Patent ID: 8865740

Claim:
A method for improving the aesthetic appearance of human skin comprising topically applying to an area of the skin in need thereof an effective amount of an active agent that suppresses miR-29a, having the sequence UAGCACCAUCUGAAAUCGGUUA (SEQ. ID. No.: 1), and/or miR-29b, having the sequence UAGCACCAUUUGAAAUCAGUGUU (SEQ. ID No.: 2), in a cosmetically acceptable vehicle comprising caprylyl glycol, for a time sufficient to enhance the production of collagen, elastin, and/or fibrillin in the skin, wherein said active agent is a compound having the structure of formula II: wherein, R 5 , when not hydrogen, is selected from hydrogen; —R or X 1 ; where “m” is an integer from 1 to 4, and, in the case where “m” is 2, 3 or 4, R 5 is independently selected at each occurrence; and R 7 and R 8 are independently C 1-20 hydrocarbon radicals; wherein said C 1-20 hydrocarbon radicals may optionally be substituted with a group X 1 and/or with from one to six heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur; R, R*, and R N are independently hydrogen or a C 1-20 hydrocarbon radical; wherein said C 1-20 hydrocarbon radical may optionally be substituted with a group X 1 and/or with from one to twelve heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur; and X 1 is selected from the group consisting of —F; —Cl; —Br; —I; —OH; —C≡C—R*; —C≡N; —C(R)═N—R N ; —C═N—N(R N ) 2 ; —C(═NR N )—N(R N ) 2 ; —CH 2 OH; —CHO; —(C═O)—R*; —CO 2 H; —CO 2 − ; —CO 2 R*; —CS 2 R*; —(C═O)—S—R*; —S—(C═O)—R*; —(C═O)—NH 2 ; —(C═O)—NR N R N ; —(C═O)—NHNH 2 ; —O—(C═O)—NHNH 2 ; —(C═S)—NH 2 ; —(C═S)—N(R N ) 2 ; —O—(C═O)—H; —O—(C═O)—R*; —O—(C═O)—NH 2 ; —O—(C═O)—NR N R N ; —OR*; —SR*; —NH 2 ; —NHR N ; —NR N 2 ; —N(R N ) 3 + ; —N(R N )—OH; —N(→O)(R*) 2 ; —O—N(R N ) 2 ; —N(R N )—O—R*; —N(R N )—N(R N ) 2 ; —NR N —(C═O)—R*; —NR N C(═O)O—R*; —NR N —CHO; —NR N —(C═O)—R*; —NR N C(═O)NR N ; —N(R N )—C(═O)—N(R N ) 2 ; —N(R N )—C(═S)—N(R N ) 2 ; —N═C(R*) 2 ; —N═N—R N ; —SCN; —NCS; —NSO; —SS—R*; —SO—R*; —SO 2 —R*; —O—S(═O) 2 —R*; —S(═O) 2 —OR*; —N(R N )—SO 2 —R*; —SO 2 —N(R*) 2 ; —O—SO 3 − ; —O—S(═O) 2 —OR*; —O—S(═O)—OR*; —O—S(═O)—R*; —S(═O)—OR*; —S(═O)—R*; —NO; —NO 2 ; —NO 3 ; —O—NO; —O—NO 2 ; —N 3 ; —N 2 ; —N(C 2 H 4 ); —Si(R*) 3 ; —CF 3 ; —O—CF 3 ; —(C═O)—R*; —P(R*) 2 ; —O—P(═O)(OR*) 2 ; and —P(═O)(OR*) 2 ; and cosmetically acceptable salts thereof.