It might appear like the cosmetics industry is becoming desperate to sell new products when one hears about the latest findings in skin care research. A skin cream made with snail serum might seem pretty ridiculous.

Well, it turns out that mucin, or the secretion of the Helix Aspersa Muller, is organically similar to the composition of our skin. Under pressure, this land snail secretes a viscous fluid that protects, moisturizes, repairs and regenerates its skin and shell. It also turns out that this secretion has the same healing and rejuvenating functions on human skin, hence its rising use in skin creams, especially those aimed at diminishing the appearance of scars.

Helix Aspersa Muller Secretions: The Compound

The secretion contains proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, enzymes, copper and antimicrobial peptides and oligoelements. In synergism, these molecular structures rejuvenate the skin in a comprehensive way, acting as a treatment for not only scars but for dry skin, rosacea, acne, age spots and more.

Regenerative and Protective Actions

Mucin stimulates fibroblast growth, according to a study that delved into the molecular basis for this secretion's regenerative properties. The precursors of collagen and the extracellular matrix (ECM) are manufactured by fibroblasts. Collagen lends the skin its strength and elasticity, therefore when it becomes degraded due to aging, wrinkles form.

Additionally, the enzymatic activities of mucin assist in the reconstruction of the skin matrix by further stimulating collagen fiber growth and restoring the elastin fiber network. These enzymes are also responsible for digesting extra skin cells. These extra skin cells include dead skin that causes that lackluster appearance of your skin or that, when mixed with sebum, tend to clog pores and cause an acne breakout. These extra cells might also refer to the collagen that makes up scar tissue. The enzymes in this mucin release amino acids to reconstruct tissue while also removing those that are damaged and no longer useful. As mucin has multiple enzymatic actions, it is proving itself a very useful scar treatment ingredient.

The secretion's antioxidizing abilities are also proven by the study. Antioxidants protect cells of the body by neutralizing free radicals caused by external and internal factors. Free radicals are formed through a chemical reaction that takes place when the body consumes oxygen, and they can be quite damaging to the skin and other tissues. Firstly, free radicals have an electron that is left unpaired in the outer orbital, making the molecule unstable. The molecule will stop at nothing to pair this electron, even resulting in stealing electrons from important skin proteins. A chain reaction results, with different molecules desperate to pair their outer electron, leaving the molecular composition of the skin thoroughly damaged. They can also cause the mutation of one's DNA, resulting in even more bodily harm.

Furthermore, mucin is a source of hyaluronic acid, a substance that betters the dermis' capacity to retain water, providing dry skin relief from the inside instead of the outside. This not only moisturizes dry skin, but renews its volume, strength and elasticity.

By regenerating healthy skin, mucin is a natural scar treatment that works. Healing time is reduced while scar tissue is minimized. Furthermore, enzymes digest the extra scar tissue that might have formed before this serum was discovered.