ABI Skin Care FAQ's
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What does Power Pure™ mean?
Power Pure™ is a term that is used to describe high quality medical grade skin care products and ingredients. If a skin care ingredient is defined as being Power Pure™ then this signifies that this active ingredient is being formulated using the highest (most powerful) recommended percentage and is being harvested or produced in its purest and chirally correct forms. Using Power Pure™ ingredients ensures our products produce significant and powerful results with little or no irritation or adverse effects.
What are Power Pure™ formulations?
At ABI we have created products, or formulations, that contain multiple Power Pure™ ingredients to not only heal and protect but also transform the skin. These scientifically developed skin care products ensure the client receives the highest standard of ingredients. All of our Power Pure™ formulations are chirally correct, free of harmful and artificial dyes, artificial fragrances, parabens and sodium lauryl sulfates enabling us to provide the best both science and nature have to offer with out any unwanted extras.
Why is ABI considered a light based skin care line?
Non-invasive light based treatments such as LED light therapy, stimulate the production of collagen and elastin without wounding the skin. However, the process of light therapy only works if there is enough photon energy absorbed by the body to create a biological response. Photon absorption at these levels trigger an increase in Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) production which as a byproduct can often increase the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are also present within the body. By protecting the cells from elevated levels of ROS before a light therapy treatment and by reducing the ROS after a light therapy treatment, we can significantly enhance the results achieved from the LED procedure.
Other light based treatments such as IPL and laser resurfacing create a wound healing response from the body to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. ABI pre and post care products are formulated to decrease healing time, increase benefits and enhance the results achieved from these procedures. By using concentrated ingredients that inhibit Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs), reduce ROS levels and are high in peptides and essential fatty acids, we can reduce complications and increase overall patient satisfaction. (Please see The Science Behind It articles on ROS, MMP's and ATP for additional information.)
What are wrinkles and how are they formed?
Wrinkles are a natural part of the aging process. Everyone at some point in their life will develop wrinkles. The severity of a person’s wrinkles depends on an individual’s genetics, how much sun they have been exposed to and various environmental factors.
To understand how wrinkles are formed you need a basic understanding of the skin. The skin consists of three layers; the epidermis or outer layer, the dermis or the middle layer, and the subcutaneous or innermost layer. Each plays a part in keeping the skin young and healthy. The epidermis acts as a barrier, keeping unhealthy components out and holding moisture and other vital skin nutrients in. The dermis provides collagen and elastin, allowing the skin to move and stretch while also delivering the necessary amount of moisture to the epidermis. The subcutaneous layer contains fat cells which act as insulation, making the skin look plump and full.
As we age, several changes take place in the various layers of the skin. The epidermis becomes thinner and has a harder time maintaining its “barrier” functions while at the same time the dermis no longer produces as much collagen and elastic which leads to a thin sagging dermal layer. The fat cells of the subcutaneous layer begin to diminish and can no longer “fill in” the damage from the other layers and the signs of aging become visibly noticeable. This is why it is important to give the skin all the help we can by using superior skin care products that protect, hydrate and restore the skin’s natural functions.
What are free radicals?
Imagine you left a tire unprotected in the sun for many years. Over time that tire would break down and would no longer be usable. However, the life of the tire could be greatly increased if you shaded it from the sun and kept it coated with a protectant such as Armorol™. Skin reacts to the environment in a similar fashion. Free radicals are created by excessive exposure to sunlight, environmental pollution, cigarette smoking, and poisons like cleaners, pesticides and herbicides. Free radicals are responsible for our skin’s premature aging and tissue damage.
Free radicals are oxygen molecules that have “lost” one of their electrons, creating unstable or reactive molecules that start a destructive chain reaction, like dominoes, in the body. Because the molecule has an incomplete set of electrons, it tries to steal its missing electron from other healthy molecules creating more and more free radicals. The major damage caused by free radicals is when they come into contact with important cellular components such as DNA or cell membranes, leading to dysfunction, mutation and even cancer. They can attack enzymes and proteins, disrupt normal cell activities, or cell membranes, causing the possible death of a cell. Such damage in the cells that line our blood vessels can lead to hardening and thickening of the arteries and eventually to heart attacks and strokes. So how can we slow down and possibly prevent free radical damage? Antioxidants are our first line of defense. They have been proven to neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons, since they are stable in either form, ending the electron stealing reaction.
What does comedogenic and non-comedogenic mean?
The definition comedogenic is very simple. It means “pore clogging” and refers to ingredients found in skin care products that can be irritating and can block pores which often lead to acne breakouts.
