HGH popularity has surged over the past few years and many Hollywood stars are thought to have tried the treatment. HGH is sold under a variety of names including Saizen, Genotropin, Norditropin, Humatrope, Zomacton and Nutropin aq. Rock star Robbie Williams has admitted that he strongly considered Human Growth Hormone injections after he discovered they could help improve his health, memory, hair and skin – although Williams eventually plumped for a course of testosterone injections instead.

The major role of HGH is to boost growth during childhood. By the mid-30s, natural HGH production in the body begins to slow and devotees of HGH injections claim that by topping up these levels, it helps to slow down the ageing process.

However HGH injections are not cheap. Priced at up to £1,200 a month, the cost is incredibly high leading many devotees to buy their HGH over the internet from abroad. One of the risks of doing this is that the quality control may not be there – and the substances may not even be HGH at all. Counterfeit drugs are a real problem and some injections may be contaminated with other substances and this in turn can lead to serious health issues.

HGH is actually not licensed as an anti-ageing drug either. Some studies have suggested that injections of HGH can help the body to heal itself more quickly and improve athletic performance however critics claim that the results are over-exaggerated. The jury is still out, at least from a scientific point of view, over how effective HGH really is.

The side effects of HGH injections also raise some concerns. Research has shown that high levels can lead to problems such as soft tissue swelling, abnormal growth of the face, hands and feet, high blood pressure, blood clots, diabetes, increased sweating, and excessive hair growth. even more worryingly, organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys may also start to grow and this can lead to life-threatening issues. Recent studies have also indicated that the risk of cancer may also increase.

So are HGH injections really the miracle cure for anti-ageing? The jury is still out on whether HGH really is as good as some people claim and with some worryingly serious side effects to the injections, it may be worth waiting until more studies appear on the efficacy and long-term side effects before you take the plunge.

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The makers of Hydrelle claim that the dermal filler injection is around half the size of a typcial filler injection. This means that fewer injections will be needed around a wrinkle site. Hydrelle is also the first dermal filler that combines hyaluronic acid with lidocaine anaesthetic meaning the injections are made less painful and the overall procedure is more comfortable for the patient.

The price tag for Hydrelle is also cheaper than other dermal filler alternatives therefore may be a good option for those looking for a cheaper alternative to fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane with results that last just as long, if not longer.

As with many other fillers, Hydrelle’s side effects can include swelling, redness, tenderness and bruising around the injection site.

Editor’s Note: Since publishing this article, there appears to be a lot of evidence that many women are experiencing severe side effects from their Hydrelle injections. We strongly recommend that anyone thinking of using this dermal filler does their research thoroughly before choosing what dermal filler to have.

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Using data from the human genome project, a team of scientists led by Procter & Gamble have found approximately 1,500 genes that govern wrinkles. The team also believe that they have pinpointed either major causes of aging skin.

The best anti-ageing products currently on the market tend to do little to actually stop or reverse the anti-ageing process. Instead, they tend to plump up the skin or help smooth the appearance of wrinkles. However with the discovery of the genes that help control how soon people will get wrinkles it is hoped that ageing itself will soon be tackled head on.

It appears that some of the ‘well known’ beauty secrets hold true: Wrinkles and ageing is partly down to environment and partly down to genes. The key factors that the team have identified are:

• Hydration: The research team believe that the way that the skin collects and holds on to water is one of the key ageing processes. As the skin ages, the genes that control this process may become less active. The skin will then retain less moisture and this leads to wrinkles.
• Collagen: As we get older, the genes that degrade collagen may become more active and this may cause more wrinkles in the skin. There are currently thought to be about 40 genes involved in the lessening of collagen over time.
• Inflammation: There are around 400 genes that have been identified with inflammation in the skin. These tend to become more active with age, thus creating more wrinkles.
• Antioxidants: Around 200 genes are thought to help control the skin’s defence against free radicals. Age weakens these defences and this can help cause wrinkles.
• Photo-Ageing: Sunlight speeds up the natural ageing process. Sunlight may also damage the genes involved in keeping the skin healthy and this may help cause wrinkles.

