Serum levels of IGF‐1 are related to human skin characteristics including the conspicuousness of facial pores

Abstract

Conspicuous facial pores are one type of serious aesthetic defects for many women. However, the mechanism(s) that underlie the conspicuousness of facial pores remains unclear. We previously characterized the epidermal architecture around facial pores that correlates with the appearance of those pores in various ethnic groups including Japanese. The goal of this study was to evaluate the possible relationships between facial pore size, the severity of impairment of epidermal architecture around facial pores and sebum output levels to investigate the possible role of IGF-1 in the pathogenesis of conspicuous facial pores. The subjects consisted of 38 healthy Japanese women (aged 22-41 years). IGF-1 was measured using immunoradiometric assay. Surface replicas were collected to compare pore sizes of cheek skin and horizontal cross-section images of cheek skin were obtained non-invasively from the same subjects using in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy and the severity of impairment of epidermal architecture around facial pores was determined. The skin surface lipids of each subject were collected from their cheeks and lipid classes were determined using gas chromatography/flame ionization detection. The serum level of IGF-1 correlated significantly with total pore area (R = 0.36, P < 0.05), with the severity of impairment of epidermal architecture around facial pores (R = 0.43, P < 0.05) and with sebum output levels (R = 0.41, P < 0.01). The sebum output levels correlated with total pore area (R = 0.32, P < 0.05). Our study found that serum levels of IGF-1 are correlated with facial skin characteristics including facial pore size and with the severity of impairment of epidermal architecture around facial pores.

Facial skin pores: a multiethnic study

“…The structural features of SP, as small convex cuvettes conferring a “golf-ball”-like aspect to the skin, are highly suggestive of early-induced epidermal and dermal impairments, as evidenced by deeper observations through noninvasive confocal laser microscopy. 7 This noninvasive confocal laser microscopy showed structural changes in dermal papilla and an isotropic dermal fiber structure that underlies S P. These observations are, we believe, highly relevant as they are in agreement with associations to functional criteria through growth factors (IGF-1) 21 and hormonal balance that strongly controls epidermal, dermal, and skin appendages, 22 , 23 including sebaceous function, which are all greatly affected by puberty.…”

Blackcurrant Anthocyanins Increase the Levels of Collagen, Elastin, and Hyaluronic Acid in Human Skin Fibroblasts and Ovariectomized Rats

“…IGF-1 and IGF-2 have an approximately 60% amino acid sequence homology with insulin [ 39 ]. IGF-1 has been shown to reduce wrinkles in the skin and therefore, is an effective cosmetic treatment agent [ 40 , 41 ]. In human skin fibroblasts, the expression of IGFBP is regulated by factors, such as IGFs, TGF-β1, estradiol, and testosterone.…”

Minimally invasive skin sampling and transcriptome analysis using microneedles for skin type biomarker research

“…Insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) regulates sebaceous gland lipogenesis in the skin 44 . The relationship between the serum levels of IGF‐1 and facial pores or sebum levels has been studied 45,46 . MPZL3 is a myelin protein zero‐like 3 coding gene.…”