When I first heard the term "DNA repair enzymes" several years ago, my immediate reaction was, this is a marketing gimmick.
The skincare industry is rife with twisty marketing that skews the facts and exaggerates the results you can expect - so I'm always skeptical (and you should be too!).
All that said - DNA repair enzymes are in fact, the real deal.
A brief history
The ability of DNA repair enzymes to function inside human cells was first demonstrated nearly 45 years ago, confirming that they could be used therapeutically (eg, in skincare).
In 2015, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to a trio of scientists who had done mechanistic studies of DNA repair, and highlighted the critical role they played in cellular health.
But can they actually repair DNA damage in the skin?
The short answer is yes - but this hinges on their ability to penetrate the skin and reach targeted cells. To do this, a delivery system is essential.
Aspect Platinum have utilised liposomes to deliver DNA repair enzymes to the skin. These are multi-layered, lipid vesicles, made up of phospholipids that mimic the skin cell membrane, encapsulating the enzymes, protecting them and facilitating their penetration into the skin.
Once applied topically to the skin, these liposomes localise to the epidermis within an hour.
The liposomes are pH-sensitive, ensuring they are taken up by skin cells into the acidic lysosomal sac. Here, the liposome membrane dissolves, releasing the enzymes into the cell, where they diffuse into the nucleus and bind to DNA, initiating repair processes.
Understanding DNA Damage and Repair
DNA damage is a major factor in premature skin ageing (and a trigger for cell senescence, which you can read more about here).
Our skin is constantly exposed to environmental aggressors including UV radiation (the sun), pollution, and oxidative stress. These factors can cause significant damage to the DNA in our skin cells, leading to premature aging, pigmentation, and even skin cancers.
While our bodies do have natural mechanisms to repair this damage, the efficiency of these mechanisms declines with age. This is where DNA repair enzymes come in, providing a boost to our body's natural repair systems.
Aspect Platinum utilises three key DNA repair enzymes: photosomes, roxisomes, and ultrasomes.
Photosomes (Photolyase)
Derived from the bacterium Anacystis nidulans, photolyase is an enzyme that utilises the energy of blue light to repair UV-induced DNA damage.
When our skin is exposed to UV light, it creates thymine dimers—specific types of damage that distort the DNA structure. Photolyase binds to these dimers and, upon exposure to blue light, breaks the bonds of the dimer, restoring the DNA to its correct form. This mechanism helps to prevent mutations that lead to skin aging and skin cancers.
Roxisomes (Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract)
Roxisomes are plant-derived enzymes that identify and excise damaged sections of DNA, allowing the body's natural repair processes to restore the integrity of the DNA.
Ultrasomes (Micrococcus Luteus)
Ultrasomes feature the enzyme T4N5, derived from the bacterium Micrococcus luteus. This enzyme plays a crucial role in excision repair, a process where damaged DNA is removed and the gaps are filled in with new, healthy DNA. T4N5 specifically targets damage caused by UV radiation, recognising and excising faulty segments of DNA.
In conclusion, DNA repair enzymes are an impressive technology that we can all integrate into our skin care through Aspect Platinum, to reverse DNA damage and correct it as it happens.
The inclusion of DNA enzymes in these products is not just about repair - it's about creating a resilient barrier that can withstand daily environmental exposure and maintain skin health at a cell level, long term - future-proofing your skin.
If you want to integrate Aspect Platinum into your routine, talk to your skin therapist for tailored advice on what your skin would benefit from most. If you're not a client with us yet, but you'd like to revise your skincare routine at home - book a free consultation here.
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