Beauty Secret: Is snake venom the next anti-wrinkle miracle?
updated the Monday, April 25, 2016
We’ve seen our fair share of odd substances in creams and serums, but is this taking things a little too far?
Snake venom has recently made headlines for being a miracle cure for skin woes like wrinkles and fine lines. Plenty of celebrities swear by it, including Gwenyth Paltrow and Drew Barrymore. But wait, isn’t snake venom highly dangerous? Well, let us tell you all about the properties of this intriguing new beauty ingredient, then you can decide for yourself.
The effects of snake venom
Not all snake venom is the same – the type of venom can be dependent on the species and even the geographic location of the snakes. This is why it is important to be able to identify the type of snake if you are ever bitten so the right antidote can be administered.
There are three basic types of snake venom: (1) hemotoxic venom, which attacks the cardiovascular system and can lower blood pressure and induce blood clotting, (2) cytotoxic venom, which can affect specific muscle groups in the body as well as cause tissue death, and (3) neurotoxic venom, which is lethal to your brain and nervous system.
Interestingly, all these venom types contain a complex cocktail of enzymes and proteins.
How snake venom can combat wrinkles
The idea of incorporating snake venom in beauty products stemmed from the thought that if snake venom can effectively paralyse muscles, perhaps a targeted topical version could work like Botox. And thanks to the efforts of Swiss pharmaceutical company Pentapharm, a synthetic compound mimicking a protein found in the venom of the temple viper was created.
This compound, called Syn-ake, has been making its rounds in skincare products for a few years now. By helping to relax the facial muscles, these creams and lotions aim to smoothen wrinkles and soften lines. They are arguably more affordable than Botox treatments, and clinical trials have shown some promising results.
So, are you willing to try a snake venom product to achieve a more youthful visage? If so, check out the gallery above for some brands that have jumped on the bandwagon.
Angela Goh
