New I-Ease PF: Preservative Free Eye Drops For Dry Eye

I-Ease PF was launched this week by BioRegenerative Sciences, Inc. This is BRS' new preservative-free version of I-Ease to treat dry eye, using their patented stem cell technology called S2RM Technology. I-Ease PF quickly and thoroughly relieves the dry eye condition, and does so not just by treating the symptoms, but instead helps heal the tissue leading to a reduction in pain, irritation, and inflammation. The key to I-Ease is the use of stem cell released molecules in their formulation, molecules that induce a natural healing response in the tissue.

This product is highly effective and without side effects!

Hair Regrowth Using Stem Cell Factors

Don't tell me, show me. Well, for all of you that asked, here's an example of how well BRS' Hair Stemulating Complex works. With a simple topical application of HSC, significant hair growth is typically seen within 6 weeks. I use the HSC product to thicken my hair. And the men's formula is expected to be released within a couple of months.

For those of you that would like a little more technical description of the stem cells in the scalp, please see Dr. Maguire's blog about stem cells in the skin and scalp. And, during this past week, Dr. Rita Friedman has a nice blog on maintaining quality of life in seniors. Please have a look.

Coping With Stress

When coping with stress, many people tend to use one of the three main coping strategies: 1. appraisal focused, 2. problem focused, or 3. emotion focused coping. Appraisal focused strategies are those that modify the way we think, for example employing denial, or distancing oneself from the problem. People may alter the way they think about a problem by altering their goals and values, such as by seeing the humor in a situation.

People using problem-focused strategies deal with the cause of their problem. They do this by finding out information on the problem and learning new skills to manage the problem. Emotion focused strategies involve releasing pent-up emotions, distracting oneself, managing hostile feelings, meditating (such as a 8-point program offered by Sri Eknath Easwaran), and using relaxation methologies, including using CDs (Liquid Mind) for example which is one of my person favorite relaxation CD series.

Most people use a mixture of all three types of coping, and coping skills will usually change over time. All these methods are useful, but some studies suggest that those using problem focused coping strategies will adjust better to life.

Men often prefer problem-focused coping, whereas women often tend towards an emotion focused response. Problem focused coping mechanisms may allow an individual greater perceived control over their problem, while emotion focused coping may more often lead to a reduction in perceived control. Therefore problem focused mechanisms may represent a more effective means of coping.

In coping with psychological stress, many studies show that the primary positive factor is to have relationships that provide care and support, create love and trust, and offer encouragement, both within and outside the family. Additional factors are also associated with resilience, such as the capacity to make realistic plans, having self-confidence and a positive self image, developing communications skills, and the capacity to manage strong feelings and impulses.

Research has also discovered the individual differences in coping. Self-esteem, ego-control, and ego-resiliency are related to behavioral adaptation. For example, maltreated children who feel good about themselves may process risk situations differently by attributing different reasons to the environments they experience and, thereby, avoid producing negative internalized self-perceptions. Ego control is the threshold or operating characteristics of an individual with regard to the expression or containment of their impulses, feelings, and desires. Ego resilience refers to the dynamic capacity to modify one’s level of ego-control, in either direction, as a function of the demand characteristics of the particular situation.

Research has shown that when maltreated children experienced some risk factors, such as single parenting, limited maternal education, or family unemployment, they exhibited lower ego resilience and intelligence than non-maltreated children. Further, maltreated children are more likely than non-maltreated children to demonstrate disruptive, aggressive, withdraw, and internalized behavior problems. Finally, ego resiliency, and positive self esteem are predictors of competent adaptation in maltreated children.

Demographic information, such as gender, and resources, such as social support, are also predictive of coping. Studying people's adaptation after the 9/11 attacks in NYC,  women were associated with less likelihood of coping than men. Also, individuals who were less involved in affinity groups and organizations showed less coping. Additional studies of coping in Vietnam war veterans found social support to be a major factor contributing to coping.

In my next blog, I’ll have more to say about coping strategies that can be learned and therefore give one better coping abilities in today’s highly stressed liviing conditions.

