Circadia
Circadia is a professional skincare brand based on the skin and body’s natural circadian rhythms. Chronobiology, the science of defending skin from environmental damage during the day, and stimulating internal repair mechanisms during sleep is at the core of our concept.
Circadia’s formulations combine pure botanicals, stem cells, second generation vitamins, and innovative peptide technology to achieve optimal skin health and beauty. Our specialty treatment products utilize these technologies to address a multitude of skin conditions, including aging, acne, dehydration, pigmentation, and rosacea.
The corporate headquarters are established in the rolling hills of rural Pennsylvania where founder Dr. Pugliese began his medical practice and early research on the physiology of human skin. Circadia by Dr. Pugliese has a rich history and bright future. Dr. Peter T. Pugliese, remains a strong, influential voice in the science of aging. Michael Q. Pugliese, third generation CEO has earned a distinguished reputation as an educator in the field of skin science, and an innovator in product development. Under his leadership, the brand has grown to achieve international recognition and distribution.
The Science of Circadian Rhythms
The Circadia name is derived from the two Latin words, circa dies, meaning “around the day.” The word “circadian” refers to a 24 hour cycle and describes rhythmic changes in our physiology and in our behavior. When these biological rhythms are disrupted or become disordered, it can have adverse effects on our health, appearance, and well-being.
Circadian rhythms developed over millions of years, controlled by the daily light-dark cycle created by the earth turning on its axis. Research studies have found that a biological “clock” is located in several parts of the brain, which established these circadian rhythms in mammals. It has been determined that these clocks consist of an array of genes which regulate physiological processes throughout the body. We know that the central circadian clock is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus in the brain. Its main function is to synchronize the clocks in the peripheral tissues, the skin being one of these, and it appears that all types of skin cells contain some form of a circadian clock.
It is important to understand that the daily rhythms are not just a response to changes in light and dark produced by the earth’s spinning motion, but rather are a response to the timekeeping system within the body. It is this system which allows the organism to adjust and anticipate changes that are associated with day and night. Why is this so important? Consider the fact that if the urge to sleep would come during the light portion of the day, many animals would be vulnerable to predators. Anyone who’s ever traveled across several continents is familiar with
the phenomena of jet lag, which is a profound disruption of the biological clock. The extreme importance of these phenomena has led to the development of a new science associated with the effects of time on the body. This new science is called Chronobiology. At Circadia, we focus on the effects of Chronobiology and circadian rhythms, on the skin.
Circadian Rhythm and The Skin
The concept of circadian rhythms isn’t new. It actually started in the 1700s with the French scientist de Mairan, who published a paper describing the movement of leaves in plants during the day. They would rise during the day and fall at night. He put these plants in a room when they were not exposed to sunlight and he saw the same phenomenon. He concluded that this movement had something to do with a mechanism inside the plant, in addition to whatever effect the sun may have.
A recent study reveals the importance of the biological clock in the regeneration of skin stem cells. When this system is disrupted, it results in premature tissue aging, as well as a greater predisposition to developing skin tumors.
Since the skin is exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, as well as bacteria and viruses, one of the main functions of skin is to protect the individual from these potential dangers. When the biological clock is working well, stem cells, which are constantly replacing damaged tissue, can divide at a time which would allow minimum exposure to damaging ultraviolet light.
When skin cells divide, in a process called proliferation, their DNA is more susceptible to ultraviolet damage, since it is extended within the process of cell division. It is well known that the proliferation process takes place during the day at various times, however it happens at least 30 times more rapidly at night than during the day. Associated with proliferation are such key functions as rate of water loss and blood flow, which are 20 to 30 percent higher at night than in the morning or afternoon. Circadian rhythms in the skin affect the biology of appearance and also have a profound effect on the absorption of applied treatment products.
Regulation of the skin barrier properties, such as transepidermal water loss and skin hydration, as well as skin pH and skin temperature, are under control of the circadian clocks. The Skincare Clinician should be aware of the time of the day when making an assessment of the skin or prescribing a specific treatment. The time that the assessment is made and the time that the treatment is applied will have a significant effect on the efficacy of the product, or the correctness of the diagnosis.
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