Improving Suntanning and Reducing Skin Peeling      

This patent cited below contains methods for increasing the efficiency of melanin formation and reducing post-tanning peeling damage. Decreasing the time in sunlight and post-tanning peeling would reduce overall ultraviolet exposure.       

The entire approach to suntanning and sun protection is in a state of change. Many chemical sunscreens are being banned because of estrogenic actions and other toxicities. The combination of skin repair creams plus ultraviolet reflectors such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide may be a better approach to sun protection.

Table 9. Improving Suntanning and Reducing UV Damage to Skin Cells

CONTROL
UVB radiation + HNE (4-Hydroxynonenal) Cell Death
GHK + UVB + HNE (4-Hydroxynonenal) Cells Protected

1. Before suntanning apply Protect & Restore Suntanning Lotion as a thin coating prior to suntanning. A small amount of water may be used to help spread the cream. This is a skin remodeling cream with titanium dioxide and high levels of anti-oxidants.

2. After suntanning, re-apply P&R Suntanning Lotion or P&R Body Lotion. THIS IS CRITICAL - USE COPPER PEPTIDE SKIN REMODELING CREAMS BEFORE AND AFTER SUNTANNING. If less suntanned skin is lost by peeling, less sun exposure will be required to keep the suntan. As suntanning increases pigmentation of the skin it also induces a mild erythema or redness, thus producing the reddish-brown tint to the natural skin color that is so sought for. However, this action produces certain levels of damage to the skin barrier. For example, transepidermal water loss from skin increases. This damage must be promptly repaired or the newly tanned skin will peel off. Skin Biology's copper peptide cream help the processes of skin barrier repair.

3. If you have a tendency to sunburn or plan an extended time in the sun, use a reflective sunscreen such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide over the Protect & Restore Suntanning Lotion. One acceptable sun blocker is Clinique's SPF-25 Special Defense Sun block which is chemical sunscreen-free. Or make your own sun blocker - Angela's Sun blocker Formula. Or see our NEW PAGE ON SUNSCREEN OPTIONS.

4. Moderate suntanning (30 minutes maximum per day) over a number of days produces the best results. Suntanning slowly produces pigment (melanin) in the skin. It takes about three days to induce significant melanin in your skin. Melanin blocks ultraviolet rays and also serves as a powerful anti-oxidant. In addition, the skin's natural defenses against oxygen radicals include other anti-oxidants such as Vitamin E and beta-carotene, and the copper-containing protein, superoxide dismutase, all of which de-toxify oxygen radicals and reduce skin damage.

5. Suntanning also thickens the skin and this provides further protection against sun burns but this thickening takes about three weeks. Skin thins with age and is thicker when we are young. But again, go slow!

6. Remember, excessive sun exposure can overwhelm the protective systems in the skin, causing skin damage that produces skin peeling and other types of damage. Dr. Lester Packer (University of  California, Berkeley) has published extensively on the role played by antioxidants such as Vitamin  E and skin protection. His research found that after absorbing in the UVB  radiation from sunlight spectrum, vitamin E is transformed into a free  radical  (tocopheroxyl)  which can regenerate back to vitamin E (tocopherol) via reaction with the skin's vitamin C (ascorbic acid).  Packer's  hypothesis is that as ultraviolet radiation dosage is gradually increased, these two antioxidant defenses of the skin are overwhelmed. Then free radicals begin to form in the skin and cause various types of cellular damage, including lipid peroxidation and oxidative modification of skin proteins and cellular DNA. Packer has measured the depletion of cutaneous lipid soluble antioxidants (such as Vitamin  E) after ultraviolet radiation of the skin. For example, 45 minutes of exposure to the noon-day sun can lower the skin's protective vitamin C levels by 80%. and also markedly lower other protective skin anti-oxidants such Vitamin E and beta-carotene. Packer also finds that sunblockers reduce this depletion of dermal antioxidants.