Eye Drops For Dry, Irritated Dry Eye Condition

Dry eye syndrome, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) is an eye disease in which the amount, or the evaporation of tear film is increased, or most importantly the quality of tear production is decreased. The translation of  "keratoconjunctivitis sicca" from Latin is "dryness of the cornea and conjunctiva".  Essentially dry eye syndrome is a chronic lack of sufficient lubrication, proteins, and moisture on the surface of the eye. Consequences of this condition range from subtle but constant irritation to severe ocular inflammation of the anterior tissues of the eye leading to disturbed vision.

Dry eyes can be exacerbated by smokey environments, dust and air conditioning and by our natural tendency to reduce our blink rate when concentrating. Purposefully blinking, especially during computer use and resting tired eyes are basic steps that can be taken to minimise discomfort. Rubbing one's eyes can irritate them further, so should be avoided. Conditions such as blepharitis, an infection of the lid margins, can often co-exist and paying particular attention to cleaning the eyelids morning and night with mild shampoos and warm compresses can improve both conditions.


Dry, drafty environments and those with smoke and dust should be avoided. This includes avoiding hair dryers, heaters, air conditioners or fans, especially when these devices are directed toward the eyes. Wearing glasses or directing gaze downward, for example, by lowering computer screens can be helpful to protect the eyes when aggravating environmental factors cannot be avoided. Using a humidifier,especially in the winter, can help by adding moisture to the dry indoor air. For mild and moderate cases, supplemental lubrication is an important part of treatment. Application of artificial tears every few hours can provide minor and temporary relief.

A new methodology for treating dry eye is now available from BioRegenerative Sciences. Using the molecules from stem cells in the eye that normally provide the proteins to the tears, the new product called I-Ease restores the quality of the tear film by restoring the proteins normally found in the film. These stem cell derived proteins in I-Ease not only protect the eye, but also help induce a healing response. People with severe dry eye, post-lasik irritation, contact lens irritation, diabetic cornea, corneal transplants, ulcerated corneas, and glaucoma patients with irritated eyes have all benefited greatly from I-Ease. I-Ease is much more efficacious than Restasis for dry eye, and unlike Restasis, has no side effects and no stinging. I know first hand this is a great product!

Exfoliation With Out Damaging Irritation: Age Management For Healthy Skin

Exfoliation has long been used as a means to attempt renewing the skin, doing so by irritating the skin to exfoliate the outer dead layer of the skin called the stratum corneum. Acids are commonly used to cause the irritation, and most often the acid is glycolic acid. While there is no question that glycolic acid induced irritation and exfoliation can have short term benefits, the long term effects of glycolic acid may be damaging and lead to premature aging of the skin. Although the long term effects of glycolic acid are poorly studied, a few papers do show deleterious effects. Therefore, if non-irritating  and safe alternatives to glycolic acid are available, I suggest using the alternatives rather than the glycolic acid.

Recently a new non-irritating exfoliating product has come to market called Moisturizing Night Cream by BioRegenerative Sciences, Inc. of San Diego, CA, for whom I am a member of the scientific advisory board. The philosophy at BRS is that “healthy skin is beautiful skin,” and everything we do is to make the skin healthy, and not damage the skin. Therefore the exfoliating products of BRS do not contain glycolic acid, rather the Moisturizing Night Cream contains naturally derived products that are normally found in the skin that super moisturize the skin and gently induce exfoliation without irritation.

I’ve personally used the product for many months during testing, and can say the product performs exactly as intended. When the Moisturizing Night Cream is used with Vital Serum from BRS, the results are remarkable. People ask me what I’ve done to look so young. While I always recommend proper nutrition, exercise, sufficient sleep, and supplementation…I recommend supplementation from within by ingesting vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and anti-oxidants, but I also recommend supplementation with high quality topical such as the cosmeceuticals from BioRegnerative Sciences. 

Using The Planetree Model To Deliver Patient-Centered Healthcare

As BioRegenerative Sciences, Inc. begins to open a stem cell based healthcare clinic in Southern California, the basis for our technology is BRS’ S²RM Technology utilizing the molecules that multiple stem cell types release to induce healing.

