Biopeptide & Growth Factor Complex
Luminnova Skin Care offers a selection of innovative, high performance skin care solutions and our Biopeptide & Growth Factor Complex is no exception. This complex contains an exceptionally high concentration of synergistic active ingredients. These ingredients include an array of biopepetides, growth factors and anti-oxidants, which have been shown in lab and clinical studies to combat the effects of aging on the skin, hair and nails.
What separates our Biopeptide & Growth Factor Complex from many other skin care products containing these key ingredients is the delivery mechanism which enables the high molecular weight ingredients to access their target receptors in the skin. Furthermore, the sheer number of actives with varied beneficial effects contained in this one power-packed product ensures notable results in reversing and preventing the signs of pre-mature aging.
The ingredients in our Biopeptide and Growth Factor complex are the exact structures as they naturally occur in the skin but they are synthetically produced without using any human or animal derived products.
Biopeptides
The Biopeptide and Growth Factor Complex contains several biopeptides with proven anti-aging activity. Studies on all of these biopeptides show significant reduction in wrinkles, increased elasticity and increased skin hydration over eight to twelve weeks. These biopeptides not only reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging, they also slow and prevent the aging process. Three key BGFC biopeptides are highlighted below along with their specific additional actions:
Biopeptide Zn also has a profound effect on protecting the skin from toxic damage including ultraviolet exposure and even cancer chemotherapy.
Biopeptide SC protects the skin from the enzyme action of MMPs (metalloproteinases). MMPs are stimulated by UV exposure and other forms of inflammation and are the dominant mechanism by which collagen and elastin breakdown occurs. By reducing collagen and elastin damage, Biopeptide SC increases skin firmness and and decreases skin laxity (sagging).
Biopeptide Cu is one of the most extensively studied biopeptides. It has been shown to have a plethora of anti-aging and other benefits, including increased hair growth and thickening of the hair strands
The Luminnova Advantage
As with many other proven skin care ingredients, the challenge is getting these large molecules into the skin where they can exert their beneficial effect. Many formulations depend on absorption through the skin appendages (hair follicles and sweat glands), but these only make up about 0.1% of the skin surface so this has a negligible effect. Others utilize penetration enhancers to achieve this but these compounds may have several drawbacks including irritation and eventual compromise of the protective skin barrier, this defeating the purpose of improving skin health.
Luminnova’s Biopeptide and Growth Factor Complex is formulated with an ultra-high penetration technology which encapsulates the active ingredients in a naturally occurring phospholipid envelope that can traverse the highly resistant cornified envelope at the surface of the skin, and can even penetrate beyond the skin when this is required. This type of skin care technology has been established as safe and effective and is often also employed to deliver hormone replacement therapy through the skin and into the systemic circulation.
Growth Factors
EGF: A Critical Growth Factor
EGF is a naturally occurring protein which promotes healing in the skin and other organs including the eyes, intestine and mucosal surface. In order for EGF to be effective it must be delivered to specific receptors in the skin, where it attaches and triggers a cascade of beneficial reactions which can literally turn back the clock to produce more youthful skin. In fact, EGF plays such a critical role in cell repair and proliferation, that the scientists who discovered it won the Nobel prize for medicine in 1986.
EGF Levels Plummet as We Age
Unfortunately, levels of EGF in the skin start dropping precipitously even from the age of 16. By age 40 EGF levels are less than 10% than their peak levels at sweet sixteen! Supplementing the skin with effective levels of topical EGF can provide rich anti-aging rewards.
Unlocking The Potential of EGF
Many anti-aging skin care products contain EGF but as it is a very large molecule most of does not reach the receptors where it can exert its highly beneficial activity. The good news is that the advanced ingredient technology EGF employed in this complex allows penetration of molecules through “inter-cellular routes” that are a tenth of the molecule size. This means that EGF is delivered to its receptor in meaningful quantities which signals the skin cells to behave like youthful, healthy skin.
What Exactly Does EGF Do?
EGF plays a critical role in repair and recovery of your skin so it plays a key role in offsetting the damage caused by UV radiation and is also active in skin recovery following cosmetic or medical procedures. EGF:
stimulates the healthy growth of keratinocytes - the major types of cells found in the skin. This combats the thinning of the skin observed with age and also promotes a healthy skin barrier, leading to greater moisture retention and smoother skin.
is a potent stimulator of fibroblasts which are principally responsible for the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. These are the critical components of youthful skin.
Human Growth Hormone
There has been a huge buzz about the use of hGH for many years and with good reason. There are over 87,000 publications and at least 384 double blind placebo-control studies on hGH. They confirm several beneficial effects on the body and skin resulting from hGH injections. In fact the results were so notable that investigators reported that they could guess which subjects were on the active treatment and which ones were only on the placebo by just observing their appearance. Investigators suggest that growth hormone would be more aptly called repair hormone based on its role in human physiology. In fact, in addition to its many anti-aging benefits, it is a powerful stimulator of wound healing.
Like EGF, the levels drop with increasing age especially after age 30, so targeting aging skin changes with hGH is an effective strategy as long as sufficient levels can be achieved in the skin:
Scientific Images Courtesy of Dr. John Park
Topical hGH is Safe
Unfortunately, many individuals have over-used hGH with serious consequences (enlarged heart etc.) but the tiny amounts utilized in skin preparations is entirely safe. HGH is also not associated with any increased risk of cancer development or growth. In fact the opposite is true: there is an increased cancer risk in those with hGH deficiency.