Full set genetic testing reveals the factors that affect skin whitening and skin aging
Why does a highly-praised skincare product have no effect on you? Why doesn’t the sun cream screen you use work as well as it does for her? Why do you need to do a treatment once every three days while she needs only once a week? Why does the doctor forbid you to have estrogen supply while she can? Why do people of a similar age with similar lifestyles show such big differences in appearance?
Genes are a factor. Genes have a close relationship with all the biological phenomena in our life including birth, growth, decline, aging, disease and death. Outwardly, genes decide one’s height, weight, appearance and skin condition such as firmness, tenderness, smoothness, elasticity, gloss and color, as well as the renewal, absorption and metabolism capacities of the skin.
Listed below are the major factors related to skin whitening and anti-aging. Through gene testing, we will know the status of the following factors in our own gene map.
Factor related to skin color / whiteness: Melanin
Melanin is a black brown pigment (melanophore) existing in the skin or hair of animals and is hereditary. Once the melanin metabolism is damaged or suppressed, diseases occur, such as albinism, leucoderma and melanocytoma (cancer). In addition, pigmented naevus, freckles, chloasma and other spots on the skin are also related to melanin.
When our skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays (UVB, UVA), the skin will initiate “self-defense” by activating tyrosinase to let the melanin protect skin cells. So we understand that melanin can defend the skin from ultraviolet injury and light aging.
Factor related to aging: Collagen
Collagen is one of the main components of body tissue structure and has bigger content than other proteins in the human body. The collagen in the skin is vital to maintain the forms and structures of tissues and organs. 75% of the dermis is made up of collagen, which makes the skin appear white and radiant. Meanwhile, collagen is a basic substance in the repair of damaged tissues, provide support to and keep the elasticity of the skin.
Factor that affect collagen: Glycation
To put it simple, glycation means the harm that sugar exerts on protein and DNA. It results in the malfunction of body cells and slowly makes the skin turn yellow and lose elasticity, followed by a series of aging phenomena. Collagen has a long life span. It is renewed every ten years, which means it has to fight alone at the post for at least 10 years. So it is understandable why collagen is so afraid of sugar. But the lucky thing is that as long as free radicals don’t participate in glycation, the skin won’t be influenced much (putting aside the issue of weight losing).
Factor related to collagen: Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is widely hailed as the “best moisturizing substance”. It makes the skin supple, plump, smooth, radiant and elastic. However, HA amounts decline with age, resulting in skin aging, dryness, wrinkles, dullness, roughness and uneven tones. Hyaluronic acid and collagen are two major components of dermis tissues. Collagen helps hold up the skin while hyaluronic acid keeps skin smooth and watery. Collagen can also help preserve moisture, yet with much less effect than hyaluronic acid.
Factor related to aging: Estrogen
Estrogen is also known as the female hormone. It stimulates the development of female sexual organs and secondary sex characteristics. It also maintains females’ normal sexual desire and reproductive functions.
Estrogen gives females tender and smooth skin, rich subcutaneous moisture, long hair (not so easy to go bald) and beautiful body curves. Many studies show that females of perfect body shapes and appearance are those with comparatively high estrogen levels. The Proceedings of the Royal Society B even points out that the source of female charm is estrogen. However, a high level of estrogen will increase the occurrence of gynecological diseases and the development of breast cancer.
Consequences of estrogen lack
Climacteric syndrome: estrogen receptors exist extensively in the female body – over 400 places. When females enter climacteric, estrogen decreases rapidly. As a result, all the tissues, organs and systems that house the estrogen receptors undergo big changes and lead to sever constitutional symptoms before and after menopause.
Skin changes: skin loses elasticity and radiance, and becomes dry, crumpled and itchy. Pigmentations of different kinds begin to emerge. Hair becomes dry and grey. And all outward aging symptoms become more and more obvious.
