Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1441323
New member benefit! Get the ASCP SkinPro App at ascpskincare.com/skinpro 35 INGREDIENT DECK maintained, and if the hypoxia lasts long enough, cells die prematurely, which leads to advanced skin aging. 2 There have been extensive studies on hypoxia and the body's response. In 2019, William G. Kaelin Jr., Sir Peter J. Ratcliff e, and Gregg L. Semenza were recognized and honored with the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for their decade of work in understanding hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF). 3 Essentially, HIF (HIF-1a specifi cally) is the body's adaptive response to maintain oxygen homeostasis and adapt to low oxygen levels. Because of these studies, we understand how to identify the eff ects of low oxygen levels and how the skin needs to be supported. In the skin, the HIF-1a factor allows the skin to adapt for short periods of time and is initiated in times of necessary cellular recovery. OXYGEN THERAPIES AND TREATMENTS The practice of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is not a new medical modality and has been used to treat a variety of physiological ailments. It is a pressurized chamber in which pure oxygen is delivered and absorbed through the skin and lungs. With clinical advancements of the mid-20th century and through the beginning of the 21st century, HBOT and other oxygen-infusion therapies are becoming popular in the fi ght against aging skin and age-related pigment. 4 The process in which concentrated O2 is delivered to the surface of the skin allows cutaneous uptake and delivers essential oxygen to the cells of the epidermis, providing positive results in stimulating elastin and collagen as well as combating eff ects of UV damage. Unfortunately, not all "oxygen facials" are created equally and careful discernment should be taken with "treatments" to ensure actual O2 is in use, and not just . . . well, some device blowing air and serum. And topical products? Is this a new trend? No! The use of oxygen in skin care has been researched for more than 25 years. A 1996 study by the International Journal of Cosmetics evaluated the comparison of two formulations, identical except one contained an oxygen carrier and the other did not. The formulation that contained the oxygen carrier resulted in skin that had a reduction in both the number and depth of fi ne lines and wrinkles. 5 This was an exciting development, but the skin care industry wasn't quick to catch on. However, in the early 21st century through today, we have seen "oxygen infused" and "oxygenating" products beginning to make their way into the marketplace. One key point to consider when evaluating these products is, of course, the ingredient deck. Does it list oxygen? If not, it could be creative marketing rather than a product that encourages actual cutaneous uptake. The correlation between oxygen and a healthy, youthful, glowing complexion deserves our attention. Though the skin does not have lungs, it thrives and survives with a healthy dose of O2. Of course, before you rush off to that oxygen facial or buy a full backbar supply of "oxygenating" blah blah cream, take a deep breath and always check the deck! Notes 1. M. Stücker et al., "The Cutaneous Uptake of Atmospheric Oxygen Contributes Signifi cantly to the Oxygen Supply of Human Dermis and Epidermis," Journal of Physiology 538 (February 1, 2002): 985–94, https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol. 2001.013067. 2. Ataman Sendoel and Michael O. Hengartner, "Apoptotic Cell Death Under Hypoxia," Physiology 29, no. 3 (May 2014): 168–76, https://doi.org/10.1152/ physiol.00016.2013. 3. NobelPrize.org, "Press Release: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2019," October 7, 2019, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2019/press-release. 4. B. Asadamongkol and J. H. Zhang, "The Development of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Skin Rejuvenation and Treatment of Photoaging," Medical Gas Research 4 (April 1, 2014): 7, https://doi.org/10.1186/2045-9912-4-7. 5. K. Stanzl et al., "The Eff ectiveness of Molecular Oxygen in Cosmetic Formulations," International Journal of Cosmetic Science 18, no. 3 (June 1996): 137–50, http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-2494.1996.tb00143.x. The correlation between oxygen and a healthy, youthful, glowing complexion deserves our attention. Though the skin does not have lungs, it thrives and survives with a healthy dose of O2.