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Understanding Methylene Blue and How It Helps the Skin

Interested in learning more about anti-aging products and ingredients?

Check out Methylene blue, a newly discovered ingredient that is quickly becoming the safe, non-irritating retinol alternative. This age-old compound is now in some of the most effective anti-aging skincare products. In fact, it is the major component in our very own line of skincare products!

If this is your first time hearing about this incredible ingredient, read on to understand how it works.

Methylene Blue: A Quick History

To understand and appreciate Methylene Blue, let us first discuss what it is and how it started. 

  • Since its first synthesis in 1876, Methylene Blue has seen broad applications in clinical treatments, laboratory use, and aquatic applications. 
  • It was originally discovered as a treatment for malaria and later used to  treat methemoglobinemia and urinary tract infections during World War I and II. 
  • It also works as a staining agent today to help surgeons and doctors see body fluids and tissues better during x-rays or surgery. 
  • It has been approved for medical use by the FDA, and it is on the World Health Organization (WHO) list of safe and essential medicines.
  • Methylene Blue is known as a mitochondrial-targeting antioxidant. It is an antioxidant that can go through lipid membranes like those surrounding skin cells, enter the energy center of the cell (mitochondria) and neutralize all the reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Methylene Blue: According to Studies

This study published by the University of Maryland revealed how Methylene Blue can be used to improve the health and appearance of the skin. 

In this research, Methylene Blue is one of three antioxidants studied, and is the one antioxidant that showed the most promising results. Here are some of the positive effects observed during the study: 

  • There was a slower rate of cell death, indicating that skin cells became healthier and lived longer
  • There was an increase in cell division rate, leading to a higher number of new, healthy cells created during cell turn-over
  • There was a significant reduction in DNA damage, leading to cell rejuvenation
  • Skin treated with Methylene Blue retained more hydration, creating plumper skin
  • Skin treated with Methylene Blue improved in terms of thickness and showed accelerated wound healing

How Does Methylene Blue Work?

  • Declining collagen is the number one reason people experience changes in their appearance. Collagen provides structural support to the body's connective tissues and acts like scaffolding for the skin. Unfortunately, natural collagen production decreases as we age, older people lose more collagen than younger people. The result can be sagging and wrinkled skin. Methylene Blue triggers the fibroblasts—the cells responsible for producing collagen. When the fibroblasts are activated, the production of collagen and elastin occurs.
  • Elastin is another vital tissue in the skin that allows moisture to bind and plump up the skin. Our study shows that the production of collagen and elastin doubled in just two weeks of regular use.
  • Methylene Blue activates the DNA damage repair pathway inside the cell, thus creating a healthy cell with longevity that upon turn-over proliferates in higher numbers. 
  • Methylene Blue has the ability to go through both water and fat barriers, making it uniquely able to penetrate the 3 layers of the skin, including the inside of the skin cell  (fibroblast).
  • Methylene Blue also works as an antioxidant, entering the energy center of the cell (mitochondria) where it neutralizes all the reactive oxygen species (ROS), created by our own bodies in response to stress (ie. sun exposure, pollution, emotional/mental stressors).

Conclusion

Thanks to recent research, we now have an ingredient that can help skin significantly improve in health and appearance. Methylene Blue is a powerful compound that can effectively extend the lifespan of skin cells and improve the skin's health overall—which is why you should incorporate it into your routine today. 

If you want to invest in the best anti-aging skincare routine, then look no further than Bluelene®! Bluelene® with Methylene Blue is a new line of anti-aging skincare products developed by Mblue Labs, Bethesda MD, USA and has been scientifically shown to preserve skin cell health better than any other anti-oxidant skin formulation. Connect with us today to find out more about our products!