By identifying some of the genes that cause ageing – more specifically wrinkles – researchers hope that they will be able to create drugs that will be able to stimulate helpful genes are suppress others to help stop the ageing process or even help restore more youthful skin.

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Rapamycin is already in use in heart operations, to help suppress the immune systems of organ transplant patients, and is also currently in the process of being assessed for it’s anti-cancer properties. Researchers are now investigating whether rapamycin will also help anti-ageing.

The first results have been promising – in test on animals, the chemical extended the average life expectancy by 38 percent. 2,000 mice that were around 600 days old were used – the equivalent of a 60 year old human. About a quarter of the mice were fed as normal whilst the rest were given rapamycin. The female mice had an increased life span of 1,245 days compared to 1,094 days, and the male mice had an increased life span of 1,179 compared to 1,078.

Unfortunately, the drug is not likely to be used for anti-ageing in the very near future. In it’s current form, rapamycin suppresses the immune system which means patients are very vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. It also currently increases the risk of cancer. It is hoped that rapamycin can be examined and a new drug created that has the same effects but doesn’t suppress the immune system.

As yet, it is unclear how rapamycin fully works. Rapamycin acts on a protein in cells called TOR. It is believed that it fools the body into thinking that calories are being restricted. Many studies in the past have shown that cutting calories can expand life spans in both animals and humans.

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Ever since Efudix has been used there has been anecdotal evidence about it’s anti-ageing properties. Researchers from the University of Michigan decided to study Efudix in an attempt to discover whether the cream did actually hold anti-wrinkle properties or not.

The team looked at a group of twenty-one 56-85 year olds who were all being treated for actinic keratoses (a precancer usually found on the face, neck and forearms). Each of the patients in the group used Efudix twice daily for six months. Once the six months was up, the researchers compared their skin with their skin before the treatment.

The results have been published in the Archives of Dermatology and shows that te researchers found that the patients had softer skin with improved texture and fewer wrinkles, as well as no precancerous cells. The skin was also said to be more toned, less yellow with discolorations such as brown spots reduced.

Efudix cream costs around £18 for a 20g tube. However it will cause the skin to be quite raw and red. In some patients, the cream will causes high levels of irritancy, so much so that some people may not wish to use the cream.

Efudix cream works by peeling away the surface of the skin, a similar sort of technique to laser skin resurfacing. Any wrinkles which are caused by sun damage should be lessened once the cream has been applied, however the cream will have little effect on deep-set wrinkles not caused by the sun.

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Researchers at the University of Manchester carries out a clinical trial on 60 volunteers to determine how effective the product was. The results showed that 70% of people had significantly fewer wrinkles after 12 months of daily use compared to those given a placebo.

The study is not the first time that Boots’ product has hit the headlines – last year a study showed that the serum stimulated the production of fibrillin-1, a protein that helps promote elasticity in the skin. When these results were published, Boots were overrun with women wanting to buy their Protect & Perfect serum.

This new study is the first time that the cream has been studied over a long period of time. The study was funded by Boots themselves and was tested on 11 men and 49 women aged between 45 and 80.

The placebo cream contained no known anti-ageing products and both products were supplied in identical packaging so volunteers were unaware which formulation they were testing.

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The first of the modern generation of fillers came on to the market in the early 1980s with the collagen fillers, Zyderm and Zyplast. Collagen was revolutionary at the time in that the products could be taken off a package on the shelf and (usually) safely injected into the face to fill out wrinkles, lips and facial contours. Collagen fillers however, revolutionary as they were, were far from perfect. The collagen was derived from Cow’s hide and consequently was associated with a 1 in 20 chance of an allergic reaction therefore everyone had to have a skin test carried out two weeks prior to having the treatment. Even that wasn’t full proof however and some patients who had a negative skin test still went on to have an allergic reaction when the full treatment dose was administered. Other problems with collagen included a limited duration of action, with the results generally lasting only 8-12 weeks at a time. There was also a theoretical possibility of the transmission of disease from cow’s to humans.

In the mid-1990s Swedish company Q-Med launched the first ever hyaluronic acid based dermal filler: Restylane. Hyaluronic acid is a glycoprotein present in normal skin and joints. It is manufactured by genetically engineering bacteria to produce it and because of the non-animal source there is a much lower risk of allergic reaction (approximately 1 in 2000) therefore it can be injected without the need for a skin test. Best of all it lasts longer than collagen, approximately 3-4 months between injections.

