Table of contents:
- Where did the snail slime beauty trend come from?
- What is the magic of snail slime?
- Pros and cons of effectiveness of snail mucus for beauty
In their quest to find super ingredients that can give faces a youthful appearance and a flawless glow, beauty product manufacturers never seem to run out of ideas. Starting from aloe vera and seaweed in various beauty products mainstream, to facial treatments using human placenta that claim to give the skin a bright white appearance while stimulating the brain.
It is no wonder that facial care products containing snail mucus have become one of the trends in the beauty world due to their increasing popularity in recent years.
Where did the snail slime beauty trend come from?
Snails were first used in ancient Greece as a topical treatment to reduce inflammation, and remained behind the scenes until hundreds of years later South American snail farmers noticed a change in their hands that looked more supple, softer, and looked younger, and included snails into their beauty ritual for so long.
Snail slimy facial care products exploded on the world market five years ago, as soon as South Korea, the current mecca for beauty products, picked up the trend. Various world brands have participated in releasing superior products that contain snail mucus, and spa and dermatologists practice places to offer facial services that involve this magic mucus.
What is the magic of snail slime?
Snail mucus (Helix Aspersa Müller Glycoconjugates) acts as a protector of the lower part of their body which is in direct contact with the soil from scratches, bacteria and UV rays. It is proven to contain a potent combination of elastin, protein, anti-microbial, copper peptide, hyaluronic acid, and glycolic acid. All of these ingredients are familiarly found in various beauty products.
Initially, facial creams containing snail mucus were marketed as a solution to acne, but later this animal shell mucus was also believed to reduce black spots and scar tissue and remove wrinkles.
The toxins found in sea snails (a different variety of garden snails that you often encounter) paralyze their prey and are thought to relax muscle fibers, which play a role in preventing facial wrinkles.
Pros and cons of effectiveness of snail mucus for beauty
There are several small studies that show snail extract can improve skin condition by increasing its natural ability to absorb and maintain water in the dermis. In addition, there are other studies showing that snail mucus may have healing properties.
Reporting from ABC News, based on the findings of a study published in the Journal of Drugs and Dermatology 2013, routine daily application of snail mucus face cream in 25 participants showed a drastic reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.
There is other anecdotal evidence that the protein in snail mucus contains anti-aging agents, and clinical trials have investigated this, as well as repairing sun damage. In the experiment, the improvement proved to be seen, from the improvement of skin texture and quality, however, this magic mucus will not help wrinkles and creases that are too deep.
The absence of serious controlled clinical trials or ongoing long-term research makes the actual science behind the benefits of snail slimy products still somewhat inconclusive.
Quoting from the New York Magazine, Dr. Howard Sobel, a dermatologist from New York, argues that the concentration level of the active ingredients contained in the mucus is not high enough or can be absorbed deep enough by the skin to have a positive effect.
Plastic surgeon, Joel Studin, said that although a number of snail mucus against skin repair is indisputable, the number of studies that are still relatively small to be guaranteed its legitimacy and should be done better research. The same thing was also expressed by Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, deputy director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery, who said that although the evidence for snail mucus for skin improvement is incontrovertible, the number of studies available is still small to guarantee its legitimacy, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Also at issue is the consistency of the snail mucus itself. Rus Grandis, a chemist and lead researcher at cosmetic consultancy Architectural Beauty, said it was difficult for researchers to control the potential levels of mucus because different varieties of snails produce different mucus. According to him, despite the many claims that snail mucus contains allantoin (a protein to increase tenderness, acidity, and enzymatic properties), the active components contained can differ depending on the source.
Furthermore, there is a wealth of study evidence that reveals the effects of snail mucus on cell culture, including wound healing, stimulation of new collagen and elastin production, and increased production of the protein fibronectin. However, some of these effects have so far been shown only in cell culture. To date, there is no link between snail mucus and its effectiveness on human skin as proven by reliable controlled studies.
No matter how ridiculous it might seem to include snails in your beauty products, snail mucus can be a powerful bioactive ingredient. However, translating its properties can produce a variety of conflicting perspectives. In each product, it will be impossible to predict its success because it depends on the quality of the mucus used, the amount in the product, how it is processed and processed, and the interaction of snail mucus with other supporting ingredients which also play a role. To date, effectiveness has only been assessed on the basis of immediate effects, not long-term effects.
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