Perception and usage of growth factors in cosmetic products and aesthetic procedures

V današnjem času narašča trend zdrave in mladostne kože ter povečane skrbi za zunanji videz, kozmetični trg pa temu vztrajno sledi. Kozmecevtiki zasedajo vedno večji del prodajnih polic, saj predstavljajo pomemben del aktivne kozmetike proti staranju kože. Z uvedbo uporabe rastnih dejavnikov v kozmetološke namene, postajajo ti čedalje bolj privlačna kozmetična aktivna sestavina na trgu kozmetičnih izdelkov. V prvem delu diplomske naloge smo povzeli študije o novih strategijah dostave rastnih dejavnikov. Večinoma gre za nanodostavne sisteme, študije pa se nanašajo tako na farmacevtske, kot na kozmetološke pripravke. V nadaljevanju smo pregledali klinične študije, v katerih preizkušajo delovanje rastnih dejavnikov in njihovih pripravkov v kozmetične namene. V večini kliničnih študij, ki so preiskovale vpliv rastnih dejavnikov na kožo, so raziskovalci zaključili, da dosežejo pomlajevalni učinek. Po temeljitem pregledu metod in rezultatov ne moremo zaključiti, da je ugotovljeno izboljšano stanje kože posledica delovanja rastnih dejavnikov. V študijah so uporabljali kozmetične izdelke, ki so vsebovali tudi druge aktivne sestavine, ki lahko prav tako vplivajo na izboljšanje stanja kože. Študije na splošno niso vključevale ustrezne kontrole in so za vrednotenje učinka uporabile ne-objektivne metode vrednotenja rezultatov. Študije tudi niso neodvisne, saj so raziskovalci, ki so sodelovali pri vrednotenju učinkov, bodisi zaposleni pri podjetju, ki trži izdelek, ali pa je študijo financiralo podjetje, ki trži izdelek. Sklepamo, da so do sedaj izvedene študije nastale zaradi komercialnih interesov podjetij, ki so preučevane izdelke razvila in tržila. Podjetja financirajo klinične študije zato, da pritegnejo potrošnika v nakup izdelka. Močan konflikt interesov v do sedaj izvedenih študijah je še dodaten razlog za majhno verodostojnost študij. V drugem delu diplomske naloge smo izvedli anketo, s katero smo pridobili informacije o uporabi in poznavanju rastnih dejavnikov od laične populacije, študentov oziroma alumnov kozmetologije in od strokovnjakov dermatologov iz estetskih centrov. Rezultati anket so pokazali, da laična javnost z rastnimi dejavniki ni dobro seznanjena, vendar se ji zdi uporaba zanimiva, oziroma bi jo v prihodnosti vpeljali v svojo nego. Najbolje rastne dejavnike poznajo študentje kozmetologije. Ti bi jih v prihodnosti uporabljali tako sami, kot pri lastnem delu. Estetski centri po Sloveniji uporabljajo postopke pomlajevanja, ki spodbujajo nastanek endogenih rastnih dejavnikov, nekateri pa uporabljajo kozmetiko z rastnimi dejavniki samostojno ali v kombinaciji z invazivnejšimi posegi.Nowadays, the trend of healthy, youthful skin and increased care for appearance is growing, and the cosmetics market is persistently following it. Cosmeceuticals occupy an increasing share of sales shelves, as they represent an important part of active cosmetics against skin aging. With the introduction of the use of growth factors for cosmetic purposes, these are becoming an increasingly attractive cosmetic active ingredient in the cosmetics market. In the first part of the diploma thesis, we summarized studies on new strategies for the delivery of growth factors. These are mostly nanodelivery systems, and the studies cover both pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations. In the following, we reviewed clinical studies examining the action of growth factors and their preparations for cosmetic purposes. Rejuvenating effect has been reported in most clinical studies investigating the effect of growth factors on the skin. After a thorough review of the methods and results, we cannot conclude that the improved skin condition is due to the action of growth factors. The studies used cosmetic products that also contained other active ingredients that can also help improve skin condition. The studies generally did not include adequate controls and used non-objective methods to evaluate the results. The studies are also not independent, since researchers who participated in the impact assessment were either employed by the company marketing the product or the study was funded by the company marketing the product. We conclude that the studies conducted so far arise from commercial interests of companies that have developed and marketed the products under study. Companies fund clinical trials in order to attract the consumer to buy the product. The strong conflict of interest in the studies conducted so far is another reason for the low credibility of the studies. In the second part of the diploma thesis, we conducted a survey, which provided information on the use and knowledge of growth factors from the lay population, students or alumni of cosmetic science and from dermatologists from aesthetic centers. The results of the surveys showed that the lay public is not well acquainted with the growth factors, but they find their use interesting, or they would introduce them in their skin care in the future. Cosmetic science students know the growth factors the most. In the future, they would use them both on their own and in their own work. Aesthetic centers in Slovenia use rejuvenation procedures that promote the formation of endogenous growth factors, and some use cosmetics with growth factors alone or in combination with more invasive procedures