Equally important to delivering the latest technology to the patient, are the services and processes that deliver the technology to the patient in a patient-centered, holistic, and healing atmosphere. To this end, progressive hospitals, beginning with University of California San Francisco’s Presbyterian Hospital, and now including many hospitals throughout the USA and Europe, have used a model system originally conceptualized by Angelica Thieriot. The inspiration for Angelica Thieriot arose during her battle with a rare viral infection. She sat staring at the cold, fluorescent lit blank walls of her hospital room. Overworked nurses hurried in and out without regard to Angelica as an individual, leaving her to sit alone for hours feeling lonely and afraid. She was disheartened to find that this lack of personalized care diminished the benefits of the hospital’s high-tech environment, leading to less than optimal healing.

Angelica’s experiences led her to envision a different type of hospital where patients could receive care in a warm, healing environment that would also provide them with access to the information needed to become active participants in their own care and wellbeing. Personalized, participatory healthcare, she hoped, would become the norm.

Planetree was founded in 1978 by Angelica using the name from the roots of modern Western medicine, which is the tree that Hippocrates sat under as he taught some of the earliest medical students in ancient Greece.

As stated by the Planetree non-profit organization, “The Planetree model of care is a patient-centered, holistic approach to healthcare, promoting mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and physical healing. It empowers patients and families through the exchange of information and encourages healing partnerships with caregivers. It seeks to maximize positive healthcare outcomes by integrating optimal medical therapies and incorporating art and nature into the healing environment.

Planetree continues to innovate, broadening our collective understanding of the concept of healing, and continuing our network’s expansion so that a growing number of patients and caregivers can experience the dignity, compassion, and humanity that are hallmarks of the Planetree philosophy.”

We at BRS embrace these ideals of Planetree as we move forward with our Spa-like stem cell based hospital in Southern California.

Argireline Is Not Botox In A Bottle

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Botulinum toxin is a protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, and is known to be extremely neurotoxic, and causes flaccid muscular paralysis seen in botulism. Physicians use this as a commercial product called Botox or Dysport to paralyze muscles. Botox was developed by Dr. Allan Scott, an ophthalmologist in San Francisco, and Edward Schantz for the treatment of the two eye conditions strabismus and blepharospasm in the 1960s. My colleague, Dr. Greg Maguire, used Botulinum toxin in his research at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA during the 1980s and 1990s and has told me how powerful this toxin is.....able to quickly induce paralysis at the neuromuscular junction. In 2002, the FDA announced regulatory approval of botulinum toxin type A (Botox Cosmetic) to temporarily improve the appearance of moderate-to-severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines). When used for cosmetic surgery the Botox procedure is efficacious and safe and has only minor side effects.

The hexapeptide C{46}H{56}N{12}O{6}, (CAS 616204-22-9) termed Argireline, was produced by the Barcelona-based research laboratory Lipotec based on the Botulinum toxin molecule. Argireline is a shortened version of the Botulinum toxin molecule, designed to mimic the effect of Botulinum toxin in paralyzing muscles. There have been no double-blind studies of Argireline to prove an anti-wrinkle effect, and only one published study by the manufacturers. Anedotal reports are mixed, with some suggesting that a generalized sagging of the skin results from topical usage. Such a sagging effect is plausible given that the Argireline is applied topically without precise application to particular nerves as is performed in Botox injections. That is, if the Argirline really works, then the toxin is being applied all over the face, instead of precisely at specific nerves as is the case when surgeons inject botox. Such a generalized application of the toxin to the face may very well lead to sagging of the face.

My opinion is to use products that create beautiful skin by enhancing the health of the skin and avoid products, such as Argireline, that are toxins. Healthy skin, therefore beautiful skin, can be achieved by nourishing the skin from the inside and the outside. Such a program will include a good diet and proper hydration, and by applying topical products that are known to be safe and efficacious, such as anti-oxidants and naturally occurring factors found in healthy skin. New anti-oxidant, moisturizing, and stem cell-based topical products are appearing on the market that show great promise. The products that I have found most effective are from the biotech company in San Diego, CA called BioRegenerative Sciences, and include Vital Serum, Eye Serum, and Moisturizing Night Cream.