Beauty Treatments of the Future

The future of beauty may be closer than you think. Innovations in skin care, makeup and medical spa procedures are changing the ways we turn back the clock. Treatments are becoming faster, easier, and less invasive, and they pose fewer risks of unwanted side effects.

So, what are some of the most exciting and promising therapies? Here are our top picks:

Fat-Melting Gels

A prescription topical fat-melting product called XAF5 is poised to be a promising solution for those with undereye bags. While still in late-stage trials, XAF5 has been shown to reduce pockets of fat under the eyes, which cause under eye bags. The active ingredient is made from a molecule found in glaucoma medication and works by penetrating and shrinking fat cells under the eyes to reduce bulging.

The company is considering expanding XAF5’s use to other parts of the body, as well. But don’t get too excited: For major body reshaping and fat reduction, you’ll likely still need to visit a plastic surgeon. According to Dr. Marc DuPéré, a plastic surgeon in Toronto, procedures like tummy tuck and liposuction are here to stay, and will continue to become more refined in the future.

Needle-less BOTOX COSMETIC®

The wrinkle relaxer BOTOX COSMETIC may soon be as easy to apply as a facial mask. Rather than being injected through a needle, BOTOX may eventually be applied topically, thanks to a company called Revance®. Currently, Revance is developing botulinum toxin products for aesthetic and therapeutic indications, one of which is a topical BOTOX gel for crow’s feet and smile lines called RT001. But while the treatment may be needle-free, it will still require a trip to a medical spa, as only physicians are able to apply it. If all goes well in clinical testing, the product could hit the market in 2019.

 

DNA Sunscreen

We all know that we should be applying sunscreen daily to protect our skin from damaging ultraviolet rays. But sunscreens provide only short-term protection and must be reapplied frequently in order to be effective and prevent burning.

That could all change. Researchers at Binghamton University – State University of New York have developed a special coating made from DNA that actually provides better UV protection the longer you wear it. In their study, researchers created a sheet of DNA from salmon sperm and exposed it to both UVA and UVB light. They found that the DNA film blocked up to 90% of UVB light and 20% of UVA light. As a bonus, it also keeps your skin hydrated.

Gene Creams for Gray Hair

Rather than scheduling a trip to the salon or picking up a box of hair color from the convenience store, you might soon be able to reverse gray hair with the help of genetics. While studying a rare genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves, researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center  discovered specific cells that cause the hair to grow and develop pigment. Specifically, they stumbled upon a protein called KROX20 that is responsible for producing another protein, called stem cell factor (SCF), which is essential for hair pigmentation.

"With this knowledge, we hope in the future to create a topical compound or to safely deliver the necessary gene to hair follicles to correct these cosmetic problems,” said lead researcher Lu Le in an interview for Science Alert .

What’s more, researchers are hopeful that their findings can be applied to address other forms of ageing, as well.