These questions may seem simple but many people, including many practitioners, would struggle to answer them correctly.
The Science.
Important Questions.
Peer-reviewed answers.
Does the skin have unique fat cells?
Yes, dermal white adipose cells are unique to the skin.
Cite
Driskell RR, Jahoda CA, Chuong CM, Watt FM, Horsley V. Defining dermal adipose tissue. Exp Dermatol. 2014 Sep;23(9):629-31. doi: 10.1111/exd.12450. PMID: 24841073; PMCID: PMC4282701.
Are you born with all the fat cells you are ever going to have?
No, new fat cells are constantly being made to replace ones that die.
Cite
Nguyen HP, Lin F, Yi D, Xie Y, Dinh J, Xue P, Sul HS. Aging-dependent regulatory cells emerge in subcutaneous fat to inhibit adipogenesis. Dev Cell. 2021 May 17;56(10):1437-1451.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.03.026. Epub 2021 Apr 19. PMID: 33878347; PMCID: PMC8137669.
Do the skin’s fat cells regenerate more than other fat cells?
Yes, dermal adipocytes have unique regenerative powers.
Cite
Chon SH, Pappas A. Differentiation and characterization of human facial subcutaneous adipocytes. Adipocyte. 2014 Nov 14;4(1):13-21. doi: 10.4161/21623945.2014.955402. PMID: 26167398; PMCID: PMC4496965.
Where do the dermal fat cells reside in the skin?
In the lower dermis, in and around the vellus hair follicles.
Cite
Nicu C, Pople J, Bonsell L, Bhogal R, Ansell DM, Paus R. A guide to studying human dermal adipocytes in situ. Exp Dermatol. 2018 Jun;27(6):589-602. doi: 10.1111/exd.13549. PMID: 29603400.
What separates dermal fat cells from subcutaneous ones?
There is no separation between dermal and subcutaneous adipocytes.
Cite
Nicu C, Pople J, Bonsell L, Bhogal R, Ansell DM, Paus R. A guide to studying human dermal adipocytes in situ. Exp Dermatol. 2018 Jun;27(6):589-602. doi: 10.1111/exd.13549. PMID: 29603400.
What is the ratio of immature to mature fat cells?
Immature fat cells or pre-adipocytes are more numerous than the mature fat cells.
Cite
Roberta Florido, Tamara Tchkonia, James L. Kirkland, Chapter 5 – Aging and Adipose Tissue, Editor(s): Edward J. Masoro, Steven N. Austad, In Handbooks of Aging, Handbook of the Biology of Aging (Seventh Edition), Academic Press, 2011, Pages 119-139, ISBN 9780123786388
Can topical ingredients reach the skin’s fat cells?
Yes, small molecules less than 500 daltons are readily able to reach the skin’s fat cells via the hair follicle path.
Cite
Abd E, Benson HAE, Roberts MS, Grice JE. Follicular Penetration of Caffeine from Topically Applied Nanoemulsion Formulations Containing Penetration Enhancers: In vitro Human Skin Studies. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2018;31(5):252-260. doi: 10.1159/000489857. Epub 2018 Jul 12. PMID: 30001555.
Do bloated fat cells suppress regeneration?
Yes, as adipocytes become large they stop promoting adipogenesis and start suppressing adipogenesis.
Cite
Stenkula KG, Erlanson-Albertsson C. Adipose cell size: importance in health and disease. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2018 Aug 1;315(2):R284-R295. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00257.2017. Epub 2018 Apr 11. PMID: 29641234.
Do bloated fat cells weaken the skin?
Yes, large adipocytes instruct fibroblasts to reduce collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production by up to 80 percent.
Cite
Ezure T, Amano S. Negative regulation of dermal fibroblasts by enlarged adipocytes through release of free fatty acids. J Invest Dermatol. 2011 Oct;131(10):2004-9. doi: 10.1038/jid.2011.145. Epub 2011 Jun 23. PMID: 21697886.
Does Kaempferia Parviflora Extract (KPE) reduce fat cell size?
Yes, KPE reduces cell size by stimulating fat cells to release lipid.
Cite
Okabe Y, Shimada T, Horikawa T, Kinoshita K, Koyama K, Ichinose K, Aburada M, Takahashi K. Suppression of adipocyte hypertrophy by polymethoxyflavonoids isolated from Kaempferia parviflora. Phytomedicine. 2014 May 15;21(6):800-6. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2014.01.014. Epub 2014 Mar 11. PMID: 24629599.
Does Kaempferia Parviflora Extract (KPE) promote regeneration?
Yes, KPE promotes adipogenesis by increasing the number of PPARgamma transcripts.
Cite
Horikawa T, Shimada T, Okabe Y, Kinoshita K, Koyama K, Miyamoto K, Ichinose K, Takahashi K, Aburada M. Polymethoxyflavonoids from Kaempferia parviflora induce adipogenesis on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by regulating transcription factors at an early stage of differentiation. Biol Pharm Bull. 2012;35(5):686-92. doi: 10.1248/bpb.35.686. PMID: 22687402.
Does Safflower seed oil contain long chain fatty acids?
Yes, safflower seed oil is made of mostly long chain linoleic and oleic fatty acids.
Cite
Deliorman Orhan D, Pekacar S, Ulutaş OK, Özüpek B, Sümmeoğlu D, Berkkan A. Assessment of Commercially Safflower Oils (Carthami Oleum Raffinatum) in Terms of European Pharmacopoeia Criteria and Their Weight Control Potentials. Turk J Pharm Sci. 2022 Jun 27;19(3):273-279. doi: 10.4274/tjps.galenos.2021.84484. PMID: 35775241; PMCID: PMC9254086.
Do long chain fatty acids promote regeneration?
Yes, long chain fatty acids increase conversion of pre-adipocytes significantly.
Cite
Kokta TA, Strat AL, Papasani MR, Szasz JI, Dodson MV, Hill RA. Regulation of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells: insulin-independent and combined effects of fatty acids and insulin. Animal. 2008 Jan;2(1):92-9. doi: 10.1017/S1751731107000936. PMID: 22444967.
Does topically applied KPE reach the dermal fat cells?
Yes, topically applied KPE penetrates readily into the dermal white adipose tissue.
Cite
Tuntiyasawasdikul S, Limpongsa E, Jaipakdee N, Sripanidkulchai B. Transdermal permeation of Kaempferia parviflora methoxyflavones from isopropyl myristate-based vehicles. AAPS PharmSciTech. 2014 Aug;15(4):947-55. doi: 10.1208/s12249-014-0122-y. Epub 2014 May 3. PMID: 24789664; PMCID: PMC4113614.
Do topically applied long chain fatty acids reach the dermal fat cells?
Yes, topically applied long-chain fatty acids penetrate readily into the dermal white adipose tissue.
Cite
Raufast V, Mavon A. Transfollicular delivery of linoleic acid in human scalp skin: permeation study and microautoradiographic analysis. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2006 Apr;28(2):117-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-2494.2006.00303.x. PMID: 18492146.