Amino acids are a necessity in your anti-aging arsenal.  Without an adequate amount of amino acids in your skin, none of your other skin care strategies will be effective.  They are the building blocks of complex proteins.  It has been reported that all the life on our planet is comprised of a combination of 20 distinct amino acids and water.  The difference between a dog and a flower are the complex way these amino acids and proteins are arranged.

Pre-assembled chains of amino acids are known as peptides.  Peptides are a very respected and well known ingredient in products today.  Each of these chemical messengers initiate a different action such as stimulating a fibroblast cell to produce more collagen.

If your skin needs to develop a collagen protein but a single amino acid is missing out of the 3,000 needed, the process stops and the skin will begin to break down and age.  Processes like this occurs millions of times each day so it is vital that your skin have plenty of available acids.  Collagen is just one of the proteins in the skin-others include proteoglycans, filgirns, MMPs, demogleins, elastin, fibronectin, cadherins, keratin, glycoprotein, and many others.  In fact, every single function in your body requires the help of amino acids. 

Due to many factors such as aging, lifestyles, diet, and environmental elements the skin becomes depleted of these essential acids.  When that happens, maintenance and repair of the skin slows and the skin begins to age.  Hence, replenishment of these will help the skin function and repair itself better resulting in healthier, more beautiful skin. 

In order to replenish those reserves, those acids have to get into the skin where they can be utilized.  Ingredient penetration is always a concern with formulators as many are too large to pass through the skins barrier.  The maximum size molecule that can penetrate the stratum corneum is approximately 500 daltons.  (One dalton is equal to 1/12^th the size of a carbon atom).  Amino acids penetrate well as their sizes range from approximately 75-204 daltons.  On the other hand, collagen in products does not penetrate well because that complex protein containing over 3,000 amino acids and can be 300,000 daltons or more-which obviously will not penetrate.  If you have the raw materials available in your skin, you can synthesize your own. 

Amino acids have very complex compositions and must be emulsified in a stable, water-based formula.  This is difficult to do because each acid is water soluble at a different temperature.  The process of preparing them all at the correct temperature requires some of the best chemists available. 

Clinical studies show that topically applied amino acids can yield tremendous benefits.  The different combinations have been shown to: 

* Improve hydration

*  Reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and discolorations

*  Increase collagen production up to 400%

*  Increase other vital skin proteins

*  Reduce keloid scarring up to 67%

*  Improve dermatitis/psoriasis by 50%

*  Increase blood flow to skin surface

Using a quality skin care product with the complete variety of individual acids is an excellent and essential addition to your skin care routine.  They not only nourish the skin, help it function better, and keep it hydrated but also help the other products you use work better.

RECOMMENDATION:  The one I recommend and use is AminoGenesis.  

The AminoGenesis Base Formula:

• is for all skin types
• is doctor approved, hospital tested
• is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic

Clinical Trials Prove the Effectiveness of the Pal-KTTS Peptide
At the World Congress of Dermatology in Paris in July of 2002, superior wrinkle reducing and sun damage repair abilities of the Pal-KTTS peptide as compared to traditional anti-aging retinoids was announced.

In Vitro Studies Show this Peptide Stimulates the Following:

• Wrinkle fighting collagen Type I by 117%
• Firming (anti-sagging) Collagen Type IV by 357%
• Moisture holding, dermal thickening glycosaminoglycans by 267%

Further Clinical Trials Showed the Following:

• a reduction of the surface area of wrinkles by 68%
• an average reduction in furrow density of 46%
• a reduction of skin roughness by 16%

Photolagen-AGF is the most powerful non-prescription serum available for the treatment of aging caused by the sun, wind and environmental factors.

• Hydrates
• Penetrates
• Repairs
• Nourishes
• Rejuvenates
• Stimulates
• Beautifies
• Exfoliates

Click on image below for more information