When most people try to lose weight, they watch one number: the scale. But not all weight loss is...
Cosmetic Bogus Science
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: February 13, 2019
Please Don’t Drink Your Calories if You’re Focused on Weight Loss
Liquid calories are fluids consumed as part of your daily diet that often go unnoticed and...
Rock Climbing: Lose Weight on the Wall
If your weight loss efforts have hit a wall, why not climb it? Rock climbing is becoming an...
Weight Watchers vs. Medical Weight Loss Programs in Scottsdale: Comparing the Results
Many residents in Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Glendale struggle with weight loss plateaus despite...
Arizona Medical Weight Loss Programs vs Online Programs: Which One Provides the Best Results?
The weight loss landscape has shifted significantly with the rise of digital health platforms....
Is Brown Rice Healthier Than White Rice?
Is brown rice better than white rice? Intuitively, one would think that brown rice is much...
The cosmetic industry is notorious for its use of bogus science to promote beauty products. Advertisements for creams, moisturisers and cleansers are made to sound all the more convincing when scientific terminology is added to the narrative. Much of this science is bogus – a combination of half truths and fiction made to sound authentic through clever use of scientific vocabulary.
Although the use of terms such as ‘nanoparticles’ and ‘pentapeptides’ may be compelling for some people, more discerning types will quickly spot the lack of supporting evidence and recognise flaws in the ‘scientific’ explanations given. The following list is by no means exhaustive, but gives an idea of the more common areas of bogus science to watch out for the next time you view a cosmetic advertisement:
1. Nanoparticles
Nanoparticles are tiny particles of a given substance (often metals), less than one hundredth of the width of a human hair. Some cosmetic manufacturers have included nanoparticles as ingredients of their products with the claim that they penetrate the skin, carrying other active ingredients with them to deeper subdermal layers. This supposedly leads to enhanced action of the skin care treatment.
Although nanoparticles do have genuine applications in science, skin penetration is not thought to be one of them. Recent studies conducted by several universities have shown that the skin is a highly effective barrier and remains so even after suffering slight abrasion. No such entry of nanoparticles has been observed, and it is thought that earlier studies may have mistaken entry into tiny skin folds as true penetration. So, the skin is not permeable to tiny objects after all – just as well, considering its role is to protect us from infection by micro-organisms.
2. Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is a substance made from both carbohydrate and protein. It is widespread throughout the body and is a major constituent of the extracellular matrix, a type of scaffolding material that holds cells together in the body’s tissues. Hyaluronic acid is sometimes used in cosmetic treatment as a type of filler material, being injected under the skin and acting to smooth out wrinkles. This type of treatment is effective for up to six months, after which time the hyaluronic acid will need to be reapplied.
Several cosmetic creams now include hyaluronic acid as an active ingredient, emphasising the anti-wrinkle effect described above. However, the crucial detail they omit is that hyaluronic acid must be injected in order to act as filler. Again, the skin is a natural barrier to most substances and this is no exception. If hyaluronic acid was effective as a cream, then logically there’d be no requirement (or indeed demand) for administration by injection.
3. Pentapeptides
Pentapeptides are proteins composed of five amino acids. In the body, pentapeptides are naturally produced as local chemical mediators and act as chemical signals between cells. Pentapeptides have a role in signalling cells to produce more collagen, a structural protein used to repair internal damage and wounds. Several cosmetic skin creams now contain pentapeptides, claiming they promote repair of the skin surface and prevent wrinkles from developing.
While there is some truth in the involvement of pentapeptides as signals that indirectly promote repair of internal tissues, there is no evidence suggesting the same applies to the skin surface. Extensive studies conducted with various cosmetic creams have concluded that the presence of pentapeptides has no significant impact on the qualities of skin.
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
Reviews
Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
