What Does Snail Mucin Do for the Skin?
Medically reviewed by William Truswell, MD
Snail mucin is the mucus trail left behind by snails as they crawl across the ground. Its functions include adhesion, hydration, and lubrication.
The use of snail mucin to reduce inflammation and signs of aging in humans dates back to ancient Greece. Today, this substance has become well known due to its use in South Korean skin care.
Research has backed the benefits of snail mucin use in cosmetics. It has also confirmed the value of snail mucin in wound healing, surgical glue, and treating gastric ulcers.
This article covers using snail mucin for skin care, what snail mucin is made of, and who should not use it.
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What Is Snail Mucin?
Snail mucin is the lubricating substance secreted by snails. The substance contains a complex mix of organic chemicals and proteins that includes the following:
The mucin from a snail's foot helps it stick to the ground more easily, move smoothly, and even travel vertically without slipping. The mucin from a snail's back provides hydration that protects the snail's body and antimicrobial properties that ward off germs and infection.
Research indicates that snail mucin can also provide many of these same benefits to humans. Snail mucin is rich in antioxidants that treat signs of aging. It can also help with skin regeneration and protection against free radicals, unstable molecules that can damage your skin.
While research is ongoing, there is evidence that snail mucin has the potential for use in wide-ranging applications that include the following:
Treatments for disorders that include gastric ulcers, postsurgical infections, and melanoma
Drug delivery agents that increase a drug's ability to treat diseases like diabetes and ulcerative colitis
Biotechnical applications that tap into the surfactant-like (natural detergent) properties of snail mucin
Basis for artificial tears, saliva, and cosmetics
Collecting Snail Mucin
Collecting snail mucin can be done without killing or harming snails. A common mucin collection technique involves allowing snails to glide over mesh in a darkened room. The mucin is collected from the mesh when the snails are returned to their homes.
To ensure the safety of snails during mucin collection, look for proof of cruelty-free practices in the cosmetics you purchase.
Potential Benefits of Snail Mucin for Skin
As a relatively new ingredient, snail mucin hasn't been widely studied. However, there is evidence of the following potential benefits of snail mucin for your skin:
Moisturizes
The moisturizing factors of snail mucin can make it a good treatment for dry skin. Its hydration benefits may be linked to the amount of naturally occurring hyaluronic acid it contains.
Hyaluronic acid promotes water retention and prevents transepidermal (through the skin) water loss. These properties can help dry skin appear firmer and plumper.
Fights Signs of Premature Aging
Snail mucin may be effective in fighting premature aging. In one study, women who used a daily skin care routine that included 40% snail mucin for 12 weeks were able to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. (The terms for sex or gender from the cited research are used in the article.)
Researchers reported that women who used the snail mucin products achieved overall improvement in several skin-aging parameters. This included improved skin elasticity, wrinkles, skin roughness, and transepidermal water loss.
Helps Wounds Heal
Research shows that snail mucin may contain antibacterial agents with wound-healing properties. Garden snail mucus has helped with skin regeneration after acute radiodermatitis, a common side effect of radiation therapy.
In addition to healing external wounds, snail mucin has demonstrated effectiveness on internal wounds. It has proven useful in reducing peptic ulcers, a common side effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
It is also possible that these healing agents could be used as an economical option to costly synthetic antibacterial agents currently used in wound treatment, though more research is needed.
Protects Against Skin Cancer
Snail mucins may have a potential use against melanoma, a dangerous type of skin cancer. Research demonstrates that snail mucin can decrease the viability of melanoma cells and metastasis (the spread of cancer cells from their origin to other parts of your body).
Learn More: The Anatomy of the Skin
Forms of Snail Mucin for Skin
You can find several products containing snail mucin that are applied to the skin. Generally, skin care products are used in a daily routine that starts with the lightest formulation and leads to the heaviest.
Some of the most commonly used products include the following:
Snail Mucin Serum
A skin serum is a highly concentrated formulation. It is typically a light, oil- or water-based liquid designed to be quickly absorbed and deliver an intensive dose of ingredients.
