In an ideal world, your skin would need only two things to remain beautiful: fresh water and wholesome nutrition.
But we don’t live in that world anymore. And today’s environment poses a serious challenge to how your skin looks, feels and ages.
I’m talking about air pollution —
from car exhaust, cigarettes, manufacturing byproducts, aerosols and smog —
that causes free radical damage to your complexion.
Over time, this damage leads to the breakdown and deterioration of everything your skin needs to look healthy and free from the signs of aging.1
Of course, that’s not what you will hear from dermatologists. They continue to keep blaming the following signs of skin breakdown on aging:
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While it’s almost impossible to avoid toxins in the air, there is a way to minimize the damage they cause.
Repair Your Skin With This Super “Sponge”
For years, I’ve recommended that my patients use a unique product called helix aspersa. It’s the latest rage among celebrities, and maybe you’ve heard them refer to it as snail slime.
No matter the name, research proves it works to repair your skin naturally.
You see, it turns out snail skin is similar to human skin as they both have collagen, elastin and other similarities. So the serum that works well at repairing the snail’s own skin and shell does the same for human skin.
Snail serum is composed of natural compounds that are a combination of proteins and minerals like copper, zinc, calcium and iron. These compounds help build collagen and elastin. And collagen and elastin are the foundation for healthy, beautiful skin.
Snail extract is also a natural source of hyaluronic acid (HA), which promotes the ability of collagen and elastin to retain moisture in your skin.
But more importantly, it can hold 1,000 times its own weight in water. HA acts almost like a sponge soaking up water. This gives your skin firmness, elasticity, and flexibility to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
In one study conducted in Germany, 33 women treated their skin with HA. After just eight weeks depth of wrinkles was reduced up to 40%, skin hydration increased by 96%, and skin firmness and elasticity were enhanced by 55%!2
In a second study, 25 women with severe facial photo damage used a serum containing 40% snail mucin. After 12 weeks, all of them reported fewer fine lines and wrinkles —
even two weeks after they stopped using the product.3
And in two recent studies, researchers looked at the effects of snail serum on skin cells exposed to severe air pollution. They found that treating tissue with snail serum protected the skin by as much as 30%4 and prevented apoptosis —
or the death of existing skin cells.5
Increase Your HA for a Natural Glow at Home
While snail serum is one of the fastest and most effective ways of getting the benefits of HA to your skin, it’s not the only way. I also recommend increasing hyaluronic acid from the inside out. Here’s what I tell my patients:
- Eat more organ meat. This is your best source of hyaluronic acid. You’ll find it in huge quantities in grass-fed organ meats like kidney, liver and heart. Lamb, poultry and beef liver are especially rich in hyaluronic acid.
- Drink bone broth. This Hollywood secret is one of your best sources for hyaluronic acid. Make your own using meaty bones from grass-fed beef, a whole pastured chicken (skin included) and chicken feet. As the bones simmer in water for 8 or more hours, nutrients — including hyaluronic acid — trickle out.
- Take a supplement. The supplement glucosamine also increases your body’s natural production of HA. You can take up to 500 mg of glucosamine twice a day with food.
HA is also available as a supplement, but it’s not particularly well-absorbed when you take it orally. It’s better to build up your natural HA or get it from a serum.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
1 Drakaki E, et al. “Air pollution and the skin.” Front Environ Sci. 2014;2:11.
2 Jegasothy SM, et al. “Efficacy of a new topical nana-hyaluronic acid in humans.” J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2014;7(3):27–29.
3 Fabi SG, et al. “The effects of filtrate of the secretion of the Cryptomphalus aspersa on photoaged skin.” J Drugs Dermatol. 2013;12(4):453-457.
4 Valentina G, et al. “HelixComplex snail mucus as a potential technology against O3 induced skin damage.” PLoS One. 2020;15(2):e0229613.
5 Trapella C, et al. “HelixComplex snail mucus exhibits pro-survival, proliferative and pro-migration effects on mammalian fibroblasts.” Sci Rep. 2018;8:17665.