Swiss authorities issue fresh cell therapy warning
Print Edition
Many Chinese beauty seekers were alerted by news that health authorities in Switzerland recently announced fresh cell therapy, which is known as sheep placenta treatment in China, is unauthorized and potentially dangerous.
The Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (Swissmedic) said the therapy is especially popular with tourists from China, Russia and the Middle East. The treatment involves injections of cells or cell components from sheep foetuses or sheep placentas. It’s believed to have anti-aging effects.
However, the Swissmedic and the Federal Office of Public Health said no hospital or clinic is authorized to provide such treatments in Switzerland.
Fresh cell therapy was developed by Swiss physician Paul Niehans in 1931. During the therapy, live cells of animal origin, usually from a sheep fetus or placenta, are suspended in an isotonic salt solution and then transferred to humans. Today freeze-dried cells, cell fragments or cell extracts are increasingly employed instead of live cells.
The efficacy of fresh cell therapy in anti-aging has never been scientifically proven, but the health risks have been demonstrated, including death in some rare cases. The therapy has been rejected by medical associations and societies, as well as by the World Health Organization, FOPH said.
Dr Wang Shoujun from Shanghai Tida Plastic Surgery Hospital said:“ The biggest risk is that there are no rules to regulate the process of cell extraction and the source of the cells, while the disinfection is also not strictly regulated. It may result in allergies, abscesses at the injection site, blood poisoning or even transmission of animal pathogens like Mad Cow disease.”
Doctors recommend legal dermal fillers for anti-aging effects. Approved products are mainly collagen, hyaluronic acid and Botox. All these are absorbable materials.
Collagen is a protein from the various connective tissues in animals. As the main component of connective tissue, it is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up 30 percent of protein in the body and 80 to 85 percent in skin. “Injecting collagen can make skin smoother and stimulate the collagen growth of your own body. So it has a double effect,” Wang said.
Hyaluronic acid has a very high concentration of fluids in the skin. So it is considered the best moisturizing component in cosmetics and works well on parts used for the biggest facial expressions. Botox is mainly used to smooth facial wrinkles of the forehead, between the eyes and around the corners of the eyes. All these materials can be absorbed by the human body and patients can return to clinics for follow-up treatment. Experts warn that dermal filler therapy, though not as risky as plastic surgery, needs to be done in legal hospitals or clinics because it is an invasive therapy.
Anti-wrinkle tips
Live a healthy lifestyle
A lack of sleep can speed up the aging of skin and cause more wrinkles. A bad mood and depression can also cause wrinkles as people are likely to frown. Drinking alcohol, smoking and an unhealthy diet can all lead to bad skin and wrinkles.
Eat better
Drinking more water, especially two glasses of water every morning after waking, is important for both the body and the skin. Soybean and soybean products can help keep skin smooth. Lactic acid in yogurt and vitamins A and B in carrots are effective in preventing rough and dry skin. Caviar, liver, mushrooms and pollen help skin elasticity and smoothness.
Moisturizers and sun block
Protecting the skin from exposure to the sun will slow down the aging effect. Use a proper sunscreen lotion and wear clothing and hats to cover the skin when outdoors. People who work in offices may have dry skin so using a moisturizer can effectively reduce and prevent lines and wrinkles.
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