Miami, FL, November 16, 2015 - A new breakthrough was announced at the 20th World Congress of Aesthetic Medicine, hosted by the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine (AAAM), in Miami. Dr Saad Sami Al Sogair, a Saudi dermatologist, presented new evidence that a hormone known as 'insulin-like growth factor-1' (IGF-1) is largely the cause of aging, wrinkled skin.

While the science behind the discovery is complex, the general implication is that maintaining higher levels of IGF-1 can keep skin and other organs from aging as rapidly as they normally would. IGF-1 has a similar molecular structure to insulin. It plays an important role in childhood growth, with levels of the hormone reaching a peak during the adolescent years. The body produces IGF-1, which consists of 70 amino acids in a single chain, throughout one's life, but amounts decrease as the body ages. The lowest levels are seen during old age and infancy.

'We found that lower levels of IGF-1 lead to higher mortality rate, cognitive decline, risk of heart disease, frailty and weaker grip strength. In short, the decline of IGF-1 is a significant part of aging', said Dr Al Sogair.

The implication is that increasing the levels of this hormone would delay aging while helping the body repair itself. Dr Al Sogair concluded, 'The present study shows that higher levels of IGF-1 were associated with a lower perceived age and a lower degree of skin wrinkling, independent of confounding factors'.

IGF-1 stimulates systemic body growth. It has growth-promoting effects on almost every cell in the body, especially skeletal muscle, cartilage, bone, liver, kidney, nerves, skin, hematopoietic cells and lungs. Even more interesting, IGF-1 can regulate cell growth and development, and it is particularly important in nerve cells. This may have implications for people who stay mentally active well into advanced age. It may also offer solutions for those experiencing cognitive decline.

Dr Michel Delune, president of the AAAM, said, 'The interest in finding new and more effective ways to slow or reduce facial aging is understandably high. For me, this was one of the highlights of the 20th World Congress of Aesthetic Medicine. I very much look forward to seeing more of Dr Sogair's work and commentary in the future, as he is currently the only representative of Saudi Arabia and the GCC in the conference with two appreciable papers'.

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