The skin serves as the body’s first line of defense. It protects us from the damaging effects of UV radiation, environmental pollutants, and invasion by pathogens. It is also responsible for regulating body temperature, water retention, and promoting health of the immune system.
The skin changes with age. It becomes thinner, less elastic, and has an increased time for healing. Fine lines, dryness, and pigmentation become more apparent. Many people seek creams, treatments and supplements to slow the aging process down. However, an often overlooked product in boosting your skincare routine is enzymes.
Enzymes are compounds that are most well known for their role in digestion. However, enzymes play an important role in the skin, supporting functioning and healing. Enzymes are involved in skin renewal, reducing inflammation, and maintaining signs of aging. Exploring how enzymes work, and why enzymes matter for skin repair and anti-aging will help you to understand how enzymes work.
What Are Enzymes?
Enzymes are proteins that function as catalysts within the body; they accelerate chemical reactions which would proceed too slowly otherwise. Each enzyme works on a specific reaction. For example, digestive enzymes are involved in the breakdown of food into nutrients. Enzymes are also involved in essential processes in the skin such as cell turnover, healing and protection from environmental stressors.
Enzymes are produced in the body, but they can also be derived from plants and animals. In skincare, the use of plant-based enzymes such as pineapple, papaya, pumpkin, and other fruits are often utilized in exfoliating masks or serums. Plant-based enzymes gently dissolve dead skin cells without harming or damaging healthy tissue, and because they are selective, they are better tolerated than the physical scrubs or strong acids, especially with individuals with sensitive or damaged skin.
How Enzymes Help with Skin Repair
Whenever the skin is harmed – cuts, acne, burns, or from sun exposure – your natural healing process is activated. Enzymes are essential to every step of this process. They assist in eliminating damaged tissue, reducing inflammation, and developing new healthy cells.
Proteolytic enzymes specifically are very important. They break down the proteins in dead or damaged skin cells. By removing this tissue, they allow new tissue to grow in their place. This process not only speeds up healing but improves the appearance of scars and minimizes the risk of infection. Some enzymes also help decrease inflammation. Inflammation is a normal response to injury, but when it is prolonged, it interferes with the healing process and adds more injury to the skin. Enzymes aid in balancing this response and can ease redness, swelling, and discomfort. This not only makes them valuable for healing wounds but also makes them useful in treating chronic skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, where inflammation is problematic.
Research has also uncovered that enzymes may support collagen production. Collagen is the structure protein that provides strength and elasticity to all skin. With age, collagen is broken down faster than the body can rebuild it. Enzymes that heal skin injury may also play a role in stimulating collagen.
Enzymes in Anti-Aging
Aging impacts the skin’s ability to renew itself. In younger skin, new cells are created systematically and travel to the top layer, taking the place of older, damaged skin. This process, referred to as cell turnover, slows in time. Because of this, dead skin cells build up and create dullness, roughness, and spots, as well as fine lines.
Enzyme-based skincare products help to solve this problem. Enzymes are found in a variety of products and promote a gentle exfoliation by removing dead cells from the skin’s surface. Unlike physical exfoliants like scrubs, which use granules and can cause small tears in the skin, enzymes work to break up the proteins that keep the dead skin cells together. This is a gentle way to have smoother, brighter skin.
For those with sensitivities or conditions such as rosacea, enzymes are often a gentler option to acids, such as glycolic or salicylic which may be too strong. Enzymes still demonstrate the ability to encourage regular skin renewal, which helps improve tone, texture, and even pigmentation over time.
Enzymes also serve as hydration enhancers. Up to this point, moisturizing products have sat on the skin’s surface because of the layer of dead cells. With the outermost layer of dead skin cells, moisturizers and serums can penetrate deeper into the skin. This provides for better effectiveness of your skincare routine and aids the skin hydration, alleviating dryness and flakiness.
The Ananas Enzyme (Bromelain)
One enzyme that is noted for having benefits for the skin is bromelain, also called the ananas enzyme because it comes from pineapples (scientific name: Ananas comosus). Bromelain is a group of proteolytic enzymes which are found in the fruit and stem of the pineapple plant.
Bromelain is well-known for its anti-inflammatory and protein-digesting effects. When bromelain is taken as a supplement, it can help decrease swelling and pain, especially after surgeries or injuries. In skin care, these same properties can be helpful to calm irritated skin, decrease redness, and support healing after cosmetic procedures, such as chemical peels or laser treatments. Some research suggests bromelain may assist in wound healing by removing damaged tissue and decreasing inflammation. This may be beneficial to the skin in acute injuries, as well as in long-term skin care.
Additionally, bromelain may help improve scarring, especially when given in combination with other enzymes and nutrients. Bromelain is available in a capsule form, and in some cases as part of an enzyme blend. If you’re looking to support your skin from the inside, bromelain may be a thoughtful addition to an inner focused regimen for repair and anti-aging.
Final Thoughts
Enzymes do much more than assist digestion. They are essential for healthy, youthful, and resilient skin, whether synthesized in the body or applied through skincare products, and enzymes help with healing, inflammation, and natural exfoliation.
As we age, the skin’s natural enzyme activity declines, leading to the accumulation of dead skin cells and delayed healing. Enzyme-based topical products (and supplements) provide a gentle way to promote these processes. One promising enzyme is bromelain, the ananas enzyme, which has studies demonstrating its healing and anti-inflammatory effects.
If you want an all-natural method of improving your skin texture, promote healing, and delay aging, enzymes may be worth considering. Enzymes work with the body rather than against it – a distinct benefit to promote long-term wellness and healthy skin.