Blog
June 3rd, 2026 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Growth factors have shown potential to enhance bone healing and implant stability. These agents promote osteoblast activity, angiogenesis and matrix formation, accelerating peri-implant bone regeneration. One example is rhPDGF-BB, which helps gum and bone cells move to the damaged area. It’s approved in the US, Canada, and Taiwan for regenerating tissue and treating gum recession. The growth factors used in dental care to help rebuild lost tissues from gum disease and to make gum and bone regeneration more predictable in dental treatments include recombinant human (rh) platelet-derived growth factor-BB (rhPDGF-BB) and rh fibroblast growth factor-2 (rhFGF-2). References Chandwani N, Nigotia P, Jain SK, Joshi N, Joshi M, Laddha R. Growth…
May 20th, 2026 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Nature took its time, like some millions of years, and ended up with a complicated and beautiful system that works well to make proteins. When it doesn’t, the consequences can be devastating, such as when DNA that codes for an important protein mutates because of bad luck or environmental factors. How does the system work? It’s complicated Figure. Protein synthesis, or gene expression, is a two-stage process. In the first (transcription) a mRNA molecule is produced that echoes the DNA sequence of the gene being expressed. In the second stage, translation, a chain of amino acids is formed at the ribosome, following the instructions encoded in the mRNA. The…
May 14th, 2026 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
PDGF (Platelet-derived Growth Factor) a.k.a. PDGF-BB, platelet-derived-growth factor INCI Name sh-Polypeptide-59 What to expect: Anti-aging, wrinkle improvement, wound healing What are platelets? Platelets are small cell fragments produced in the bone marrow, and they are the blood’s primary coagulation mechanism. You may be familiar with the story of Prince Alexei’s of Russia hemophilia and Rasputin. The effect of platelets on coagulation is due to the clotting factors present in the alpha-granules. Figure. Diagram of the structure of a platelet showing the granules. By Dr Graham Beards – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21906052 You may be less familiar with the growth factors present in platelets, which mediate the healing effects of platelet-enriched plasma (a.k.a. platelet…
May 12th, 2026 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Rejuvenating growth factor a.k.a. TGF-β1 (Transforming Growth Factor beta 1), GDF-11 INCI Name sh-Polypeptide-22, skin protectant Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF-11) is a protein that regulates stem cell function, promoting cellular repair in the epidermis and dermis, as well as in other organs. GDF-11 induces collagen I, collagen III, and elastin production in skin fibroblasts and appears to reduce skin inflammation. It’s a very promising growth factor, and one that we, at Skin Active Proteins, will soon be able to offer to the skin care industry. GDF-11 was identified during the investigation of how blood donated by a young mouse could help rejuvenate the function of the older mouse.…
April 22nd, 2026 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
May I offer a definition? “A substance that, applied topically, will help reverse the manifestations of skin aging, including the capacity to prevent the entry of noxious chemicals and microbes, loss of elasticity, impaired pigmentation, wrinkles, increased itching or pain, etc.” This definition contradicts the FDA’s “rule” that cosmetics shouldn’t alter skin physiology but can change skin appearance. But of course, anti-aging cosmetics change skin physiology (and appearance), even if we insist on pretending otherwise to keep the FDA happy. In my book and in my pamphlet “Chemicals that Nature Makes,” I mention some anti-aging ingredients. For some of them, there is strong experimental evidence from scientific journal articles. Still,…
April 14th, 2026 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
At Imperial College London, Claire Higgins, a professor of bioengineering , and her collaborators, performed a pilot clinical study in which they transplanted hair follicles into human skin scars. The transplanted hair follicles helped remodel the scarred skin to create functional tissue. Follicle transplantation may become a clinically approved treatment to reduce scar formation and remodel preexisting scar tissue. How about adding the healing power of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) into the mix? Reference Plotczyk, M., Jiménez, F., Limbu, S. et al. Anagen hair follicles transplanted into mature human scars remodel fibrotic tissue. npj Regen Med 8, 1 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41536-022-00270-3