Increasing morbidity of coronary heart disease: estrogen protects blood vessels from being hardened and blood lipid from rising high. With the decrease of estrogen, the morbidity of cardia-cerebrovascular diseases increases. Meanwhile, triacylglycerol, cholesterol and low density lipoprotein see clear increases.
Osteoporosis: when estrogen declines, the calcium in the bones declines gradually. The fastest calcium loss happens during the 1-7 years after menopause, with an average losing rate of 2-3% per year and the highest may reach 71% a year. The result of calcium loss is osteoporosis, which largely increases the possibility of fractures.
Amblyopia and blindness danger: the occurrence rate of cataracts is much lower with females over 65 years old who take supplements of estrogen than those who don’t. Females who have delayed menarche are more likely to have cataracts. Moreover, post-menopause females have a higher risk of suffering retina macular degeneration.
Colon tumor: among females over 40 years old, the morbidity of colon cancer doubles every five years. The colon cancer morbidity rate of estrogen users has decreased from 0.71 to 0.55.
Factor related to aging:Free radicals
Free radicals are the harmful compounds generated in the oxidative metabolism process. Sunshine, computer radiation, cigarettes and alcohol, pressure, bad mood, insomnia, high temperature, over-exercise and junk food may all increase the number and activity of free radicals in the body. Existing in the deepest subcutaneous tissues, free radical is the main cause of skin spots and skin aging. It will not only largely stimulate the generation of pigment cells, but also speed up their secretion, which is melanin. As melanin accumulates, color spots emerge.
Free radicals can trigger over 100 diseases including the most common ones such as arteriosclerosis, apoplexy, heart disease, cataract, diabetes and cancer. They reduce body immunity and anti-oxidation competence and thus cause color spots, dull complexion and wrinkles. Improper lifestyle and dietary habits will increase the generation of free radicals and lead to cell mutation into cancer cells.
The more the free radicals are, the shorter life span one has. It is safe to say that free radicals are the root of all evil and the cause of all illness.
Factor related to anti-aging: SOD
Superoxide dismutase(SOD) is regarded as the most powerful antioxidase, scavenger in the human body to remove free radicals, and the root of health. SOD level is a direct indicator of aging and death. It combats and cuts off the harm that oxygen radicals exert to cells and repairs damaged cells immediately.
High life pressure, environmental pollutions, various radiations and over exercises will cause oxygen radicals to be formed. SOD effectively removes free radicals and thus delays aging. Therefore, people begin to attach more and more importance to SOD.
Factor related to aging: Inflammation
Different skin problems like color spots, couperose skin, and coarse pores all have one root – skin inflammation. The inflammatory responses taking place in the dermis layer is hard to be perceived by the naked eye, so people often neglect this crime culprit. Skin inflammation is a result of external invasion. Inflammation reduces the self-defense and repair capacity of the cells, deteriorates skin conditions and accelerates aging.
Factor related to anti-aging: EGF
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an active substance in the human body. It stimulates cells’ proliferation and differentiation and replaces aging and dead cells with newborn cells. EGF makes the epidermis cells more plump and the appearance younger. It also prompts collagen growth and repairs aging and cracked elastic fibers.
Younger age witnesses whiter and tenderer skin, higher EGF content and faster skin renewal speed. EGF is thus known as the “factor of beauty” because its content decides the tenderness of the skin. However, as EGF stimulates cell proliferation uniaxially, such ceaseless stimulation may cause unpredictable problems.
Only when we first know our congenital deficiencies can we then effectively make improvements. Likewise, to know our “beauty gene” is the first step to make an oriented whitening/anti-aging solution to target our own needs and thus achieve ideal effects.
Shanghai Morgantan Life Science Center Ltd provides full-set gene testing covering all the items listed above concerning skin whitening and anti-aging. The testing will detect the genotypes, tell the influence of these genes to whitening and anti-aging, make comprehensive assessment to relevant factors and offer suggestions to personalized skincare. This service will surely benefit many SPAs. For more information, please contact luh@mtgene.cn or call 18918130063
