Fantasia Salon / Spa and Wig Specialists

Researchers have just stumbled on the fact that caffeine in mice has proven to get rid of sun damaged skin cells before they become dangerous. Before you get too excited about this to justify your morning cup of coffee, let’s delve into it a little more deeply. After all, according to some, caffeine is the worlds most prevalent drug!

However, researchers are finding that the presence of caffeine is giving the mice they are testing, a better shot at getting rid of damaged skin cells over-exposed to sunlight! From several types of experiments the researchers have done, the caffeine can selectively kill those damaged cells.

When skin is exposed to even moderate amounts of sunlight, there is damage and most of it is repaired very quickly. But, some cells are too damaged to be repaired and they are killed before they can cause any problems. It appears, at least in these mice, the rate of skin cancer caused by sun damage can be decreased.

Here is how it works. A team of researchers exposed hairless mice to a medium dose of ultra-violet light. Afterwards, one group had a solution put on the skin that contained caffeine while a control group had a solution applied without caffeine. As a further control, other mice received the caffeine or non-caffeine treatments without any ultra violet light exposure. The amount of caffeine is sililiar to the caffeine already present in anti-cellulite creams, about one percent. The Doctor spear heading the team said that the results more than doubled the number of these damaged cells that were deleted…and that also correlated with fewer changes, long-term changes, such as wrinkling.

This doctor wrote in the journal, “Cancer Research” that caffeine appears to inhibit a protein called ATR. This protein helps make sure that a cell’s DNA is copied correctly. If it’s inhibited, normal cells are okay but cancer cells are selectively killed. This, is a very good thing!

Bear in mind, the research thus far is just in mice. No one should head to the beach with their favorite coffee in tow for sunscreen. The next step in the research will be to work with mice that are genetically predisposed to skin cancers to see if they are responsive to the caffeine.

The purpose of this doctor’s research is not about finding a cure for sun induced wrinkling but is fundamental research about the cell cycle in cancer. That means he hopes to find even better cancer inhibitors than caffeine, but, his team also wants to study if this could be useful in humans directly as caffeine. One way that could be interesting is to utilize caffeine as a sunscreen agent. Caffeine itself has the capacity to block ultra violet rays and could be incorporated into sun screens.

According to the doctor, this discovery was an accident which had its origins in research into the health properties of green tea. As far back as 2001 it was being said that the importance of green tea was the caffeine. While exploring this, they stumbled on the caffeine-ATR connection. They reported their finding in the April 2008 issue of the “Cancer Research” journal.

So, if coffee or tea is near and dear to you, it may be proven in the near future, that some good benefit could be derived from drinking it. Guess we’ll just have to wait for further research before claiming caffeine is a “health” drink!

As we age, our body undergoes many natural changes associated with aging skin. Genes determine the natural aging process which cannot be altered. But, that said, there is a lot we can do to minimize the effects of premature skin aging which are caused by our environment and lifestyle.

There is intrinsic aging which is characterized by decreased production of collagen and elastin. This is what gives skin its strength and elasticity. Other characteristics include decreased skin cell turnover or shedding of dead cells and loss of fat beneath the skin. These changes are seen in the form of fine lines and wrinkles, thin skin, hollowed cheeks and eye sockets as well as sagging dry skin which may itch.

When it comes to intrinsic aging, you may want to think about Microdermabrasion or Facial Sculpting. In many cases, these treatments can provide some pretty dramatic results with regard to fine lines and wrinkles. Certainly a good skin care program will help as well.

Then there is extrinsic aging. This is usually caused by the effects of the sun. These changes resemble the natural aging of skin only they appear much earlier in life. I have to admit I have issues with this. I grew up in Tucson, Arizona and was a sun-worshipper. I would spend day after day laying in the 110 plus degree sun. I loved it. My tanning oil of choice was baby oil and Iodine. For years I had the best sun tan you can imagine and never thought of having to deal with the effects years down the road. However, the damage caused by the sun is cumulative, meaning that your skin never forgets your tans and burns, even from childhood! I remember one time going to Mexico over Spring Break and getting the most severe sunburn I’d ever had in my life. I had second degree burns. The doctor who treated me commented, ” you don’t even know how much damage you have just done to yourself.” Of course being young and immortal, I just blew off his comments and once healed, was back in the sun again.

Your degree of premature aging depends on the total amount of sun you have received over the years. Of course smoking can also age skin by producing oxygen free radicals which cause premature wrinkles. If you don’t quit smoking for health’s sake, how about quitting for vanities sake?

While you can never start a good skin care program to early in life, I also believe it’s never too late to start a good program. Until they close the coffin there will probably always be things you can do to make a difference.

With modern technology and advances in skin care and makeup as well as all of the procedures we have today, we can turn back time somewhat which is a Baby Boomers dream. You would probably want to look at the non-surgical options first. If all else fails there’s always plastic surgery. However, there are some terrific non-surgical alternatives such as microdermabrasion and facial sculpting, both which are offered at Fantasia.