Summary
Background: Copper up-regulates the secretion of extracellular skin proteins and stabilizes the extracellular matrix once formed. As copper can be absorbed through intact skin, we reasoned that sleeping on pillowcases containing copper impregnated fibers would reduce skin wrinkles.
Objective: Demonstrate that sleeping on pillowcases containing copper-impregnated fibers reduce facial skin wrinkles.
Patients: Methods An 8-week, double blind, parallel, randomized study was carried out, in which healthy volunteers, aged 30–60, used either copper oxide containing pillowcases (1% weight ⁄ weight) (test group, n = 30) or control pillowcases without copper (control group, n = 31). Skin conditions of the subjects were evaluated by visual grading by two expert graders and by 3D Image Analysis GFM PRIMOS_ at baseline (before treatment) and following 4 and 8 weeks of sleeping on the pillowcases.
Results: The use of the copper oxide-containing pillowcase resulted in significant decrease of crow’s feet after 4 (P = 0.01) and 8 (P = 0.002) weeks, but none was observed in the control group, as determined by the expert graders. On the basis of the 3D measurements, three roughness (R) parameters were improved after 4 and 8 weeks (P < 0.02) and the Rmax parameter at 8 weeks (P = 0.016) in the test group, but there were no changes in the R-parameters during the course of the study in the control group. The average reduction per month in the R-parameters was approximately 9%. No adverse reactions were observed or reported during the 8 weeks study.
Conclusions: Sleeping on copper oxide-containing pillowcases results in reduction of wrinkles depth and overall improvement of skin appearance.
Summary
Copper plays a key role in many of the physiological processes that occur in the skin. Previously it was found that sleeping on pillowcases impregnated with microscopic copper oxide particles results in reduction of wrinkles and fine lines.
In the current study, it was examined if sleeping on copper oxide impregnated pillowcases results also in skin lifting and skin brightness. A four week, double blind, randomized study was performed, during which 45 women, aged 37–54, slept on copper oxide containing pillowcases (test group, n = 23) or on control pillowcases without copper oxide (control group, n = 22).
Facial and eye skin surface was measured using an F-ray 3D measurement system and surface analysis was conducted using Image-pro® plus. Skin brightness was measured using a tristimulus colorimeter.
Sleeping on the test pillowcases resulted in statistically significant skin lifting on the cheek area (p = 0.039) and eye area (p = 0.001) after four weeks of use as compared to baseline. The mean skin brightness in those sleeping on the test pillowcases increased after two (p = 0.024) and four weeks (p = 0.008).
No statistically significant changes occurred during the study in the study participants using the control pillowcases. Statistically significant differences between both groups were recorded at two and four weeks for skin brightness and skin lifting, respectively.
In conclusion, sleeping on copper oxide containing pillowcases results in facial skin lifting and brightness of the skin.
Summary
Copper plays a key role in several processes of skin formation and regeneration. Copper has been shown to be absorbed through intact skin.
We hypothesized that sleeping on fabrics containing copper-impregnated fibers would have a positive cosmetic effect on the skin. The aim of this study was to confirm our hypothesis.
A 4-week, double blind, parallel, randomized study was carried out in which 57 volunteers aged 40–60 years used either copper oxide containing pillowcases (0.4% weight/weight) or control pillowcases not containing copper.
Photographs were taken by a professional photographer of each participant at the beginning of the study and at 2 and 4 weeks after the commencement of the study. Two expert graders (a dermatologist and a cosmetologist) evaluated the pictures for the effect on several cosmetic facial skin characteristics.
The copper-containing pillowcases had a positive effect for the following facial characteristics: reduction of wrinkles (P < 0.001) and crow’s feet/fine lines (P < 0.001) and improvement of general appearance (P < 0.001) at both 2 and 4 weeks. The differences were statistically significant (Wilcoxon scores and chi-squared tests).
Consistent sleeping for 4 weeks on copper oxide containing pillowcases caused a significant reduction in the appearance of facial wrinkles and crow’s feet/fine lines and significant improvement in the appearance of facial skin. In most trial participants, this effect was already noticeable within 2 weeks of using the copper oxide containing pillowcases.
Summary
Background: Copper is an essential mineral involved in the formation and stabilization of extracellular skin proteins. As copper can be absorbed through intact skin, we reasoned that using socks containing copper-impregnated fibers may have an effect on skin elasticity.
Methods: A double blind, placebo controlled study was conducted in which one group of healthy volunteers (n = 32) wore socks with fibers containing microscopic copper oxide particles and the other group wore identical socks without copper oxide (n = 28). The socks were worn for at least 10 h a day for 4 weeks. Skin elasticity measurements were taken from three separate test sites on the side of the ankle using a Cutometer at baseline and after 2 and 4 weeks of product use.
Results: There was an increase in the mean net skin elasticity (R5) of 6.4% (P = 0.6) and 31.4% (P = 0.004) after 2 and 4 weeks respectively, in the group of individuals that used the copper oxide containing socks, but no increase in the group of individuals that used the control socks. Similarly, there was an increase in the mean biological elasticity (R7 values) of 3% (P = 0.55) and 20.7% (0.014) after 2 and 4 weeks, respectively, only in the group of individuals that used the copper oxide containing socks. The differences between treatments (i.e. socks used) were statistically significant at 4 weeks (P = 0.0058 and P = 0.0327 for R5 and R7, respectively).
Conclusion: Using copper oxide containing socks results in an increase in skin elasticity of the feet.
Author: Dr. Gadi Borkow
