Plant Stem Cells For Skin... Are They The Best?

Stem cells have been one of the most promising breakthroughs in both the medical and beauty worlds in recent years. In the centre of controversy for some, it is undeniable that the properties of these specialist cells can be truly transformative.

In the world of skincare, Stem Cell research has changed the way we look at 'anti-aging' products. There are two types of stem cells used to rejuvenate, restore and repair: plant and human. But when it comes to human vs. plant stem cells, which ones are better for our skin? Do they do the same job? Or are they completely different? 

We have the answer. And it might not be the one you’re expecting.

By encouraging higher renewal activity in your dermal layers, you can increase the amount the cell turnover, and in turn, revitalize aging or damaged skin. This means that our skin can heal quicker, producing as much collagen as it did when you were young.

So, which is it to be...?

Plant Stem Cells For Skin 

Plant stem cells are what’s known as undifferentiated cells, and are found in the meristems of vegetation. They work like human stem cells, in the sense that they have the ability to self-renew and replace damaged cells. This is how a plants grow back when a stem has been cut. 

In the same way the cells work to repair damaged plant cells, they will help to repair the skin cells from damage and boost collagen – hitting rewind on aging skin. 

Although different to human stem cells, they’re still capable of replacing the damaged cells in the skin and increasing the production of human skin cells and collagen.

Human Stem Cells For Skin

There are quite a few different types of human stem cells, and the most common (and most controversial) is the embryonic stem cell, also known as pluripotent stem cells. These are the first cells developed in the womb to create an embryo which can be used to produce all of the different tissues in the human body.

There are quite a few moral issues surrounding this one, as extracting stem cells from a human embryo is arguably far from ethical. 

After we're born, there are human stem cells called Mesenchymal or MSC’s which continue the process of repairing and rejuvenating our bones, ligaments, muscles, skin etc etc. These continue to work throughout our lives but decrease as we age.

The third type of human stem cell is known as progenitor cells. Their potency depends on what specific type of tissue they're for (epidermal skin cells would fall into this category as they’re specific to the growth and repair of the epidermal layer of your skin).

Research shows that topical application of MSC derivatives can help repair the skin and they’re safe and natural proteins, which are produced in the human body anyway. They are small proteins, rather than live cells, and act as messengers to encourage your cells to grow and repair.

However, it is difficult to use human stem cells in skin care as they're too large to be absorbed by the skin, and too delicate to be in a skincare product, making them almost impossible for domestic use. 

Stem Cells & Skin Care

Besides the ethical issues surrounding human stem cells, the main problem with using them in our skincare routine is that they can over-stimulate our cells, leading to unwanted results and in the worst case, diseases. They're much harder to control than plant stem cells.

Plant stem cells for skin on the other hand can heal & repair skin in a much more controlled way than human cells. Put simply, the likelihood of a severe skin reaction using plant stem cell technology is extremely small vs using human stem cells which is relatively high. 

As a final note, it is important to mention that plant stem cells for skin, though safer to apply, still contain many of the benefits of human stem cells.

The Cel Verdict On Plant Stem Cells For Skin Vs. Human Stem Cells For Skin

When it comes to human and plant stem cells, they both work in a similar way.

The only real difference is that human stem cells can be a little more potent, but when it comes to working to activate your skin cells, plant stem cells work just as well. While researchers develop more effective ways to use human stem cells in skincare, plant stem cells remain the most powerful and transforming technology in the skincare market!