Adipogenesis: countering contemporary facial sagging

ABSTRACT

One of the most visible hallmarks of ageing is the loss of facial fullness, which originates not in dermal fibres but in the progressive decline of dermal adipose tissue. As this supportive fat layer diminishes, skin becomes thinner, less resilient, and more prone to wrinkling. Advances in skin biology are now revealing that adipogenesis may offer a new pathway for aesthetic rejuvenation. Botanical-derived active ingredients capable of promoting adipocyte formation are emerging as promising tools for restoring skin volume and improving the appearance of wrinkles. The consistent atrophy of the skin’s adipose architecture with chronological ageing is now being compounded with unexpected side-effects in the new era of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonist drug treatments. While this healthy strategy certainly diminishes instances of diabetes and other metabolism-associated conditions in large proportions of the population, the rapid weight loss has also been coupled with an increase in the development of facial sagging and loss of volume. This has presented the personal care industry with an opportunity to design, develop, and launch new active ingredients that will allow individuals to enjoy the improvements in metabolic health without worrying about the associated loss of youthful facial features. Here, a new botanically-derived active has been launched that helps to counter the contemporary issue of facial sagging from rapid weight loss. The solution embraces the normal biological pathway of fat cell development: adipogenesis. Indeed, fat cells (or adipocytes) play a significant structural and biological role in the maintenance of smooth contours, facial fullness, and an overall youthful appearance

While dermal fillers with their biocompatible, hyaluronic acid-based gels have grown in popularity, there is a counter movement in the personal care industry seeking more natural mechanisms for restoring facial plumpness.