Non-comedogenic refers to products that, when applied to the skin, do not plug the oil glands. Look for this label description on products such as makeup, foundation, and moisturizers especially if your skin is acne prone.
What is an antioxidant?
An antioxidant is a lipid or water soluble molecule that slows down and in many cases even prevents the oxidation or break down of other molecules. Antioxidants are specific nutrients and enzymes found naturally in many foods including fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Unstable molecules and free radical damage can occur inside and outside the body. Metal rusting is a clear example of what can happen when oxidative stress occurs outside the body. When it occurs within the body, it can lead to cell dysfunction and the onset of problems like heart disease and diabetes.
What are peptides?
Peptides are complex molecules derived from combining chains of amino acids (the body’s building blocks) that help to rebuild, revitalize and renew the appearance of damaged skin. Peptides belong to a group referred to as "cell communicating" ingredients. Peptides affect cell receptor sites and help to restore and maintain normal cellular function. When the skin is damaged for any reason, key proteins that promote skin and cell structure are destroyed. The body’s natural response is to release peptides which the skin interprets as a signal to produce more proteins, healing the damaged skin. Different peptides perform different functions in the skin and body. For example, Copper peptides promote collagen and elastin production while Palmitoyl Oligopeptides help smooth wrinkles and fill in fine lines on the skin.
What are copper peptides?
Copper peptides have been used in the medical field since the 1970’s for would healing and are one of the few peptides on the market that have an FDA approval. Copper peptides were first used to treat wounds, ulcers, skin lesions as well as some gastrointestinal conditions. A distinctive feature of copper peptides is that they are able to stimulate normal skin remodeling as they reduce scar tissue formation.
Due to their amazing wound healing capabilities, copper peptides are able to increase the effects of controlled skin injury treatments such as laser resurfacing, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion. These copper peptides are known to not only significantly reduce inflammation and irritation but are also able to promote the synthesis of elastin and collagen, making them one of the most significant peptides available today.
What is Matrixyl®?
Matrixyl® is the trademark name for the powerful skin rejuvenating peptide known as palmitoyl pentapeptide-4. Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 is a relatively small molecule that consists of several essential amino acids linked together with a fatty acid enabling better skin penetration. Matrixyl’s function is very similar to how copper peptides work. When combined with fibroblasts, the cells responsible for knitting together wounds and producing collagen, Matrixyl is able to stimulate key skin constituents such as collagen, elastin, fibronectin and glycosaminoglycans.
Clinical studies have shown that deep wrinkles are reduced by half and fine lines sometimes fade away completely due to Matrixyl’s ability to promote collagen production. The actual study shows an increase in collagen synthesis by up to 117%, an increase in collagen IV synthesis by up to 327% and an increase in hyaluronic acid synthesis by up to 267%. Other studies have shown palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 to be as effective as retinol in wrinkle reduction and repairing sun damaged skin but without retinols skin irritating side effects.
What is Matrixyl 3000®?
Matrixyl 3000® shares nothing in common with Matrixyl® except its name. Matrixyl 3000® is made using two peptides: palmitoyl-tripeptide-7 and palmitoyl-oligopeptide. The combination of these two powerful peptides helps to significantly reduce the appearance of wrinkles by stimulating fibroblastic activity and promoting the production of collagen. Clinical studies have shown that the combination of these peptides can decrease wrinkle depth by 20%, wrinkle volume by 23%, and the density of wrinkles by 33%. Matrixyl 3000® has also shown to be more effective at regulating skin cell activity than the original Matrixyl®.
Why use essential oils in an acne product?
A common myth is that if you have oily, acne prone skin then you must avoid any skin care products that contain essential oils or else risk breaking out. The fact of the matter is that there are a number of essential oils that are incredibly beneficial at treating acne while also preventing future break outs such as Tea Tree Oil, Niaouli Oil and Lavender Oil. Another fact is that oil does not in any way cause acne - other factors like hormones, clogged pores, over productive sebaceous glands and bacteria cause acne. Essential oils are the concentrated, pure form of the particular plant that it is being derived from and retains all of the same benefits.
What factors affect skin aging?
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. During early stages in life, the skin performs at peak conditions. However, as we grow older the skins functions slow down and we begin to see signs of aging. There are many factors associated with aging skin such as genetics, pollution, stress, UV damage, synthetic chemicals in our foods, and un-healthy living. Most of the factors can be controlled to a certain extent, however, wearing an SPF at all times, drinking plenty of water, ensuring your body is getting proper nutrients and incorporating antioxidant and peptide rich skin care products into your daily are just some steps that can be taken to minimize and even reverse the signs of aging. (Please see Common Skin Conditions to learn more about which ABI skin care products are best at combating the signs of aging)