Avocado vegetable oil is often cited as a natural solution to combat signs of ageing, including wrinkles. Let's explore whether avocado oil truly possesses this widely claimed firming action.
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- Active Ingredients
- Avocado oil: what are its benefits on wrinkles?
Avocado oil: what are its benefits on wrinkles?
- Wrinkles: Definition and Causes
- Avocado oil, a natural treatment to prevent the onset of wrinkles and fine lines
- Avocado oil for reducing wrinkles
- Sources
Wrinkles: Definition and Causes.
Over time, small grooves inevitably begin to appear on different areas of the face: these are wrinkles. Indeed, after the age of twenty, the synthesis of collagen and elastin by fibroblasts gradually decreases, leading to the loss of skin suppleness and elasticity, as well as its thinning. The epidermis also produces less sebum, which increases skin dryness and promotes the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Other phenomena are also likely to exacerbate the skin sagging, among which frequent exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays is a key factor, leading to photo-ageing. This causes an increase in the level of free radicals in the body, reactive oxygen species that cause damage to DNA, proteins, and cells, and promote skin ageing mechanisms. Another aggravating factor is smoking. Indeed, cigarettes themselves contain several free radicals.
Avocado oil, a natural treatment to prevent the onset of wrinkles and fine lines.
Theavocado oil contains several active ingredients that work simultaneously to ensure skin hydration. It contains unsaturated and saturated fatty acids that help to limit the evaporation of water from the skin's surface, thus preventing the appearance of dehydration fine lines. These small superficial streaks appear on the areas of the face where the skin is most fragile and are caused by a weakening of the skin barrier and the hydrolipidic film, leading to the gradual evaporation of water from the epidermis.
The application of avocado vegetable oil also helps to combat cellular ageing induced by the oxidative stress. The Vitamin E and carotenoids present in its composition are indeed antioxidants capable of eliminating free radicals, which are partly responsible for premature ageing. These antioxidants work by donating an electron to the free radicals, thereby stabilising and neutralising these reactive compounds.
How to use avocado oil?
Pure.
In prevention of skin ageing, you can apply pure avocado oil to your face or body. To do this, take a few drops of oil and apply them over the entire area. Then gently massage in a circular motion so that the oil is effectively absorbed by the skin.
Diluted in a cream.
You can also use avocado oil in synergy with your moisturising cream. To do this, take a small amount of cream in the palm of your hand and add one or two drops of avocado oil. You can then apply the treatment by gently massaging it in.
Avocado oil for reducing wrinkles.
Avocado oil is also believed to have a tightening effect, and its application appears to reduce the appearance of signs of skin sagging. According to a study, avocado vegetable oil has particular benefits for the flexibility and firmness of the skin. Indeed, 20 volunteers aged between 30 and 60 years applied a cream made from avocado oil and saffron extract to their faces daily for 12 weeks, and the researchers observed several benefits.
They notably measured, using a cutometer, a reduction in the depth of crow's feet and perioral wrinkles, as well as a global increase in the elasticity and firmness of the skin. It is hypothesised that avocado vegetable oil acts by inhibiting the activity of lysyl oxidase, an enzyme that breaks down collagen by substituting a carbonyl group for the amine group of a lysine residue. This mechanism, demonstrated during the ingestion of avocado oil, has not yet been proven in a topical application context.
However, these various results need to be considered with caution. Indeed, the tightening power of the cream cannot necessarily be attributed to avocado oil alone, as the cream also contains saffron extract, an active ingredient known to promote skin elasticity and suppleness. Furthermore, the study was only conducted on 20 individuals, which represents a small sample size. Thus, although the results obtained seem encouraging regarding the corrective action of avocado oil on wrinkles, further research would be necessary to confirm its effects.
Note : if you are looking for an active ingredient to combat the signs of skin sagging, we recommend retinol. This form of vitamin A is indeed recognised for its plumping action on wrinkles and several studies have shown that it is capable of stimulating collagen synthesis.
Sources
HAUSER M. & al. In vivo investigations on the penetration of various oils and their influence on the skin barrier. Skin Research and Technology (2012).
FIROOZ A. & al. Preparation and evaluation of anti-wrinkle cream containing saffron extract and avocado oil. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2020).
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