Supplements of key anti-oxidants have been found to increase the skin's internal resistance to ultraviolet damage as mentioned above. So, for at least three days before tanning, take a daily supplement of vitamin C (1 gram), Co-Q10 (30 mgs), alpha lipoic acid (100 mgs), vitamin E (400 units), and tocotrienols (35 mgs).

The following anti-oxidant supplements have been recommended by other skin researchers. (Source: Drug and Cosmetic Industry, September 1997, pages 52-55 and December 1997, pages 40-44.
 

	Dosage per day
Beta-carotene	30 mg
Mixed carotenoids from algae	50 mgs	Contains crytoxanthin alpha carotene, leutin and xanthin
Natural vitamin E	400 Units	Contains d-alpha-tocopherol, d-beta-tocopherol, d-gamma tocopherol, d-delta tocopherol
Vitamin C	1 gram

7. Take 2 milligrams of copper 2+ daily. Do this even if you are taking a multimineral supplement since most such supplements have so much zinc that they drive out copper 2+. The extra copper 2+ will activate more superoxide dismutase, your primary anti-oxidant defense.

The extra copper 2+ will also activate more copper-requiring tyrosinase. The enzyme converts tyrosine into melanin, the skin pigment. It is impossible to effective tan with adequate copper 2+ in your skin.

8. High quality sunglasses that absorb ultraviolet rays should be worn for eye protection. Large hats and protective clothing should be wore at other times when in heavy sunlight.

Figure of Method to Improve Tanning and Reduce Skin Damage.

1. Incoming UV rays are primarily reflected by a covering of reflective minerals (yellow) but a certain level of Free Radicals (green) are generated.

2. Copper peptide cream on the skin's surface detoxifies most of the FRs (Protect Symbols).

3. Some ultraviolet rays penetrate the skin to stimulate melanin formation. A small amount of FRs are generated but are detoxified by a high level of skin anti-oxidants (blue).

What is Lutein? It is a powerful antioxidant from plants that normally is present in the human body. Lutein also serves as an antioxidant that helps screen harmful ultraviolet rays that can damage our skin.

Harvard and Cornell Universities have proposed that lutein may be helpful in reducing the negative effects of high energy wavelengths of light on skin. Moreover, skin hydration may be positively affected by lutein as well. Lutein as a supplemental antioxidant may counteract depletion of the skin's natural antioxidants due to damage to over exposure to ultraviolet light and other environmental factors.

References from: Podda, M., Traber, M.G., Weber, C., Yan L.-J, Packer, L., UV-Irradication Depletes Antioxidants and Causes Oxidative Damage in a Model of Human Skin, Free Rad. Biol. Med. 24:55-65 (1998). Morganatic P, Bruno C, Guarneriz F, Cardillo A, Del Ciotto P, and Valenzanoz F. Role of topical and nutritional supplement to modify the oxidative stress. Int J Cosmet Sci 24:331-339, 2002. Gonzalez S, Wu A, Pathak MA, Sifakis M, and Goukassian DA. Oral adminstration of lutein modulates cell proliferation induced by acute UV-B radiation in the SHK-1 hairless mouse animal model (Abstract). The Society of Investigative Dermatology, 63rd Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA., 2002. Granstein RD, Faulhaber D, and Ding W. Lutein inhibits UV-B radiation-induced tissue swelling and suppression of the induction of contact hypersensitivity (CHS) in the mouse (Abstract). The Society of Investigative Dermatology, 62nd Annual Meeting, Washington D.C., 2001, p. 497

What are Skin Remodeling Copper Peptides?

Protect & Restore Suntanning Lotion contains skin remodeling copper peptides. Our remodeling copper peptides have credible, published, scientific evidence of effectiveness. Other companies do sell copper peptide skin products; however, our tests of many of these products find little or at best marginal activity on skin. Some of these actually inhibit skin repair. Others use peptides from yeast or bacteria that are known to cause skin allergies and asthma in sensitive persons.

