Inspired by microcurrent devices, UplevityTM e-Lift peptide offers the next dimension in facial definition. The Lipotec team discusses the proven benefits of this naturally derived peptide.
As technology is becoming more sophisticated in a changing world, the demand for performance-focused skin tech tools and devices is expected to grow. These devices offer users personalisation, convenience and at-home solutions.
With lines blurring between the physical and digital realm, many skin care products are looking to mimic or complement the benefits of beauty devices on the skin. At-home microcurrent devices are gaining in popularity thanks to consumer interest in non-surgical medical aesthetic treatments. However, factors such as the high cost and concerns related to safety including possible skin damage, irritation, or the tingling sensation, may present a disadvantage or barrier to consumer uptake, as they will seek out more convenient topical alternatives that offer similar effects in an efficient and gentler way.
Microcurrent devices work by using low electrical signals (less than 1 000μA) to combat signs of ageing, like facial sagging and wrinkles, with impressive results. Inspired by the technological advances of at-home devices, the Lipotec team developed a novel tetrapeptide that mimics the skin benefits of microcurrent devices for an upper facial lift, demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. A complete lifted appearance of the upper face and the reduced severity of wrinkles was demonstrated after the topical application of Tetrapeptide-1 in human volunteers, with similar performance compared to a microcurrent device.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Tetrapeptide-1 provides a ‘triorbital’ skin lifting effect. A clinical test was carried out on 36 Caucasian female and male volunteers aged between 42 and 65 years old. These volunteers applied a cream containing 2% Tetrapeptide-1 solution or a placebo cream on the half upper face, twice a day for 28 days, following a hemi-face design.
A second group of 10 volunteers used a commercial microcurrent device once a day for five days and applied a placebo cream twice a day for 28 days. These volunteers were using the microcurrent device daily on their upper face for around 10 minutes per session. A ‘triorbital’ lift effect was quantified from the clinical study, which consisted of the supraorbital region (eyebrow and eyelid lift), orbital region (crow’s feet lift) and the infraorbital region (upper cheek lift). The anti-wrinkle efficacy was also evaluated in the crow’s feet region and underneath the eye.
The eyebrow lifting effect was calculated using 2D images generated by Framescan. After 28 days of product application, the active cream containing 2% Tetrapeptide-1 solution improved eyebrow lift by 2.3% in a statistically significant manner, when compared to initial time. Furthermore, the eyebrow lift efficacy was very similar to the group using the microcurrent device.
The eyelid lifting effect was also quantified. This was measured using 2D images generated by Framescan. The cream containing 2% Tetrapeptide-1 solution improved the eyelid lift by 6.1% in a statistically significant manner, when compared to initial time, and even better performance was noted in comparison to the group using the microcurrent device.
The lifting of the crow’s feet and upper cheek regions were calculated using facial 3D images obtained with Quantificare LifeViz® software, coupled with proprietary Lubrizol computer vision techniques. An overview of this process can be found in figure 1.
COMPUTER VISION TECHNIQUE
In summary, 3D images from the initial and final time points were overlapped. Then the software created facial images with arrows on the skin surface, which represented the direction and amount of the skin movement between times of measurements (see figure 1A). However, this approach does not generate an average value for the lifting effect. To solve this, the Lubrizol R&D team developed a proprietary computer vision technique. It performed 3D imaging processing data analysis and detected and quantified almost 7 000 arrows from the images obtained in the facial areas of interest. For each volunteer and facial area, the number of arrows contributing to a lifting effect (arrows between 0° and 90°) and the length of the arrows were quantified. The percent of the lifting effect was calculated considering the number of arrows multiplied by their mean length for each facial zone versus the placebo cream (figure 1B).
A cream containing 2% Tetrapeptide-1 solution generated a lifting effect in the crow’s feet area, which can be appreciated by the greater number of upward red arrows over the skin surface on the active cream side of the face versus the placebo side (figure 2A, lower panel). Using the computer vision approach, the increase in lifting was quantified as 16.3% versus placebo cream (figure 2A, upper panel).
Treatment with the active ingredient showed even better performance than the group using the microcurrent device over the same period. Similarly, in the upper cheek area, the side of the face corresponding to the active cream treatment showed a greater number of upward red arrows compared to the placebo side, where fewer red arrows were found (figure 2B, lower panel). With the computer vision technique, the upper cheek lifting effect was determined to be 94.6% versus placebo cream. This effect was similar to the group applying the microcurrent device (figure 2B).
CONCLUSIONS
Available in South Africa from Savannah Fine Chemicals, Tetrapeptide-1 emerges as an innovative topical active ingredient, which confers a rejuvenated lifting and anti-wrinkle effect, inspired by microcurrent devices. Clinically, Tetrapeptide-1 confers an upper facial lifting effect after 28 days of product treatment. It has been shown to enhance eyebrow, eyelid, crow’s feet and upper cheek lifting leading to a ‘triorbital’ skin lifting effect.
In conclusion, Tetrapeptide-1 is an ideal solution for an overall upper face lifting appearance, inspired by the skin benefits provided by at-home microcurrent devices and showing a similar rejuvenating efficacy.
