Good as Gold? Not When Your Skin is Concerned

Gold in skincare products can accelerate the signs of aging, according to a new study.

Everyone likes gold, right? Many cultures have many positive connotations with aurum – we celebrate weddings with golden rings, award our best olympic athletes with golden medallions, and sometimes, we even eat it. But as the old adage goes, all that glitters is not gold.

Well, except in skin care products – if it glitters, it very well could be gold. Gold particles are often added to give a glittery appearance to the user’s skin. Harmless enough, right?

Actually, no, harmless it is not. A new study published in the journal Nanotoxicology concluded that gold nanoparticles can actually cause quite a lot of problems when they penetrate the cell walls of certain cells, hindering mobility, cell division, and collagen contraction.

What does that mean for you? Well, it means your skin could age faster, heal wounds more slowly, and even lead to diabetes in some cases. This is just one of the many examples of why it’s so important to do your homework when it comes to shopping for skin care products – not every ingredient in every product is actually helpful for fighting aging. In some cases, such as this, they might even be counterintuitive.

If you’re interested in combating the signs of aging the right way, consult with your cosmetic surgeon about recommended skin care products, or other anti-aging treatments like Botox or wrinkle fillers. If you go about things the right way, your anti-aging efforts will be worth their weight in gold.

• Photo Credit: NBP Gold by covilha, on Flickr