Eggshell membrane application and ingestion improve skin elasticity

Introduction: Aging lowers the type III / type I collagen ratio of the skin ECM (Mays et al 1988) and reduces elasticity (Montagna & Carlisle 1979). Repeated mechanical stimulation beyond the homeostasis range may cause skin fibrosis. Changes in the physical properties of the skin affects the physical performance. Eggshell membrane supplementation has been utilized for a couple of decades. Our previous study shows that a moderate amount of solubilized eggshell membrane (SESM) allow human skin fibroblasts (HDF) to produce a young ECM environment in in vitro experiments that mimic in vivo (Ohto-Fujita et al 2011). Here we report the effect of applying eggshell membrane cosmetic products or ingesting eggshell membrane supplements for skin elasticity. Methods: Fourteen healthy volunteers (all females), age range 22-54 years, participated. Seven SESM and seven control subjects were randomized to 12 weeks of supervised application of 1% or 0% SESM in vehicle to arm skin. Separately, thirty healthy volunteers (age range 21-68 years) participated in the supplement experiment. The subjects were divided into three experimental groups; the ESM group and two placebo groups. The skin elasticity was determined using skin biophysical techniques, Cutometer® MPA 580, from Courage+Khazaka (Cologne, Germany). Results: To evaluate the skin elasticity after topical application of SESM and ESM intake, the mechanical property of the subject’s arm skin, the parameter R7 (biological elasticity), was measured and was found to have increased significantly in all measurements compared with before treatment. Parameter R5 (net-elasticity of the skin without viscous deformation) also increased significantly in the outer upper arm, inner upper arm, and inner forearm region compared to before application of 1% SESM lotion. In contrast, the elasticity parameters of the skin were not affected at the control site. The results showed that the elasticity significantly increased (p<0.01) after 8-weeks ESM intake, compared with values before intake. Control placebo groups did not show any significant difference. Conclusion: Eggshell membrane rejuvenated the skin elasticity of healthy people in both application and ingestion. Mouse ECM gene expression analysis showed a rejuvenation in the ECM environment of the dermal papilla layer by promoting the turnover of type III collagen, decorin, and MMP 2, as in the results of HDF of the previous study. Eggshell membrane can be expected to improve physical properties. References: Mays PK, Bishop JE, Laurent GJ. Age-related changes in the proportion of types I and III collagen. Mech Ageing Dev., 45:203-12, 1988. Montagna W, Carlisle K, Structural changes in aging human skin. J Invest Dermatol 73: 47–53, 1979. Ohto-Fujita E, Konno T, Shimizu M, Ishihara K, Sugitate T, Miyake J, Yoshimura, K, Taniwaki K, Sakurai T, Hasebe Y, Atomi Y. Hydrolyzed eggshell membrane immobilized on phosphorylcholine polymer supplies extracellular matrix environment for human dermal fibroblasts. Cell Tissue Res. 345, 177-90, 2011.