age, we experience this diminishment on our skin and our overall health. In a nutshell — ageing. As we age, our bodies gradually lose the reserves that keep us protected, leaving us vulnerable to dramatic changes.

Stem cells in my skincare product! Take my money! OR NOPE?

The truth is stem cells have many valuable properties for us, but for them to be effective, they have to be ALIVE. Therefore they must be stored under specific conditions. Sorry to break the news but you wouldn’t get to use your skincare products with live stem cells since they would already be dead.

Most common stem cells preached by cosmetics brands — plant stem cells

Plant stem cells are the most exciting development in skin care since human stem cells, with no ethical and legal arguments against using plant stem cells in cosmetics. But do they meet the claims that companies have made? It turns out that plant stem cells in skincare products are rooted more fiction than facts — though they’re not completely ineffective, either.

But I’m seeing results from my plant stem cell creams!

The extraction of plant stem cells does not have the ability to signal growth factors and it does not speak the same language, but it is true that they are scientifically shown to increase epidermal and collagen production. While the extracts found in plant stem cells are great, the same properties can be found in many other skincare products containing Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Resveratrol and many more to name.

“The truth is that stem cells in skincare products do not work as claimed; they simply cannot deliver the promised results,” said by Dr Christopher Calapai, an osteopathic physician, has been described by the New York Daily News as ‘the stem cell guru’.

Source from: https://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Article/2016/10/06/Stem-cells-in-skin-care-don-t-work-expert-claims?

What about animal stem cells — how safe are they?

There are not many clinical research on using animal stem cells in human, or in skincare products. Theoretically, using the same concept as plant stem cells, they too should not be able to influence human stem cells because of genetic differences. Our human body may not be able to properly regulate stem cells from another species. Would you take stem cells from a crocodile? #justsaying

So… I have to use HUMAN stem cells!?

In a sense, yes.

Research using stem cells research for rejuvenation purposes has been ongoing for decades. While not yet approved, many clinical trials using Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) via IV infusion have been conducted with positive results to help combat frailty.

Oh no! That’s not ethical!

Unlike embryonic stem cells, which come from fertilised embryos, MSCs are actually found in umbilical cord tissues, bone marrow, and fat tissues. Cord blood and tissue banks are very common, and I know several mothers who store their baby’s cord blood and tissues for peace of mind (similar to insurance) or future uses.

“Stem cells that are in contact with skin are not really alive anymore,” said Margaret Foster Riley, a law professor and expert on food and drug law at the University of Virginia. “So I don’t really see how a stem cell product is working on the skin. I suppose some of them may actually work in a way that cosmetics work otherwise, because of moisturizing capability. But it’s not stem cell capability that’s working there to the degree we know how stem cells work.”

Source from: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2015/09/01/stem-cells-fda-facial-cream-lotion/71506494/

My hope is that stem cell technology will be able to play a role in enhancing skincare products in the foreseeable future. At least for now, it appears that your skincare product contains other ingredients that contribute to your results, so there’s no reason to buy expensive, overhyped stem cell products to achieve the same results!

Love ya!

S. T.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5674215/

https://www.dermstore.com/blog/stem-cells-in-skin-care/

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/rej.2017.2048

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235232041830035X