Verisol® – Myth or Magic Collagen for your Wrinkles

Everybody gets wrinkles. They are fine lines that are pretty much all over your body and continue to grow as you age. There are three schools of thought surrounding wrinkles. Some people simply ignore them as they are just a normal part of aging and should be ignored. Some view them as unsightly and spend a hefty amount of money every few weeks on expensive creams and the odd potion. Then, there is the third group, and they take wrinkles seriously.  I mean really seriously.  They will get Botox every two months, fillers, and all sorts of expensive treatments often administrated by a medical doctor. And they work! Botox relaxes (paralyses) muscles and the wrinkles pretty much disappear. Some also get fillers to reduce the appearance of larger wrinkles. But is there an alternative? Can we remove or improve wrinkles without the expensive potions or injections? There is evidence to suggest that a specific type of collagen, called Verisol® can improve your wrinkles without the side effects, so let's dive in and find out more.

What is Verisol®?

Verisol® is a type of collagen that has been formulated to affect the skin in a very positive way. Most collagens are ingested and broken down into amino acids, which is like most proteins we ingest. Verisol® is different. It is absorbed intact and finds its way to the skin where it forms collagen with in the skin and effectively “fills in” the wrinkles, reducing the appearance of these lines. How does this happen? It seems like magic. It isn’t magic, it is science and we have tested it. We have quoted some amazing scientific studies later in this blog, but for now, it is important to discuss what causes wrinkles (apart from just getting old!) and what can we do to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Exposure to Excessive UV light

Sunlight is good for us. After all, when sunlight comes in contact with our skin, our body makes Vitamin D, an essential vitamin for our immune system and bones. The only problem is that we can get excessive sun exposure, which can lead to wrinkles, amongst other things. Sunlight exposure accounts for 80% of facial skin aging[1]. UV light directly damages the DNA of the skin, but excessive sunlight also produces excessive free radical formation in the skin, which has been found to increase wrinkles in the skin[2].

Inflammaging

Long term, chronic inflammation has been demonstrated as a fundamental aspect of the aging process[3]. Short term inflammation is common when individuals become sick (such as an injury or viral infection), whereas long term inflammation occurs when the individual lives with either a chronic condition (such as obesity or arthritis), and this, in turn, can increase wrinkles. Whilst wrinkles do naturally increase with aging, studies have found that inflammation (termed inflammaging because of its effects on increased aging) increases wrinkles and skin aging, along with a host of other health problems[4].

Verisol® aids in the Reduction of Wrinkles

Skin elasticity suffers as we age and one of the negative effects of this loss of elasticity is a reduced skin quality and an increase in wrinkles, along with other skin problems such as lack of healing and an increased risk for skin injury. Taking 2.5 grams per day of Verisol® increases skin elasticity after just 4 weeks. Additionally, the use of Verisol® increased skin elasticity for up to 8 weeks after individuals stopped consuming it. One study showed that skin elasticity increased up to 15% in the women who took Verisol® when compared to the placebo group[5].

Verisol® Reduces Wrinkles

A randomised control study, conducted in 2014, investigated whether Verisol® can reduce wrinkles in women aged 45 to 65. One group (57 subjects) were lucky enough to receive 2.5 grams of Verisol® each day, while the other subjects received a placebo. Participants were evaluated after 8 weeks where the volume of the wrinkles around the eye was measured, along with a host of other skin health markers.
The study found that the women that received Verisol® had a statistically significant reduction in eye wrinkle volume, along with beneficial increases in Procollagen Type 1 and Elastin.

Reduction in the appearance of Cellulite

It has been estimated that 85% of adult women are affected by cellulite. And while cellulite is not a disease and is not considered physically dangerous, some women find cellulite unsightly which in some cases may affect their quality of life and mental health. Cellulite occurs when there is an excess of subcutaneous fat coupled with a deterioration in the dermal matrix.  These combined effects lead to the ‘orange peel’ appearance, which is common in women.

105 women participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. These women were aged between 25 and 50, which is a demographic that are more likely to experience cellulite. The participants were pre-scored for the degree of cellulite and were each given 2.5g of Verisol® for 3 to 6 months. After 3 months, there was an improvement in the cellulite appearance and score, which became more pronounced after 6 months. As part of the study, ultrasound measurements were also taken which showed that there were increases of elastin and collagen in the women taking the Verisol®[7].

The take-home message

Verisol® is a unique type of collagen, which is beneficial for beauty. Research shows that it is a woman’s best friend because it reduces wrinkles and reduces the appearance of cellulite. These claims, while they may sound amazing, are supported by the best kinds of evidence - double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. As a bonus, studies have found Verisol® may also improve the health of nails[8]. Of course, men can also benefit from Verisol, and why not? After all, we only have to act our age, not look like it.

To find out more on our top beauty tips, listen in to one of our recent podcast episodes on our top beauty, skin-loving ingredients.  Episode 325, see below to check it out.



References

1. Friedman O. Changes associated with the aging face. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am. 2005;13(3):371–380.
2. Zhang S, Duan E. Fighting against Skin Aging: The Way from Bench to Bedside. Cell Transplant. 2018 May;27(5):729-738. doi: 10.1177/0963689717725755. Epub 2018 Apr 25. PMID: 29692196; PMCID: PMC6047276.
3. Franceschi C, Bonafe M, Valensin S, Olivieri F, De Luca M, Ottaviani E, De Benedictis G. Inflamm-aging. An evolutionary perspective on immunosenescence. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2000;908:244–254.
4. Chen Y, Lyga J. Brain-skin connection: stress, inflammation and skin aging. Inflamm Allergy Drug Targets. 2014;13(3):177-190. doi:10.2174/1871528113666140522104422
5. Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Has Beneficial Effects on Human Skin Physiology: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Proksch E., Segger D., Degwert J., Schunck M., Zague V., Oesser S. Skin Pharmacol Physiology, August 2013
6. Proksch E, Schunck M, Zague V, Segger D, Degwert J, Oesser S. Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(3):113-9. doi: 10.1159/000355523. Epub 2013 Dec 24. PMID: 24401291.
7. Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S, Proksch E. Dietary Supplementation with Specific Collagen Peptides Has a Body Mass Index-Dependent Beneficial Effect on Cellulite Morphology. J Med Food. 2015 Dec;18(12):1340-8. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2015.0022. Epub 2015 Nov 12. PMID: 26561784; PMCID: PMC4685482.
8. Hexsel D, Zague V, Schunck M, Siega C, Camozzato FO, Oesser S. Oral supplementation with specific bioactive collagen peptides improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017;00:1–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12393