Skin Biology - About Us

Overview - What Is Skin Biology?

Skin Biology is a family owned biotechnology research center headed by noted biochemist Dr. Loren Pickart and wife Charlene Pickart who brings experience from her background in Family Health Nursing. Daughter and chemist Francoise Pickart has monitored the development of website and ingredient information, helping to blend complex science into a manner that is easy to understand.

Dr. Pickart is assisted by lab technicians for the production and filling of products and other staff members who specialize in providing customer service, product design, and general office procedures.

We are dedicated to providing science based products that aid in skin remodeling and scalp conditioning. Skin Remodeling Copper-Peptides (SRCPs) were originally discovered in the field of wound healing by Dr. Pickart who has since launched two successful biotechnology companies. The SRCPs developed were found to have strong effects on repairing damage and promoting skin health.

Currently we are focused on product development and patent applications based on Dr. Pickart's continuing research on how best to utilize the power of copper-peptides for a variety of skin concerns. Feedback from clients has directly influenced the creation of many products and techniques. We work very closely with our clients towards the mutual goal of healthy skin care.

Dr. Pickart continues to work on publishing articles in reputable dermatological journals and speaks at conferences around the United States with the goal of broadening the knowledge of this awesome molecule: GHK, the basis for the cosmetic use of copper-peptides today.

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STAFF - Assisting you with all your skin and hair care needs

From Left to Right: Francoise Pickart, Charlene Pickart, Genevieve Pickart	Daughter Francoise has a degree in Chemistry from the University of Washington and is a graduate student at Columbia University pursuing a degree in International Health Policy. She continues to monitor website development off site. Charlene who has a Masters in Family Health Nursing comments: "As a professional nurse, I believe that we have an important role in promoting skin health, positive self image, and helping individuals to make informed choices." Genevieve Pickart, in addition to working at Skin Biology, is currently pursuing a degree in Economics following the business pattern in her family.
Aubrey Anderson	Customer Service Representative Specialties: Scar reduction, acne related skin issues, reducing lines/wrinkles, improving tone, elasticity, and overall appearance of face and body. "I'll most likely be the skin care specialist you hear on the other end of the phone helping you with any products and skin care questions."
Cassia	Website maintenance, product and printed publications design Specialties: Hair relaxers and ethnic hair concerns "I personally have been using the products for the past 6 years for my relaxed, color treated hair. I'm happy to say my hair is the healthiest and longest it has ever been."
Jared	Lab Technician / Customer Service Specialist Personal Interests: Guitar, writing, illustration "I have had the privilege to be on staff for a number of years and I have seen the benefits of using copper-peptides first hand... To me, the client always comes first."
Dave	Lab Technician "I work in the lab with Dr. Pickart, helping to produce high quality products for our clients."
Genevieve Pickart	Genevieve Pickart, in addition to working at Skin Biology, is currently pursuing a degree in Economics following the business pattern in her family.
Idelle Musiek	Idelle Musiek received her MFA graduate degree from the director's program at UCLA School of Theater Film and Television. She received her bachelor's degree in Literature and Creative Writing from UC Irvine. Musiek was a television writer/producer for a children's series at Lyrick Studios. Lyrick Studios produced two well known PBS series: /Barney/ and /Wishbone/. She was also a video producer/writer for EDS Internet New Media. Idelle has focused her career on educational entertainment targeting health, immunology, ecology and children's television. Idelle Musiek Productions writes and directs media content of online, printed, and video programming for Skin Biology.

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Dr. Pickart's Approach to Making Skin Products

1. All products are designed to help improve skin health. Many cosmetic products slowly degrade skin health. The approach we use is to emphasize the skin's natural activators of renewal and remodeling: SRCPs, hydroxy acids, natural biological oils that are in the skin, types of skin abrasion, retinoic acid, and vitamin C (this is best taken internally). What actually triggers the skin's renewal responses is a rather narrow list.

2. Our basic SRCP products have been tested by independent laboratories and been classified as non-irritants, non-allergens, non-carcinogenic, and non-poisonous. Skin Biology water/oil creams have no detergents and are always close to breaking up into a water phase and oil phase. They do not open and damage the skin barrier. Four published studies found they increase the skin barrier strength.

3. The selection of ingredients and formulations that improve skin health are based on generally-accepted published studies in reputable science journals by ourselves and others.

4. We select ingredients from the FDA's GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) list of food ingredients and cosmetic ingredients with a long history of product safety. The FDA states that safety information exists on only 11% of the 10,500 cosmetic ingredients cataloged by FDA.

5. FDA requirements call for the use of formulations that resist bacterial growth. We use preservatives with long records of safety in cosmetic products. Recently concerns have been raised about parabens in cosmetics. Parabens are molecules from plants, such a blueberries and soybeans, that are used as preservatives in foods and cosmetics. Parabens have some estrogenic activity and there have been concerns as to their safety with respect to cancer. The Scientific Committee on Consumer Products for the European Union wrote an extended opinion on: the Safety Evaluation of Parabens covering in addition isopropyl paraben. Adopted by written procedure on 28 January 2005. In summary, they said there was no link between parabens and breast cancer and criticized the data used in previous studies. While parabens appear to be safe, this may not be true for other estrogenic materials such as sunscreen chemical oils and the thousands of alien chemicals that the cosmetic industry adds to products. So why the difference? Normal foods contain most of the carcinogens to which our bodies are exposed. But our metabolic systems have long been adapting to these molecules and have methods to detoxify them. So parabens, being nothing new to the body, can be detoxified by our bodies. In contrast, estrogenic chemicals such as sunscreen chemicals, PCBs, and DDT are alien chemicals to our body. There is nothing in our genetic heritage to tell the body how to detoxify and remove them molecules. This is the danger of alien, unnatural chemicals. Read more about parabens here...

6. We avoid the following:

Abbott Handerson Thayer Winged Figure 1889

6.1 Formulations and moisturizers that are designed to push water into the skin, wet the outer skin proteins, and "puff up" the skin to make wrinkles and creases less obvious. The problem is that as such products loosen and wet the skin, they damage the skin barrier and permit easier access by bacteria, viruses, and allergens. The chronic wetness also inhibits the signals that tell the skin to send more keratinocytes to the surface.

6.2 "New chemical entities", that is, synthetic molecules that the human body has never been previous exposed to in our history. It requires decades to determine the safety of such molecules such as in the case of PCBs and DDT.

6.3 Plant extracts with the exception of a few ingredients such as vitamins that are used in the human body and substances such as aloe vera that have exceptionally good records of non-allergic actions on skin. Most plant extracts are alien to human skin and, in time, may cause rashes and allergic reactions. Many plants extracts substances to stop animals from eating them such as poisons and carcinogens.

6.4 Types of collagen-inducing peptides that act like Transforming Factor Beta 1 (TGF-beta-1), a protein named because it caused normal cells to grow like cancer cells. Concerns have been raised that such types of molecules may speed the spread of cancers and play a role in kidney failure.

6.5 Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan) because it plays a critical role in the spread of cancer cells.

6.6 Ingredients used as nerve inhibitors to relax muscles to reduce wrinkles. Long term cosmetic use of such ingredients may inhibit nerve function in the brain and other areas of the body.

6.7 Dyes and coloring agents.

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