April 8th, 2026 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Below, I describe the properties of some natural chemicals that are used in skin care. If you would like to know about a chemical that is not in this list, let me know, and I will add it in subsequent “editions”. Natural chemicals are those present in nature, in plants and/or animals. The actual ingredient you find in a formulation may be obtained by chemical synthesis, fermentation, or biotechnology; what matters to your body is the chemical structure, not the “origin”. Chemical structure is not just the number of atoms and how they are linked to each other, but also how they are organized in space. I included some references…
February 28th, 2026 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Coconut milk is an endosperm product that has a growth-stimulating effect on the developing coconut embryo. In 1941, the Dutch plant physiologist J. van Overbeek discovered that the addition of coconut milk led to a marked increase in the growth of plant embryos and tissue cultures. The question of which components cause the growth stimulation arose immediately, and kinetin was discovered. Experimental data indicate that kinetin acts as a strong antioxidant in vitro and in vivo, not only in plants but also in animals. Kinetin has been found to inhibit oxidative and glycoxidative protein damage generated in vitro and to protect DNA against oxidative damage mediated by the Fenton reaction.…
February 21st, 2026 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
For those left adrift by the disappearance of a company that catered to skin care DIY enthusiasts, Lotioncrafter.com now supplies the following: Epidermal growth factor: Keratinocyte Growth Factor Hops extract is not one of our proteins (it’s not a protein at all!), but it has been formulated following our process. It’s a source of xantohumol. Sea Kelp bioferment is very similar to my old formulation and should make a good base to carry KGF into the scalp. I will keep adding links as I find Lotioncrafter ingredients that could help mimic my old formulations. Thanks for your patience Hannah
February 21st, 2026 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
As always, I avoid fragrances. If you don’t like the smell of a particular ingredient, avoid it, but fragrances will always work against you, unless they are an active ingredient that has a beneficial activity and happens to smell nice (like apocynin, a.k.a. acetovanillone, or mint, an antiviral). Utensils you will needPlastic jar for 50 grams or more of cream. Should give you space for mixing using a spatulaScale: I suggest you use a scale and manage your ingredients by weight, rather than volume, this is what formulators do. It’s hard to measure volumes when you are dealing with thick or viscous materials. Scales are very inexpensive and precise these…
May 26th, 2025 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Andaluces de Jaén,aceituneros altivos,decidme en el alma: ¿quién,quién levantó los olivos? Miguel Hernandez (Orihuela 1910-Alicante 1942) Nací en 1948, cuando la guerra había terminado y todo parecía posible. Me alegra decir que algunos de mis sueños se han hecho realidad, al menos en el campo de la ciencia, que elegí como vocación. Y lo más mágico e imposible de todo: curar las enfermedades metabólicas. Ni hablemos de los otros sueños, como el fin de todas las guerra y la justicia para todos, que quizas sean incompatibles con la naturaleza del Homo sapiens. La evolución no mató lo «bondadoso», pero tampoco lo favoreció. Todavía estamos al 50/50. Algunos sueños de mi…
May 25th, 2025 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Andalusians from Jaén, proud olive growers, tell me in good conscience who, who grew the olive trees? Miguel Hernandez Some of the miracles my mother dreamed of became reality during her life: the polio vaccine, too late for my young brother but on time for the many millions saved from paralysis and death. Vaccines were made possible by centuries of science and medicine. The polio vaccine prevented millions of deaths and so much misery. Some people like to imagine the old days, when humans were surrounded by nature and life was easy. Those times never existed, but people can imagine anything they want when they don’t learn from the…
April 9th, 2025 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Lo que no se sabe te puede matar, sobre todo cuando hay charlatanes de por medio. En 1953 no había vacuna contra la poliomielitis. Muchas familias, incluida la mía, fueron destruidas por los efectos de este virus. El virus causaba defectos físicos en las extremidades de sus víctimas y otros males, provocados por daños irreparables en sus sistemas neuromusculares. Mi madre intentaba defendernos del virus con alcanfor, que colgaba en bolsitas de nuestros cuellos porque era lo único que había. En 2025, si vivís en un país que puede permitirse almacenar una vacuna, no tenés excusa para que este virus destruya a tus hijos y a tu familia. ¿O sí…
April 9th, 2025 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
