“The concept of anti-ageing should, therefore, include youth preservation as part of its objective”

Operating in approximately 50 markets worldwide in the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Pacific, Nu Skin is revolutionising the industry with products that offer comprehensive anti-ageing concerns. By targeting the ultimate sources of ageing, Nu Skin’s ageLOC products dramatically diminish the appearance of ageing. Backed by more than 35 years of scientific research, Nu Skin develops innovative products including Nu Skin personal care, Pharmanex nutrition and the ageLOC anti-ageing brand, which includes an award-winning line of beauty device systems. To find out more about the company’s expertise in the area of anti-ageing, BioSpectrum Asia spoke to Joseph Y. Chang, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President- Product Development, Nu Skin Enterprises. With over 35 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and dietary supplement industries, Dr Chang enjoys a comprehensive knowledge of both of these industries and serves as a member of the Executive Committee for Nu Skin Enterprises.

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Edited excerpts;

What are your views on the growth and challenges of the antiageing market in Asian countries?

With the success of medicine and new technologies, people are living longer. With the rate of ageing in Asian countries accelerating and exceeding the rate of ageing in the western world, the anti-ageing market in Asia will grow to around $120 billion by 2030. And skin care products that address skin ageing form a significant percentage of this market.

An integrated approach of modern and ancient medicine to beauty and wellness is attractive to consumers. But the holistic approach of ancient medicine system, for example Ayurveda medicine, does not have enough scientific understanding of the ingredients that are used in Ayurvedic medicine. In order to extract more value, a scientific evaluation could increase its appeal to a wider audience.

Whilst anti-ageing products have a strong appeal to an older population, younger consumers are more attracted to products that can preserve their youthfulness. This is likely to be a growing trend in the future. The concept of anti-ageing should, therefore, include youth preservation as part of its objective.

How do you foresee the intervention of science and technology in anti-aeging in the coming years?

Looking for the sources of ageing and identifying the cause of aging is vital. Intervening at an earlier point of aging will lead to a better outcome. More research and understanding of the overall expression of the genes, alongside identifying and targeting gene expression patterns, specific genes which influence aspects of ageing, is required.