Dr. Sheldon Pinnell
The Picasso of Dermatology
As Dr. Sheldon Pinnell, then an American Research Dermatologist based in Duke University, observed his wife making an apple pie, he noted how she placed the sliced apples into lemon water. It was an ordinary moment in an ordinary day that would eventually lead to a discovery that would forever change the field of dermatology. From his wife, Dr. Pinnell discovered that without the acidity of the lemon water, the apples would turn brown. From this phenomenon, he hypothesised whether the same principles could work topically on the skin. The concept of topical Vitamin C was born.
“Dr. Pinnell was to dermatology like Picasso was to art,” says Duke University Medical Centre Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Dermatology Julie Woodward MD of the legacy of the SkinCeuticals founder “He created new ways of looking at skin science and research and brought antioxidants to market. He changed the way dermatologists looked at products working on the skin.”
“Before Dr. Pinnell’s research into antioxidants, the two main things we had for skincare were just sunblocks and retinoids,” she adds. “He introduced the concept of antioxidants working from within the skin to improve symptoms of photo-aging. He changed the face of how research was done in dermatology. He was the first one to create the concept through skin-aging biomarkers.”
SkinCeuticals is dedicated to real science and clinical proof
Offering his professional view on what sets SkinCeuticals apart from other medi-cosmetic brands in the market today, Dr. Charles Jiang (pictured right) from the Richmond Anti-Aging Clinic, a flagship SkinCeuticals clinic in Canada, says: “SkinCeuticals is dedicated to real science and clinical proof. Having clinical studies and combining products and procedures within their integrated skincare philosophy allows me to trust the safety and efficacy of the products when I am using them during a treatment and once my patient is using them at home.
"Patients often suffer from varying degrees of pigmentation and melasma that have aged their skin beyond their biological age,” Jiang explains. "SkinCeuticals’ antioxidant serums, formulated with pure ascorbic acid at 10-20% concentration, have been clinically-proven to neutralise free radical damage and protect the skin against DNA mutation, improving the overall health of the skin.
He adds, “The Phloretin CF is ideal for preventing pigmentation; Silymarin CF for preventing oil oxidation which causes acne; and CE Ferulic which helps stabilise Vitamin C. “In our practice, we have a 360-degree approach to treatment, which is where SkinCeuticals’ integrated skincare approach comes in. It is important for us to protect our patients’ investment in their treatments by recommending proper post-treatment skincare products.”
Dr. Pinnell’s discovery paved the way for SkinCeuticals to pioneer the emergence of cosmeceuticals and today, the reverberations of his pioneering work are still felt around the world.
With new discoveries being made in the field of antioxidants, and new SkinCeuticals innovations changing people’s lives for the better, it’s clear that his legacy lives on.
