Shiseido uses radio frequency and ginseng extract to target skin age spots

07 Jun 2023 --- Shiseido has developed a technique to inhibit melanin production by combining Panax ginseng root extract with unique radio frequency (RF) irradiation based on high-frequency electrical stimulation at a uniquely set frequency. 

The Japanese beauty giant details that the technique helps improve the age spot-prone environment of the dermis by suppressing the emergence of senescent fibroblasts, known as one of the causes of age spots. Additionally, it promotes the proliferation of normal fibroblasts to produce a proper balance between normal and senescent cells, which eventually stop multiplying. 

“At Shiseido, years of research efforts aimed at improving age spots, a skin concern shared by many customers, have led us to focus on the fact that RF, a type of physical energy stimuli that can be applied to home beauty equipment, exerts its action even on the dermis,” shares the company.

“Therefore, this time, we searched for a new approach to improve the age spot-prone skin environment of the dermis using a special RF set uniquely to produce a gentler force than cosmetic medicine.”Image credit: Shiseido.

Melanin reduction
Shiseido confirmed that the number of senescent fibroblasts resulting from UV rays could be reduced by irradiating the senescent fibroblasts with RF. Moreover, when the Panax ginseng root extract was added, the ratio of senescent fibroblasts in the entire fibroblasts was further reduced, showing improvement in the environment of the dermis.

“In the present study, we also found that the balance between normal fibroblasts and senescent fibroblasts is important in improving age spots, given that the amount of melanin was significantly reduced when the change in the proportion of senescent fibroblasts was observed,” details Shiseido.

“By combining senescent fibroblasts subjected to special RF irradiation plus Panax ginseng root extract and 3D epidermal model, we confirmed the effects of each on melanin production due to UV irradiation.”Image credit: Shiseido.

Skin health research
Last month Shiseido succeeded in reproducing a “thinning” phenomenon, which is characterized by a decreased thickness of the dermis caused by aging. The company investigated the skin revitalizing properties in a trio of botanical active ingredients and used a 3D skin model.

In the search for ingredients that prevent the thinning of the dermis, Shiseido used a mixture of extracts – consisting of Japanese honeysuckle flower extract, safflower extract and Bupleurum root extract – that was found to have some positive effects.

Moreover, earlier in January in collaboration with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Shiseido developed a measurement system that employs a non-invasive approach to visually and numerically analyze the 3D facial shape and optical properties of the skin to understand the factors involved with changes in skin appearance.

Edited by Radhika Sikaria