Plant Stem Cells - The Holy Grail of Skincare?

You may have recently heard a lot of discussion surrounding plant stem cells and their potential benefits as it relates to skincare.  But what exactly are plant stem cells and why should we care?  Simply put, plant stem cells are an abundant natural resource that can be ethically harvested and manufactured into products that fight the effects of aging.  The more complex answer is that they have the ability to regenerate and replace other cells in the plant, similar to the way that human stem cells work.  The difference is that plant stem cells remove the ethical questions that have always surrounded this type of research.

The highest concentration of these cells, also known as callus, is in the stem but they can actually be found all over the plant.  These cells form a soft tissue over the affected surface of the plant which leads to healing. They also contribute to the growth and development of the plant and help it combat natural stressors, such as heat and drought conditions.  While all plants can be harvested for its stem cells, there is one plant in particular that has attracted much attention, Centella Asiatica.

Originally from Asia, it is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, as well as for its excellent skin healing powers.  When the stem cells from the Centella Asiatica are removed, a concentrated version is created.  That concentrate, known as Centella Reversa is specifically designed to fights off the effects of aging.  In much the same way that the plant regenerates its own cells, science has shown that this concentrate has a similar effect on human skin cells.  In other words, Centella Reversa has the ability to regenerate skin cells which greatly contributes to reversing the signs of aging.  Additionally, it has also shown to be effective in treating scars and other skin imperfections, as well as reducing the healing time of minor wounds.