What is there to know about elastin?

The key points to remember.

Elastin is a dermal protein that ensures the elasticity and resilience of the skin.
Elastin is used in the form of peptides in cosmetics and promotes skin hydration, firmness and repair, while exhibiting antioxidant and brightening potential.
If the benefit of elastin for hair remains to be confirmed, its role in follicle health opens up promising avenues.
To date, no study has demonstrated that elastin presents any risk of irritation, allergy or photosensitisation, nor does it pose a hazard during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

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Elastin in brief.

Elastin is a key connective tissue protein, formed from a precursor molecule called tropoelastin. By associating with fibrillin-rich microfibrils, it constitutes the elastic fibres that give skin its capacity to stretch and recoil. Together with collagen and proteoglycans, such as hyaluronic acid, elastin forms a complex network, oriented both parallel and perpendicular to the skin surface, which plays an important role in tissue resilience and vascular flexibility. The peculiarity of elastin lies in its exceptional stability: once formed, it renews very little over a lifetime, making it particularly vulnerable to damage and the effects of ageing.

Importance de l'élastine, du collagène et de l'acide hyaluronique dans la peau. — Importance of elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin.
Source: YI K.-H. & al. Manufacturing process of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. Polymers (2024).

The synthesis of elastin, known as elastogenesis, is a highly specialised process that occurs mainly during foetal development and the early years of life. Thereafter, the production of tropoelastin declines sharply, leading to a progressive decline in the density and quality of elastic fibres. This depletion manifests as skin laxity, loss of firmness and increased fragility of the skin, exacerbated by extrinsic ageing, particularly the sun exposure.

2% to 4%

Elastin constitutes part of the dry weight of the dermis.

How is elastin obtained for use in cosmetics?

Historically, the elastin used in cosmetics comes from animal sources, primarily from poultry skin or pig aorta. These elastic-fibre–rich tissues undergo various extraction steps to obtain a powder or hydrolysate rich in peptides of elastin, easily incorporated into creams or serums. It should be noted that obtaining pure elastin poses several technical challenges: the mature form, highly crosslinked and insoluble, cannot be isolated by conventional chemical methods. Only tropoelastin—its soluble precursor—can be partially extracted, but it remains unstable and prone to enzymatic degradation. That is why cosmetic products most often contain fragments of elastin, rather than the complete native protein, which does not detract from their efficacy.

Faced with the limitations of animal-derived elastin, research has turned to more ethical and biotechnological alternatives, such as recombinant elastin polypeptides. These biomaterials are produced by controlled gene expression, typically in the bacterium Escherichia coli, using sequences that encode human tropoelastin. Besides its ethical credentials, another advantage of this biotechnological elastin lies in its defined and tunable structure, which allows its size and amino acid composition to be adjusted.

A closer look at the various benefits of elastin for the skin and hair.

The use of elastin in cosmetics is still relatively recent, and scientific studies into its topical effects remain few in number, unlike those on collagen and hyaluronic acid. However, research is beginning to highlight several interesting properties of the elastin and its peptides for the skin.

Elastin exhibits moisturising properties.
Elastin peptides exhibit a strong affinity for water owing to their richness in polar amino acids, which can form a film on the skin’s surface and limit transepidermal water loss. A study showed that skin samples treated with modified elastin (elastin-HAPA) had an average water content of 77.2%, compared with 49.4% without any application, confirming its role in water retention. This hydrating effect explains the frequent inclusion of hydrolysed elastin in products designed for dry or mature skin.
Elastin could help combat hyperpigmentation.
Elastin and its peptides can influence the melanogenesis by modulating the activity of tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for converting tyrosine into melanin. By limiting this enzymatic activity, they may help even out skin tone. The study on elastin-HAPA demonstrated an 11.3% ± 3.9% inhibition of tyrosinase, suggesting a moderate depigmenting effect. Although promising, this effect remains slight and warrants further investigation.
Elastin exhibits antioxidant properties.
Elastin‐derived peptides exhibit a strong ability to neutralise free radicals. A study showed that peptides obtained by alkaline hydrolysis contained 68 mg per 100 mg of amino acids with antioxidant activity, featuring a molecular weight distribution favourable for scavenging free radicals. These properties make elastin peptides promising candidates for protecting the skin from oxidative stress that accelerates skin ageing.
Elastin exerts a firming effect.
Studies in vitro have shown that elastin peptides can stimulate fibroblast proliferation and enhance their capacity to produce new collagen and elastin fibres, thereby strengthening the dermal structure. In a clinical trial, 30 female participants applied a recombinant elastin-type polypeptide for 28 days. After this period, skin elasticity increased significantly and the number, volume and surface area of wrinkles around the eyes were markedly reduced, with a 23.5% decrease in wrinkle count. These findings suggest that elastin and its peptides may contribute to firmer skin and a diminished appearance of ageing signs.
Elastin facilitates skin repair.
Experimental studies in rats have shown that elastin, when applied locally in its native form or conjugated to tannic acid (E/T), can accelerate wound healing. Rats treated with the E/T conjugate exhibited faster wound closure, reaching 53% by day 3 and 90% by day 7, compared with 33% and 67% for elastin alone, and only 20% and 50% in the untreated group. Histological analysis confirmed more rapid reformation of the epidermis and dermis in the treated groups, suggesting that elastin can support the repair of damaged tissues.

What is the role of elastin in haircare applications?

To date, no clinical study has demonstrated that elastin can benefit hair. However, research suggests that elastin plays a role in the hair growth cycle. Alterations in the structure of the scalp’s elastic fibres have been associated with follicle miniaturisation in cases of androgenetic hair loss, and the presence of abnormal elastin deposits may contribute to miniaturised follicles’ inability to regain their original diameter. These observations imply that maintaining or strengthening the scalp’s elastic framework could support hair health. Although direct evidence for topical applications is lacking, elastin may well emerge as a promising active ingredient for preserving hair in the future.

Elastin: are there any risks or contraindications to be aware of?

Current research indicates that elastin and elastin-like polypeptides are well tolerated, with no adverse effects reported in clinical studies.

Elastin peptides exhibit excellent biocompatibility and low immunogenicity, meaning that they are very unlikely to trigger an immune response. That said, it is important to note that most of the available studies are of short duration and include only a small number of participants, which does not entirely rule out the risk of irritation or an allergic reaction in certain individuals related to elastin or its peptides. Moreover, elastin is non-photosensitising, allowing its use safely throughout the year, morning and evening. Furthermore, no contraindications are known during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Good practice : Before using any new product or active ingredient, apply a small amount to the antecubital fossa (inner elbow) or the inner wrist and monitor for 48 hours to confirm the absence of skin sensitisation.