If I was to ask you to put a snail on your face, I could have a guess as to what the answer may be, however what if I was to tell you that snails have the uncanny ability to turn back the clock? No, stop right there, I don’t mean that tucked under their little shells is a flux capacitor. However found in their mollusk mucus is said to be a cure for a variety of ills, including acne, scars and burns, and most importantly wrinkles.
Yes that’s right the secret to eternal youth could be lying at the bottom of your back garden. Snail slime is rich in proteins of high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid and antioxidants. This ‘miracle’ mucus has two main effects when applied to human skin, these are:
1. Stimulation of new fresh collagen, elastin and dermal components in the skin
2. Minimise damage that is caused by free radicals that are the reason for premature aging.
Why Do We Age?
Good question and if you know the answer to this question then you are within reach of a Noble Prize. The fact is no one really understands why we age, yes even those men in white coats have no clue. Well that’s not entirely true…there are two main theories that at present are our best ideas as to why we get old, get grey hair and lose our memories.
Theory 1 – We are Programmed to Die
This theory is known as the Gene Expression Theory Of Aging. It states that after a pre-programmed amount of time our bodies send out a code that basically slows down repairs. Proof for this theory is found in less complicated organisms such as coral and sponges that appear to show no sign of aging. This could mean that as organisms became more and more complex an evolutionary change may have occurred. Further justification of this theory can be found in the life spans or varying animals too – for example while some flies only live for a few days, the Bowhead Whale has been known to live up to 211 years. Why this massive difference? Is genetics the answer? Who knows….maybe.
Theory 2 – Age takes its toll.
Basically put the second theory states that as we get older the damage to our bodies becomes too extensive. As we all know are bodies are very complex ‘machines’ and with the constant damage to the tissue, cells and DNA it ceases the ability to repair itself and eventually shuts down.
Super Snail Treatment
So as far as I am aware your typical snail doesn’t possess some god like ability to turn back the sands of time however as discussed above their slime does have some anti aging properties.
A Japanese salon in Tokyo has took advantage of these properties and started a revolutionary treatment named the Celebrity Escargot Course that involves placing lives snails on a person’s face, allowing the snails to slither across the complexion. The treatment that lasts around 60 minutes will set you back around £161 – this also includes a series of facial massages and the use of an electrical pulse machine.
In addition the salon also uses creams that have been infused with snail slime from snails that are on a special diet of organic vegetables. Well you wouldnt want a snail that had been feasting off Big Macs sliding about on your skin now would you?
If the above doesn’t quite appeal to you then the Premier Laser Clinic might have the answer you’re looking for. Our Sublative treatment uses a fractionated radio frequency to provide a truly unique procedure. Sublative is FDA approved and is clinically proven to treat fine lines, stretch marks and wrinkles.