Skin Biology's suntanning products are designed by Dr. Loren Pickart and are intended to supply anti-oxidants to help reduce free radical damage while suntanning and to help your skin quickly repair any sun-induced skin damage after suntanning. Pickart's previous discoveries and inventions have created over 40 products for skin and renewal hair that are licensed and sold around the world by companies such as  AdviCare, American Crew, Amuchina (Europe), Atelier Esthetique, Bard Medical, BioPharm (Middle East), Creative Nail Design, Johnson & Johnson, Schering AG, Neutrogena, Osmotics, ProCyte, Sigmacon Medical Products (Canada) and Tanox Biosystems (Asia).

Studies at over 30 leading Universities and Medical Research Institutes by leading dermatologists and scientists have established the effectiveness of the Copper-Peptide tissue remodeling methods invented by Dr. Pickart. For more information visit Copper Peptide Remodeling.

Protect & Restore Body Lotion is designed to assist post-tanning skin repair and reduce peeling. Protect & Restore Day Cover is designed to provide sun protection during normal daily activities without dangerous chemical sunscreens. Also, for your skin - Calypso's Oil - a moisturizing body oil available with pheromone-like to help improve interpersonal interactions.

Skin Biology's products contain no sunscreen chemicals - many of which have already been banned because of toxic estrogenic activities.

Safer, Faster Suntanning with Less Peeling

The continuing development of Protect & Restore Suntanning Lotion has a goal of developing safer suntanning products. Customers reported they were using our skin repair creams for suntanning. Our goal was to develop a better, safer method for inducing tan formation while minimizing undesirable effects on skin.

Our goal for safer suntanning is based on the following.

1. Decrease total sunlight exposure by increasing the skin's efficiency of sunlight-induced melanogenesis.

Dr. Martin Rieger has discussed the chemistry of oxidation and peroxidation his publications, emphasizes that melanin, the skin's pigment, is also a free radical scavenger, and somewhat "photo-protective" in a sense which that is unrelated to its light-scattering ability.

Increasing the efficiency of sunlight-induced suntanning would reduce the amount of sun exposure to produce the skin's melanin and reach a desired tan level. This reduces the skin damage incurred while tanning. Copper is the catalytic metal in the enzyme, tyrosinase, that, after suntanning, converts the amino acid tyrosine into the protective skin pigment, melanin. If your skin lacks adequate nutritional copper, no amount of suntanning will produce enough melanin to obtain a tan. Instead, you will only suffer more sunburn.

Clinical researchers at the University of California at San Francisco and the Shanghai Medical University reported that the Protect & Restore cream facilitated an increase in true skin melanin formation (not merely the staining of the skin) even with indoor (non-ultraviolet) light. P&R Suntanning Lotion creates an environment that aids the skin's natural ability to form the protective pigment and anti-oxidant, melanin.

2. Keep the ultraviolet rays (photons) in the upper (epidermal ) layer of the skin

Melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigment, are located in the epidermis, the uppermost layer of skin. In contrast, the network of collagen and elastin which keeps the skin supple, elastic and wrinkle-free, is located deeper down in the dermal layer. In order to keep more photons in the upper layer with the melanocytes and away from the collagen/elastin, we developed a light diffusing opaque cream by the incorporation of minute particles of the reflective sunblocker - titanium dioxide powder. By putting the small amount of reflective titanium dioxide into the cream, we can increase this bouncing and diffusion and stop more photons from going deeply into the skin and turn more of them to the side and thus keep them - to a greater extent - in the uppermost skin layer.

3. "Tune" the wavelength of absorbed light to tyrosinase-copper

The only wavelength of light needed for melanin formation is that wavelength which supplies energy to the melanin-producing enzyme copper-tyrosinase. Photons of a certain wavelength tend to stay in areas where there are molecules that can easily absorb them.

To "tune" the retained photons, we use the copper peptide complexes in the cream. A significant potion of these copper-peptide complexes have structure that is similar to the melanin-forming tyrosinase-copper complex. This should decrease the amount of light needed to activate the melanin producing reaction.

