The Hidden Power of Skin Care Chemicals: How Some Ingredients Work at the Cellular Level

In the world of skin care, some chemicals do more than just sit on the surface. They dive deep into cells and mess with important signals. Three of these chemicals are lawsone, juglone, and plumbagin. They are found in many skin treatments and cosmetics. But how do they really work? Scientists wanted to find out. They looked at how these chemicals affect a tiny part of cells called PTP1B. This part is like a switch that turns signals on and off. The scientists used lab-grown skin cells to test it out. Here's what they found: Juglone and plumbagin can turn off the PTP1B switch for good. They do this by sticking to a tiny part of the switch called cysteine 215. This makes the switch stop working up to 75% of the time. Lawsone, on the other hand, doesn't do this. But that's not all. These chemicals also make another part of the cell, called EGFR, light up like a Christmas tree. It gets 3 times more active. This could change how skin cells move and heal. So, what does this mean? It means these chemicals don't just sit on the skin. They dive in and change how cells talk to each other. This could help in treating skin problems or helping wounds heal faster. But remember, just because something works in a lab doesn't mean it's safe or effective in real life. More research is needed to understand the full story.