So, over the last year or so, if you’ve been reading the blog regularly, you have probably heard us talking about the Free Radical Theory of Physical Aging or, the Free Radical Theory of Aging (FRTA).

Really briefly so that we’re all on the same page, this theory suggests that one of the reasons that we age is that our cells take damage from free radicals we are exposed to in our environment over time. On a long enough timeline, this damage compounds, and our bodies wear out. That’s the two-sentence version, if you’d like to learn more about FRTA, click here.

Here at Skin Actives Scientific, we’ve really emphasized how our formulations relate to FRTA and the way that our products seek to minimize or reverse damage from free radicals. And while we’re always going to plead with you to wear more sunscreen and make sure that you are reversing damage with antioxidants, there are other reasons why we age, and we should take a look at those too.

So what’s this all have to do with Kinetin, the extracellular matrix, and you?

Let’s look a little deeper.

Extrinsic Aging versus Intrinsic Aging

So the theory of aging that Skin Actives formulates around most heavily is based on a concept called Extrinsic Aging. 

Extrinsic aging is when factors outside your body damage the components of your skin on a cellular level. This damage, though minor, is like something small going wrong with your car. It may just be a small component that doesn’t directly affect a bigger system, but it may cause other components to have to work harder, which in turn causes them to break down more easily, for instance.

Meanwhile aging from extrinsic factors can be occurring in a lot of places, causing these little mini-breakdowns to happen all over. Before you know it you have visible aging in the form of fine lines, wrinkles, dry skin and uneven pigmentation. These small bits of damage add up slowly, over the course of a lifetime into what we recognize as the signs of aging.

But there is another kind of aging, what we can call: Intrinsic Aging. 

Intrinsic aging is when components of your body begin to wear out on their own, with no interaction from extrinsic factors. Now, this begins to get a little controversial, because even at this point in scientific history, no one knows why this happens. There are at least three major theories that attempt to explain intrinsic aging but they are beyond the scope of this blog post. 

Interestingly, proponents of the FRTA point out that intrinsic aging could potentially be due to extrinsic factors. 

For instance, in the previous example, we suggested that the breakdown of cellular components exposed to free radicals might place undue stress on associated components that had not experienced free radical damage, still resulting in their failure over time. While this damage would not have been caused by direct free radical damage, this deterioration could be seen as indirect and still related to free radicals.

Regardless, in today’s blog we’re looking at a particular expression of intrinsic aging and what you can do about it.

The Extracellular Matrix

So, with so much talk in the Skin Actives blog about cells, cell reproduction, and cell turnover, it might be easy to imagine your body made up entirely of these little life-giving pods, clinging together by magic, doing microscopic work. 

That’s not entirely true.

Your skin actually has many components. We’ve talked about a lot of them here on the blog. You’ve got hair follicles, sebaceous glands and more! What we see when we look at the skin is called the epidermis, which is just part of your skin. The epidermis is made up of cells called corneocytes that are made up predominantly of keratin, the same stuff your hair is made from. This is what allows your skin to be comparatively “tough” and repel the outside environment.

But beneath your epidermis, there is a ton of work going on. All of the most complex mechanisms that make up your skin take place just beyond the epidermis in a gel-like region called the dermis. The cells that live and work inside the dermis are doing a ton of work on your behalf.

But these cells aren’t just sitting there. They are suspended in a substance we call the Extracellular Matrix. 

The extracellular matrix isn’t just a binder. It might be easy to think of it as like water that the cells are floating around in, or a glue that holds them together. But it’s not. The extracellular matrix is a vital part of the very fabric of your skin, not only does it suspend your cells, but the proteins and enzymes found growing through it actually help give your skin its shape and texture.

Why? Because the extracellular matrix is full of collagen. That’s right, two of the extracellular matrix’s largest components are collagen, in fact two of the most common collagens found in the human body.

Intrinsic Aging Leads to Wrinkles

Now, inside the extracellular matrix, you have all these proteins and enzymes floating around. In a way they are very much like the threads of a tapestry. The more protein strands and enzyme strands that are criss-crossing the extracellular matrix, the more it holds the skin aloft.

But when breakdowns begin in the production of collagen and proteins inside the matrix, the “threads” of the “tapestry” begin to decline in number. These losses, if they are not evenly distributed, cause small indentations to form on the epidermal region above. This manifests first as a fine line, then over time, as a wrinkle.

Which brings us to kinetin and what it can do for you.

Understanding Kinetin

Kinetin is an interesting active you can use in your DIY formulations. 

Kinetin is a cytokinin, which means that it is a chemical that promotes cell division in plants. This causes plants to grow, but has been shown in some studies to contribute to cell differentiation that determines the growth of stems and leaves.

When applied topically for humans, kinetin has shown antioxidant boosting properties that fight signs of aging such as roughness, fine lines, discoloration due to blood vessels and uneven pigmentation. 

Kinetin is currently being explored for uses in collagen repair, especially when combined with growth factors that stimulate collagen synthesis. This should sound familiar to members of the Skin Actives Family! Collagen production within cells has a direct impact on the formation and maintenance of collagen in the extracellular matrix. This means that while you may have been looking at Skin Actives high tech ingredients like epidermal growth factor to stimulate collagen production in cells, you also could be considering your collagen production outside of cells, in the extracellular matrix.

DIY Kinetin Cream

If you’d like to tackle intrinsic aging at home, here is a DIY recipe for you to try. It doesn’t take much!

4 oz of Canvas Base Cream

.5 g of Kinetin

1 vial of Skin Actives’ Epidermal Growth Factor

DIY Kinetin Cream in 3 Easy Steps

1. Empty your 4oz Canvas Base Cream into a clean mixing bowl.
2. Add your .5g of Kinetin, mix thoroughly.
3. Final step, after your kinetin is completely mixed in, add your epidermal growth factor to your cream and mix gently. Epidermal growth factor is a protein, and its trends are much more delicate. Stir gently so that you don’t break the chains and decrease activity.
4. Okay, real final step: empty your new creation back into its jar and enjoy!

That’s all for now Skin Actives Family, we hope you enjoyed this somewhat heavier topic.

Thanks for reading once again, we’ll see you back here Friday for an all-new blog post from Skin Actives Scientific!