Lifestyle Choices

Most of the research and development into the use of fetal and placental extracts comes from Germany, where they are regularly used by dermatologists as medical, rather than strictly cosmetic, treatment. One such German preparation, available only on prescription, by the name of Cellcutana, made by Cybila Cytobiological Laboratories, in Heidelberg, is designed to stimulate and regenerate skin that has been either chemically or physically damaged and to prevent abnormal healing, including scars. It is an effective treatment for burns and premature aging. A filtrated extraction of fetal skin, fetal connective tissue, placenta, and suprarenal gland, it comes as a liquid suspension mixed with the supplied dilutant before use. Similar mixtures in diluted form can be found in many of the best French and Swiss treatment creams.

No one is quite sure what makes placental and fetal extracts so effective when used on the skin, but what is known is that they are powerhouses of vital ingredients, including vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and enzymes. Provided they are properly preserved and processed they are also biologically active. Their effects resemble those of enzymes catalyst-like substances in living things which trigger beneficial reactions in the skin’s cells although they themselves don’t necessarily take part in the reactions.

The Enzymes

Then there are plant enzymes themselves. Many of the best European skin-treatment products are based entirely on the actions of plant enzymes. These biocatalysts consist of two parts: the protein fraction, or apoenzyme, and the coenzyme. The smallest particles of enzymes are very large if one takes into account the entire molecule. However, thanks to enzyme splitting, the action of many plant enzymes is not restricted to just the uppermost layer of the skin. They can also produce effects on the deeper layers.

Enzyme splitting is part of the manufacturing process in the production of cosmetics that depend for their effectiveness on the action of those plant biocatalysts. Another part lies in preserving the stability of their actions. For enzymes are delicate substances. All are destroyed at a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit (6o C). Many also lose their activity if they come in contact with oxygen. Traces of iron or heavy metals also render them inactive. Finally, enzymes function best at the same pH as the skin—in a slightly acid medium. So the quality and the activity of vegetable and herbal extracts must always be carefully controlled in order to produce preparations of quality. But plant-based skin-care products that are made with all this in mind are excellent.

Home Treatments

On a do-it-yourself level, raw fruits and vegetables from your own kitchen are rich in enzymes. For instance, the cosmetic effect of the juice of fresh cucumber, which contains ascorbic acid oxidase, has long been known. It is slightly diuretic and astringent and good for all types of skin. Similarly, the juice of fresh lemons, which also contains phosphates and the enzyme esterase, is also beneficial, particularly for oily skins. Itis antiseptic and refining. So are fresh carrot juice and fresh papaya, as— well as the juice and pulp of many other fruits. The enzymes containedin them help stimulate the life processes in your skin’s cells, making it firmer and fresher-looking and giving it a glow of health.

Only infinitesimally small quantities of enzymes—measured in millionths of a gram per liter—are needed for the enzymes to have a beneficial effect on the skin. And the art of using enzymes for cosmetic purposes is an elaborate one. For instance, for dry and tired skin one needs preparations with more proteases in them—enzymes that act on proteins; for blemished skin, or acne, you use more lipases—fat-affecting enzymes. When preparing plant-enzyme treatments at home, you need to make your preparations fresh each time and then put them immediately on the skin. The beneficial results will occur only so long as the living substances from the fresh fruits and vegetables have not yet been oxidized by exposure to air. And this oxidation process takes place rapidly. Here is an easy way of treating skin inside and out. Every day, whenever you prepare raw juices in a juice extractor (see Chapter 4 on the Rohsafte-Kur), spread a couple of tablespoonfuls on your face at the same time. Masks are also particularly beneficial when made with fresh fruit and vegetable juices or ‘flip plus other ingredients from the kitchen —beaten egg yolk plus a tablespoon of raw, unheated honey for dry skin, two tablespoons of brewer’s yeast or two teaspoons of natural yogurt for oily skin. They are best used after a facial sauna, when the skin is highly receptive to whatever is put on it. The following juices can be made with a juice extractor or the fruits and vegetables can be pureed in a blender. Experiment until you find the ones that work best for you, for every woman’s skin is unique.

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