Facial treatment with snail slime has taken over Belgian beauty salons, while research shows that the product makes the skin smoother and creates a rejuvenating effect
The ancient Greeks used snails to heal wounds, and Koreans have followed suit for years. Snail slime facials have also found their way into Belgian beauty salons. "Basic research has already been done on snail mucus and it has proven to have beneficial effects," writes the Belgian newspaper De Standaard.
"Snail gel is good for the skin because it is full of allantoin, antioxidants, proteins and collagen," say Belgian dermatologists. "It can heal tissue damage and soothe the skin, it's the ideal ally in the fight against acne and a perfect anti-aging product," says dermatologist Thomas Masselis.
"The mucus is used by the snail to move and to restore the cochlea if necessary," Maselis explains. "The research shows that the product can actually have beneficial effects in humans, such as making the skin smoother or creating a rejuvenating effect."
Snail mucus is already used in dentistry, but not yet particularly among dermatologists. "There's something to be said for that," Maselis says. "Research shows that snail mucus has an inhibitory effect on bacteria, fungi and inflammation." Whether it is really a panacea, for example against acne, is doubtful. "The mucus will work on the bacteria, but it doesn't do anything about the underlying acne problem."
"I don't know of any dermatologists who already use the product, but that doesn't mean we won't in the future," Masselis says.
Source: www.tanea.gr