What you don’t know can kill you, especially when quacks are involved. In 1953, there was no vaccine for polio. Many families, including mine, were destroyed by the effects of this virus. The virus caused physical defects in their victims’ extremities and more, caused by irreparable damage to their neuromuscular systems. My mother tried to defend us from the virus with camphor hanging in small bags from our necks because that’s all that there was. In 2025, if you live in a country that can afford to stock a vaccine, you have no excuse to have your kids and your family destroyed by this virus. Or do you? Are conspiracy…
February 10th, 2025 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
No, el EGF no es un oligopéptido. ¿Por qué? Por definición (se trata de una definición científica). Un oligopéptido tiene entre dos y veinte residuos de aminoácidos. El EGF, con sus 53 aminoácidos, es una proteína. Pero comprendo que una vez que el INCI asigna un nombre a un ingrediente, es difícil cambiarlo, aunque sea científicamente incorrecto.¿Importa? La mayor parte de las proteínas son más frágiles que los oligopéptidos: más aminoácidos dan lugar a una estructura más compleja. Pero ocurre que el EGF es una proteína relativamente «robusta», desde el punto de vista de la fragilidad (carece de) y la estabilidad (es buena). Se puede ser menos cuidadoso cuando se…
February 7th, 2025 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
No, EGF is not an oligopeptide. Why? By definition (this is scientific definition). An oligopeptide has between two and twenty amino acid residues. EGF, with its 53 amino acids, is a protein. But I understand that once the INCI has a name for an ingredient, it’s hard to change it, even if it’s scientifically wrong. Does it matter? Most proteins are more fragile than oligopeptides: more amino acids make for a more complex structure. But it just happens that EGF is a relatively “robust” protein, from the point of view of fragility (lack of) and stability (good). You can be less careful when dealing with EGF (or our sH- superoxide…
January 8th, 2025 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
¿Qué es el medio acondicionado por células humanas madre (SCCM)? Se trata del líquido que ayuda a mantener y cultivar las células madre que crecen sobre un sustrato sólido. Para que las células sigan creciendo, hay que desecharlo (y añadir medio fresco). Las células madre humanas pueden utilizarse para diversas aplicaciones, pero el medio agotado no tiene otro uso. Al fin y al cabo, ahora contiene materiales que las células vivas han desechado, se le han agotado las sustancias químicas que las células utilizaban como sustento y su composición final es un misterio. El medio fresco es una solución que contiene todos los aminoácidos, azúcares, vitaminas, etc. que las células…
January 8th, 2025 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Mirá la siguiente lista de ingredientes. El nombre del producto no ha cambiado en mucho tiempo. ¿Ha cambiado algo en 20 años? Con 300 dólares se puede comprar una onza (30 ml) de esto: Extracto de algas, agua, dimeticona, isododecano, glicerina, poliisobuteno hidrogenado, trisiloxano, triglicérido caprílico/cáprico/mirístico/esteárico, vinil dimeticona/polímero cruzado de silicona y silsesquioxano, triglicérido caprílico/cáprico, sal marina, extracto de levadura, extracto de flor de siempreviva (¿?), extracto de sésamo. ), Aceite de Semilla de Sésamo, Polvo de Semilla de Alfalfa, Torta de Semilla de Girasol, Harina de Semilla de Almendra Dulce, Aceite de Hoja de Eucalipto, Gluconato de Sodio, Gluconato de Cobre, Gluconato de Calcio, Gluconato de Magnesio, Gluconato de…
January 6th, 2025 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
Look at the ingredient list below. Has anything changed in 20 years? $300 will buy one ounce (30ml) of this: Algae Extract, Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Trisiloxane, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sea Salt, Yeast Extract, Everlasting flower (?) Extract, Sesame Seed Oil, Alfalfa Seed Powder, Sunflower Seedcake, Sweet Almond Seed Meal, Eucalyptus Leaf Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Tocopheryl Succinate, Niacin, Sesame Seed Powder, Red algae Extract, brown algae Extract, Molasses Extract, Phytosphingosine, brown algae Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, St. Paul’s Wort Extract, buckwheat Seed Extract, Rapeseed Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Licorice Root Extract, brown algae…
January 2nd, 2025 by Dr. Hannah Sivak
What is “stem cell conditioned media (SCCM)”? It’s the liquid that helps maintain and grow stem cells growing on solid support. To keep the cells growing, it has to be discarded (and fresh medium added). Human stem cells may be used for a number of applications, but the old medium has no other use. After all, it now contains stuff the living cells discarded, it has been depleted of chemicals the cells used for sustenance, and its composition is now unknown. The fresh medium is a solution containing all amino acids, sugars, vitamins, etc. that the cells need to live. For convenience, it also includes a pH indicator, to alert…