Anti-Aging Breakthrough: Understanding Human Skin Cells Paves A Way For New Anti-Aging Treatments

Scientists from Newcastle University in the U.K. have recognized for the first time that the movement of a key metabolic enzyme that is found in the batteries of human skin cells weaken with age. The study was printed online in the Journal of Investigative dermatology.

Science Daily reports that the study was led by Mark Birch-Machin, a Professor of Molecular Dermatology at Newcastle University together with Dr. Amy Bowman, the co-author of the study. Its outcome shows promising results and opens possible development of powerful anti-aging treatments and cosmetic products. These may be shaped to stabilize the decline in the enzyme's activity levels.

The finding of the study will also lead to a perception of how the organs in the body age. Researchers will then discover and develop a drug for age-related diseases that include cancer.

"As our bodies' age we see that the batteries in our cells run down, known as decreased bio-energy, and harmful free radicals increase," Prof. Birch-Machin said. "This process is easily seen in our skin as increased fine lines, wrinkles and sagging appearance. You know the story, or at least, your mirror does first thing in the morning!"

"Our study shows for the first time, in human skin that with increasing age there is a specific decrease in the activity of a key metabolic enzyme found in the batteries of the skin cells," Prof. Birch-Machin added.

"There is now a possibility of finding anti-ageing treatments which can be tailored to differently aged and differently pigmented skin, and with the additional possibility to address the ageing process elsewhere in the bodies," he concluded.

Meanwhile, WebMD shares some anti-aging treatment that can enhance your skin. These include the CO2 fractional laser which is a skin resurfacing treatment, the new wrinkle injections, anti-oxidants, peptides, vitamin A and the anti-aging sunscreens.