Nanotechnologies in Skin Antiaging Treatment

DENIZE AINBINDER, ELKA TOUITOU*
*Corresponding author:
Elka Touitou, Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, POB 12065, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel.

Abstract

Various treatments are being developed, tested and used to overcome the numerous changes occurring in the function and structure of the skin in the process of aging. In the last decades, the use of nanotechnology in the design of cosmeceutic products for skin rejuvenation has expanded. The goal of this paper is to review a number of relevant technologies for antiaging treatment.


BACKGROUND

Skin Aging
The skin, besides its main function as a barrier between the inside and the outside of our body, is responsible for maintaining body temperature, preventing percutaneous fluid and electrolytes loss and acting as an immune and sensory organ.
It is a viable and highly dynamic organ, influenced by numerous factors and processes. To better understand the changes involved in the aging process of the skin, it is important to mention the essential skin characteristics significant for maintenance of its appearance and functionality. These important properties include pH, water content, barrier function (TEWL) and turnover rate of the Stratum Corneum (SC); rate of basal cell division, differentiation and migration rate of keratinocytes, structure of Dermal-Epidermal Junction and function of Langerhans cells and Melanocytes in the Epidermis; content, structure and organization of the collagen and elastin fibers, hyaluronic acid content, blood circulation and function of nerve fibers and glands in the Dermis (Figure 1) (1).
In the process of aging, the function and structure of the skin undergo numero ...