Since Q-Med introduced their hyaluronic acid filler to the market there have been many other companies who have jumped on the hyaluronic acid band wagon, producing more refined and technically advanced versions of the gel. New brands of hyaluronic acid such as Teosyal and Juvederm Ultra which are manufactured to give a smoother result and have increased cross linking between molecules. The increased cross linking means that the molecules are more stable making them more difficult for the body to break down and therefore causing the results to last longer. Treatments with Teosyal or Juvederm ultra typically last in the 8-12 month range – a vast improvement from previous products.

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Many believe that anti-oxidants can help fight the ageing process by helping to neutralize the stress on cells caused by free radicals. However Dr. Gems and his team at the Institute of Healthy Ageing at University College, London, in conjunction with the Wellcome Trust, have recently concluded that antioxidants are not as effective as first thought.

The research team examined the nematode worm C. Elegans and the way that the worms’ genes controlled the removal of superoxide free radicals from their bodies. The research first showed that the worms were able to switch genes on and off and could also influence the amount of excess superoxides, allowing them to reduce the damage that the superoxides could do through oxidation.

The scientists found that there was no significant link between the lifespan of the worms and the amount of surplus superoxides that they got rid of, indicating that superoxides do not play a significant role in the ageing process.

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Hormones are chemical messengers that are secreted by various glands in the body. They use the blood to travel around and target specific cells to trigger particular behaviours – some are short term effects such as sweating, others are longer term such as hair growth. The body has over 100 different hormones in it – and a slight imbalance of any of these hormones can cause problems such as spots, excess hair growth or even wrinkles.

As we age, hormone levels tend to drop naturally and this is a factor in all the signs of aging including thinner skin, hair loss, loss of muscle tone and wrinkles. The lifestyle of many of us today can deplete these hormones early leading to earlier signs of aging and this is the reason why some beauty doctors are now doling out hormone supplements to their patients to banish wrinkles and help their patients lose stubborn excess weight.

Demi Moore, Madonna, Jennifer Aniston and Pamela Anderson are all rumoured to be fans of Human Growth Hormone (HGH). HGH is a controversial hormone although it is something that does occur naturally in the human body. Devotees inject themselves with HGH as they believe that by boosting the levels of HGH in the body, they can slow their biological clock down and therefore stay looking younger for longer.

However, recent research shows that it isn’t necessary to inject yourself with hormones in order to be a part of this new trend – instead, using a cream may also prove to be as effective. The skin contains a large number of hormone receptors therefore it is believed that using a cream may have the same effects as injecting the hormones.

But are there any downsides to what seems like an almost miraculous way to stay looking young? There are definitely concerns over HGH – although short-term results look promising, longer term there are concerns over the patients health. In particular, taking HGH may cause hypertension, fluid retention and diabetes. There are also preliminary results showing it may increase your risk of cancer.

There are also some concerns that people look to hormone treatments as a cure-all and some untrained or unscrupulous practitioners are trying to cash in on this lucrative market, particularly in the ‘natural’ hormone market – some hormone treatments have little or no scientific grounding and the only effect they have is that of a placebo.

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Carboxy injections involve injecting carbon dioxide just under the surface of the skin with a fine needle. The injected carbon dioxide spreads to the surrounding tissue and causes the blood vessels dilate. The dilation of the blood vessels causes extra oxygen to travel to the area and this nourishes the skin. It also distends fat cells and causes them to die whilst also stimulating the production of collagen.

Carboxy injections are said to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks, helps to fade scars, make skin look younger and firmer, and also help to reduce fat deposits. The most ideal areas to target with Carboxy are the jowls, bingo wings, stretch marks, décolletage and any areas with cellulite. Each treatment will last around 6 months.

The University of Siena conducted a study on Carboxy injections and found that on average, those who had the injections on their legs saw a 2cm reduction on the size of their thighs, 1cm reduction on the knees, and a 3 cm reduction in waist size when injected around the stomach. It was also noted that skin in the surrounding areas was thicker and smoother.

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