How fibroblasts impact skin ageing
The skin is an organ, like the heart or liver… it has a unity of form and a unity of structure with its own very important protective and barrier functions. It’s made up of cells which are all within an extracellular environment through which vessels pass to nourish the skin, as well as nerves which give the skin its sensitivity.
Our skin is made up of 3 layers:
■ Epidermis (the most superficial layer of the skin) - protects us from the outside world and limits water loss.
■ Dermis - includes collagen fibres and fibroblast cells - essential skin cells that evolve in the extracellular matrix (a combination of water and sugars including hyaluronic acid, which have the ability to retain water). The dermis is responsible for skin elasticity.
■ Hypodermis (fatty tissue) - made up of adipocytes and is a place of energy storage.
Dermis cells/fibroblasts are extremely important as they build our skin. They make the collagen fibres come together and form large braids that will give firmness and elasticity to the skin. After an injury, fibroblasts will immediately come to the site to make collagen, to fill up the wound.
Unfortunately, the fibroblast is an ageing cell. When the fibroblast is healthy, it will transform into a myofibroblast which has a muscle fibre: the alpha SM actin. It is basically a fibroblast with muscles… a very active cell.
At his research centre in Besançon, France, Prof. Philippe Humbert conducted a study which shows that when the skin is mechanically stimulated with a determined frequency (face endermologie), the fibroblast is transformed into myofibroblast, allowing the skin to reduce its wrinkles and sagging (ptosis).
Why do wrinkles appear?
With facial expressions, the skin tries to remain tense and not wrinkle. To do so it uses the transformation of the fibroblast into myofibroblast. But, eventually, that skin becomes exhausted due to external ageing factors like sun exposure eroding its protective capacity and wrinkles appear.
Fibroblasts are tired so they need to be stimulated. To stimulate an athlete, you have to put them on a treadmill. Small gestures made with hands or with mechanical stimulation devices, create stimulation of the fibroblast which starts to become younger, transforming them into myofibroblast.
Prof. Humbert’s team have demonstrated that with 6 weeks of mechanical stimulation, all the skin’s collagen is renewed while 45% elastin and 80% hyaluronic acid are produced. No need to inject anything!
Microcirculation stimulation can be observed right from the first session with an improvement in skin radiance. By continuing the course of treatments, other results will appear: significant improvement in ptosis severity scores, and production of hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin.
This mechanical stimulation with endermologie rejuvenates the skin by activating the fibroblasts.
endermologie comes from the word «dermis». Therefore, by stimulating the skin, endermologie heals it, renews it, rejuvenates it.
This is a sponsored story in partnership with LPG UK
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