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Fixing age with lipids:
Improvement of the epidermal barrier function in mature skin

STEFAN BÄNZIGER*, STEFAN HETTWER, BRIGIT SUTER, BARBARA OBERMAYER
*Corresponding author
RAHN AG, Dörflistrasse 120, 8050 Zürich, Switzerland

KEYWORDS: Liver X receptor, epidermal lipids, mature skin, anti-ageing.
ABSTRACT:
Epidermal lipids, among other components, constitute the seal for the outermost skin layers and the glue for the corneocytes. Epidermal lipids, however, are reduced in mature skin and may represent the underlying cause of increased susceptibility, diminished capacity to recover, and chronic dryness of mature skin. Hence, reactivating epidermal lipid synthesis represents a promising anti-ageing strategy for mature skin.
Earlier in-vitro experiments implied that a cosmetic active ingredient, based on a Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract, reactivates lipid synthesis via the Liver X receptor (LXR). Here we show that the reactivation of lipid synthesis may indeed translate into improved barrier integrity and repair.
The skin barrier was disturbed by tape stripping. Subsequent placebo application for 28 days only minimally regenerated the barrier whereas the cosmetic active imparted full regeneration. Barrier strengthening was also supported by reduced corneocyte detachment.
Taken together, our data ...
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