4. Increase anti-oxidant protections on the skin and within the skin with copper peptides and other antioxidants.

The primary antioxidant system in humans is Superoxide Dismutase. Protect & Restore Suntanning Lotion contains our patented (US Patent 5,698,184) copper-peptide complex that acts as a superoxide dismutase mimetic that can help de-toxify oxygen radicals produced by ultraviolet rays on the skin's surface. Creams containing superoxide dismutase activity have been proven to help protect skin during ultraviolet radiation exposure.  (Reference: Miyachi Y, Imamura S, Viwa G. Decreased skin superoxide dismutase activity by a single exposure of ultraviolet radiation is reduced by liposomal SOD pre-treatment. J Invest Dermatol 1987; 87:111-2). P&R Suntanning Lotion also contains other anti-oxidants such as vitamin E,  tocotrienols and Ubiquinone.
 

Supplements of key anti-oxidants have been found to increase the skin internal resistance to ultraviolet damage as mentioned above. So, for at least three days before tanning, take a daily supplement of vitamin C ( 1 gram), Co-Q10 (30 mgs), alpha lipoic acid (100 mgs), vitamin E (400 units), and tocotrienols ( 35 mgs).

4. Reduce post-tanning skin peeling

If less suntanned skin is lost by peeling, less sun exposure will be required to keep the suntan. As suntanning increases pigmentation of the skin it also induces a mild erythema or redness, thus producing the reddish-brown tint to the natural skin color that is so sought for. However, this action produces certain levels of damage to the skin barrier. For example, transepidermal water loss from skin increases. This damage must be promptly repaired or the newly tanned skin will peel off. Skin Biology's copper peptide cream help the processes of skin barrier repair.

Our customers report that Protect & Restore Suntanning Lotion helps produce great suntans with very little peeling. The lotion was originally designed to counter various types of skin irritations, and stimulate skin recovery after irritations and dermal damage. The lotion is made from plant materials.

In addition, the lotion contains titanium dioxide (a reflective sunblocker), and a high level of squalane and other proven skin protective agents such as allantoin, aloe vera, glycerol stearate and octyl palmitate. Squalane is the skin's most important protective lipid and declines from levels of 11% in teenager's skin to less than 5% in adults after age 20.  The cream components such as squalane, peptides, and allantoin are all natural skin components that have high absorption in the ultraviolet range to help protect the skin. P&R Suntanning Lotion does not contain chemical sunscreens such as benzophenone or oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) which are free-radical generators and may increase cancer risks.

The composition of Protect & Restore Suntanning Lotion is: Purified water, aloe vera gel, squalane, octyl palmitate, PEG-100 stearate (glycerol stearate and PEG-100 stearate), polypropylene glycol, cetyl alcohol, copper peptides (hydrolyzed soy protein + copper chloride), myristyl ether proprionate, stearic acid, allantoin, titanium dioxide, diazolinydinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, mixed natural tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta isomers),  mixed natural tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta isomers), ubiquinone, melatonin, herbal fragrance, retinyl palmitate, ergocalciferol, bronopol. (Copper peptides are formed when the cupric chloride and hydrolyzed soy protein are mixed in water during the preparation of the Suntanning Lotion.)

Tocotrienols and Skin Health

Topically applied tocotrienols selectively accumulate in skin and serve to protect it against ultraviolet damage and oxidation.  (Traber et al 1997). Diet alone cannot supply adequate amounts of tocotrienols for skin protection. In rats it was found that UV radiation significantly reduced vitamin E concentrations after 29 minutes of UV exposure, but in skin treated with tocotrienols the vitamin E concentrations were 7 to 30 fold higher after the radiation.

Ubiquinone and Skin Health

Ubiquinone is an oxidative reduction agent that functions in the energy-producing electron transfer chain in the mitochondria of cells. It also serves as an important lipid-soluble antioxidant in the skin and other organs. It  protects against free radical damage from peroxides that damage collagen and elastin, thus protecting against a loss of elasticity in the skin and wrinkle formation. Animals fed ubiquinone have lower cancer rates and its discoverer, Dr. Karl Folkers,  suggested that ubiquinone might control cancer either by facilitating antibody synthesis or by counteracting tumor cell functioning. His ideas were based on case reports of  unexpected or unusually long survival for cancer patients who were using ubiquinone for cardiac problems.

