Patent ID: 7351745

Claim:
A method of ameliorating, reducing, or treating progressive degradation of a dermal-epidermal junction and/or degradation of a cell-cell cohesion in skin, comprising topicafly applying to skin a topical composition comprising: (a) a cosmetically, dermatologically, pharmaceutically, or physiologically effective amount of an active agent, wherein said active agent is S-Methyl-L-Cysteine and S-Phenyl-L-Cysteine sufficient to increase expression levels of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of: Beta-catenin, Collagen 4, Collagen 7, Frizzled 10, Estrogen Receptor alpha, Hyaluronic acid synthase, and combinations thereof; and (b) a cosmetically, dermatologically, pharmaceutically, or physiologically acceptable vehicle, in an amount effective to ameliorate, reduce, or treat progressive degradation of a dermal-epidermal junction and/or degradation of a cell-cell cohesion in skin, wherein the progressive degradation of a dermal-epidermal junction and/or degradation of a cell-cell cohesion in skin is not hyperkeratosis.