I am compelled to present this article due to many of the experiences that I have witnessed from high-powered machines such as Lasers, Radio Frequency and Intense Pulse Light. With the anticipation of reducing the appearance of aging skin many people turn to power-driven technology to reduce the appearance of aging. The machines wound the skin with various levels of thermal heat and as the skin repairs more collagen is created to heal. There is an improvement to begin with, however the results are temporary and repeated treatments are needed to maintain effects. In many cases you will be asked to sign up for a series of treatments. Repeated treatments will not add to the longevity of one's beauty, they cause the destruction of skin cells which results in disease and cancer.
The Hayflick Limit Theory of Aging - Cell Biologist Dr. Leonard Haylick, is world renowned for his research and books regarding the chromosomal “clocks” of the human cell. The Hayflick Limit Theory of Aging suggests that the human cell is limited in the number of times it can divide or repair during its progress of living. In 1961, Dr. Hayflick theorized that the human cells ability to divide and repair is limited to approximately 50-times, after which they simply stop dividing (and hence die) which results in disease or cancer.
Nobel Prize winners Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol Greider advanced on Dr. Hayflick Theory and showed how the cell keeps a tally of the number of times it has divided-towards the limit of the individual Lifespan. Every time a cell divides naturally or through an injury, the telomeres within the cell shorten. Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes and carry DNA. As they shorten, the metabolic enzyme activity within the cell starts to slow down and result in death, disease and cancer.
The Errors and Repairs Theory - In 1963 Dr. Leslie Orgel of the Salk Institute suggested that the "machinery for making protein in cells is so essential, an error in that machinery could be catastrophic." The body's DNA is so vital that natural repair processes kick in when an error is made. The system is incapable of making perfect repairs on these molecules every time, therefore there is an accumulation of injury.
DNA and Genetic Theories - Recent research by Don Kleinsek Ph.D, understood that the shortening of telomeres is believed to lead to cellular damage due to the inability of the cell to duplicate itself correctly. Each time a cell divides it duplicates itself a little worse than the time before, thus this eventually leads to cellular dysfunction, aging and indeed death.
It is important to understand that treatments which further injure the skin will impair the over all health of the skin. It is clearly better to allow our cells to regenerate within the natural aging process, rather than forcing collagen through the division of cells with the hope of eliminating wrinkles for a short term gain. I have personally witnessed clients whom have developed more age spots, deeper lines and the skin looks ill treated after several repeated treatments. All inflammation leads to disease and skin cancer and this is a concern.
There are healthier alternatives to maintain a beautiful complexion, such as protecting the skin from sun damage. There are also skin care treatments that assist with healing sun damage, softening wrinkles and removing age spots by repairing them without inflammation. When we heal the skin we are restoring beauty rather than altering it and we are adding longevity to the lifespan of the skin, rather than shortening it. It is also important to understand that expression lines are not a reflection of an unhealthy skin. When the skin is healthy, or restored to a healthy state, expressive lines become visibly soft through expression. This is the goal to aim for – a healthy glowing complexion. When we try to omit all lines from the face, it injures our skin, leading us closer to a life filled with disease.
Founder of New Visage Advanced Skin and Anti Aging, Karen Bowers has 40 years of international training in skin care. www.newvisage.ca, 604 893 8872. kvbowers@vistreae.com