Melatonin and Skin Health

Melatonin is a hormone connected with sleep patterns and also a powerful human antioxidant that protects against UV radiation. Researchers at the University of Zurich have shown that topically applied melatonin gives excellent protection against sunburn if applied before sun exposure and also may have role in repairing burned skin. In small amounts, melatonin causes skin cells to proliferate. People with psoriasis and atopic eczema have low melatonin levels.
 

 "My work always tried to unite the true with the beautiful; but when I had to
choose one or the other, I usually chose the beautiful."
                                   - Hermann Wey
 
 

Sunscreens are designed to protect against sunburn (UVB rays) and generally provide little protection against UVA rays. They come in two forms:

CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS prevent sunburn by absorbing the ultraviolet (UVB) rays but may increase your risk of cancers of the breast, ovaries, prostate, and colon. Chemicals such as avobenzone, benzophenone, ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnimate, 2-ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl methoxycinnamate, oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) are used as the active ingredients.

PHYSICAL SUNSCREENS contain inert minerals such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or talc and work by reflecting the ultraviolet (UVA and UVB) and visible rays away from the skin. These come in two forms - pure sunblocker and various micronized or encapsulated versions. Pure sunblockers tend to give a pasty look to the skin. This is the reason for the use of micronized sunblockers which give a better cosmetic appearance on the skin. However, Prof. Nicholas Lowe (Dermatology, UCLA) has reported that micronized or encapsulated physical sunblockers such as titanium dioxide penetrate into the skin while pure titanium dioxide remains on the skin's surface - where you really want it to stay.

Micronized minerals are usually used as 'micronized' particles in the size range of 20-50 microns. But these particles are small in comparison with the wavelength of the ultraviolet and visible light and are virtually invisible and do not effectively scatter of reflect light. Pure, non-miconized, and often pasty, minerals are better reflectors of ultraviolet light.

PRODUCT REVIEWS:

"Your sunscreen is one of the best I've ever tried."

MB

K.I.
California

"Wonderful news ...I have been using Skin Biology's Suntanning Lotion on my face, works well."

KS

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"The Turn Back the Clock Doc", Loren Pickart has spent his life working on methods to reverse the effects of aging in the human body. He is the discoverer of the role of remodeling copper peptides on the repair of human skin and other tissues such bone, hair follicles, liver, stomach lining, and the intestinal tract after his isolation of the human skin remodeling copper-peptide, GHK-Copper from human blood. Skin remodeling copper peptides are the body's natural signals that repair and restore damaged and aged tissue by (1) inducing strong anti-inflammatory actions (activate superoxide dismutase and decrease damaging actions of TGF-beta and interleukin-1), by (2) stimulating the removal of damaged and older skin by increasing the synthesis of metalloproteinases, and (3) by increasing the generation of new collagen, elastin, proteoglycans, and rebuilding the microcirculation and by increasing production of new skin cells. He and his wife, Charlene, worked to start ProCyte Corporation in 1985 to develop his first generation of GHK-Copper products and Skin Biology in 1994 to create a second generation of more effective, skin remodeling copper peptides.

Products based on Dr. Pickart's inventions are using skin renewal, improving hair growth, increasing the success of hair transplants, and after dermatological peels, laser resurfacing, and dermabrasion by many companies including AdviCare, American Crew, Amuchina (Europe), Atelier Esthetique, Bard Medical, BioPharm, Creative Nail Design, Johnson & Johnson, Schering AG, Neutrogena, Osmotics, ProCyte, Sigmacon Medical Products and Tanox Biosystems. In addition, human clinical studies of Pickart's inventions for bone healing and healing of intestinal irritations (Inflammatory Bowel Disease or Crohn's disease) have given positive results. He received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of California at San Francisco. For details on copper-peptide tissue remodeling - see: Copper-Peptide Regeneration.

 

 

Skin Biology is on a quest to renew and rebuild your skin, to turn back the clock on skin aging. The key is to tap into the SKIN RENEWAL CYCLE: the first explanation for how the skin repairs itself. Dr. Loren Pickart, the biochemist who originated this ground-breaking theory, is famous for his discovery of skin remodeling copper peptides which are integral to the cycle of skin renewal. 

Dr. Pickart designs our products based on his scientific inventions in biochemistry and cell biology rather than on hocus bogus science that promises hyped hope in a jar. Our mission is to develop safe and effective products that activate your skin's natural renewal systems. Skin Biology products assist to remove the effects of aging and damage by restoring skin and hair to a younger and healthier condition.

Dr. Pickart has spent over 40 years developing methods to repair and regenerate various tissues of the body. His inventions have been confirmed by independent, published studies from over 40 universities and research centers. His discoveries have been proven to:

Calm irritated and reddened skin
Tighten loose skin and improve elasticity
Increase skin elasticity
Thicken older skin
Tighten the protective skin barrier proteins
Improve skin firmness
Reduce fine lines and depth of wrinkles
Act as powerful anti-inflammatories on skin
Improve skin clarity and “glow”
Reduce spots, photodamage, and hyperpigmentation
Smooth rough skin
Improve overall appearance
Improve hair transplant success
Improve hair growth and thickness
Restore liver after toxic poisoning
Block stomach ulcer development
Heal intestinal ulcers
Accelerate wound healing
Cause the differentiation of stem cells
Increase the production of stem cells
Protect skin keratinocytes from UV damage by inactivating reactive carbonyl species

No researcher, or cosmetic company, working on skin has this depth of independent, published confirmation on such a variety of inventions and fundamental discoveries on tissue renewal and regeneration. For more details and references see: Tissue Remodeling Copper Peptides

Latest View of Skin Remodeling Copper-Peptides	Published Research on Positive Effects of Skin Remodeling Copper-Peptides	Book: Reverse Skin Aging — Using Your Skin's Natural Power

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Dr. Pickart's Recent Articles 
"Formula of Love ", Cosmetics & Medicine (Russia), April 2005

"Improving Hair Growth with Skin Remodeling Copper Peptides ", Cosmetics & Medicine (Russia), July 2004 and Body Language Dermatology (UK), December 2004
"Skin Remodeling with Copper Peptides", Cosmetics & Medicine (Russia), April 2004
"The Turn Back the Clock Doc", February 2004
"Copperceuticals and the Skin", Cosmetics & Toiletries, (USA) July 2003
"Reversing Skin Aging" in Body Language Dermatology (U.K.), April 2003 - with Before and After Ultrasound Pictures
"Copper Peptides for Tissue Regeneration" in Specialty Chemicals (U.K.), Oct. 2002

New Article: Special Skin Problems of Models, Actresses, & Actors

New: Removing Wrinkles and Why Wrinkles Develop

New: Tightening loose and sagging skin

New - Your Skin's Natural Skin Regenerators

 

 

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Skin Biology is currently patenting and test marketing various products built around his new skin remodeling copper-peptides that are designed to possess greatly enhanced potency, strong breakdown resistance (and can be used with skin exfoliating hydroxy acids for more rapid skin renewal and for scar reduction), a longer duration of action, and very high adherence to skin. The first generation products designed around GHK-Copper performed well in many controlled tests; however, they failed in FDA clinical trials on the healing of difficult-to-heal human wounds. Dr. Pickart is of the opinion that this second generation of copper peptides should have a higher chance of success in difficult clinical trials.

Pickart is currently working on a theory of the biochemical mechanism of how the human body repairs damaged tissues and organs.
 

Pickart's Proposed Biochemical Mechanism of Skin Remodeling, Scar Reduction, and Hair Follicle Enlargement

The following diagram is based on GHK-copper(II) actions. See Copper Peptide Regeneration for references. Newer Skin Biology skin remodeling copper peptides act similarly but are composed of less fragile peptides that also have a better adherence to the skin.