Snail mucin serum is applied to your skin after cleansing but before moisturizing. Some snail mucin serums just contain snail mucin, while others contain a combination of ingredients.
Snail Mucin Essence
An essence is typically a lightweight, thin, water-based skin care product. It is designed to be absorbed quickly.
A snail mucin essence, like the popular CosRx Snail Mucin Essence, is applied to a clean face. It prepares your skin to effectively absorb products like a serum or snail mucin moisturizer applied after it.
Snail Mucin Cream
Creams typically are moisturizing products. They often serve as a topcoat for hydration. Generally thick in consistency, snail creams are formulated to lock in moisture and the active ingredients of your serum.
Read Next: Moisturizer and Sunscreen: Which One First?
Potential Side Effects of Snail Mucin
There are no clinically documented side effects to using snail mucin externally. It is generally well-tolerated by most skin types. However, research into this substance and its biological and chemical properties is ongoing, so there is still much to learn about the way snail mucin interacts with the human body.
Shellfish and snail allergies are relatively common and can cause dangerous results. Consult your healthcare provider before using snail mucin if you are allergic to snails, shellfish, and/or mollusks.
Contact your healthcare provider if you have any of the following common signs of skin allergies while using products that contain snail mucin:
Redness
Itching
Swelling
Raised bumps
Cracked skin
Scaling or flaking of the skin
When to Seek Emergency Care for a Skin Allergy
Seek emergency medical care if you have symptoms of anaphylaxis, a rare but life-threatening allergic reaction that affects your entire body. The following symptoms can occur suddenly:
Angioedema (throat or tongue swelling)
Itching and hives
Nausea and vomiting
Abdominal cramping or diarrhea
Trouble breathing
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Low blood pressure (hypotension)
Does Snail Mucin React With Other Ingredients?
Research is lacking on whether snail mucin reacts poorly with certain ingredients. The use of snail mucin in a wide range of formulations. This suggests that it combines well with many other common skin care ingredients like vitamin C, glycolic acid, retinol, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and other hydrating components.
Is Snail Mucin Safe to Use During Pregnancy?
Snail mucin products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Research has not specifically addressed whether topical snail mucin is safe to use during pregnancy. Product inserts available for topical products do not list any warnings for use during pregnancy.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your healthcare provider to discuss the benefits and potential risks, if any, of using snail mucin.
Can I Use Snail Mucin If I'm Managing a Skin Condition?
Some product inserts for snail mucin note not to use it if you have eczema or scalp wounds.
If you are managing or being treated for a skin condition, always check with a healthcare provider before you introduce a new product into your skin care regimen. This is especially important if you are using a prescription treatment that may contain a stronger formulation of medicine.
Research indicates that snail mucin may be beneficial as a additional ingredient to existing treatments due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the skin as well as its relatively low cost.
Alternative Skin Care Products
If you're intrigued by the potential uses of snail mucin but want vegan-based options (those that do not involve the use of animals), consider these alternative skin care products that provide many of the same benefits as snail mucin:
Centella asiatica: Also known as tiger grass or cica, this leafy herb is rich in fatty acids, amino acids, and antioxidants and has high levels of anti-inflammatory properties. Cica can also combat dryness, even skin tone, and promote collagen-rich skin.
Hyaluronic acid: Hyaluronic acid is a humectant. It retains moisture and can bind over 1,000 times its weight in water. While hyaluronic acid is found naturally in our bodies, the product used in skin care is formulated in a laboratory.
Aloe vera: Aloe vera is a cactus-like plant used to treat acne, lichen planus (an itchy skin rash), burns, and radiation-induced skin toxicity. It is also used orally in treating diabetes, weight loss, hepatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
How to Add Snail Mucin to Your Skin Care Routine
Everyone reacts to new products differently. You can develop an allergic reaction to a new skin care product even if you have no known allergies, so it's wise to add snail mucin to your skin care routine gradually and work up to daily use.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) recommends the following process for testing skin care products at home before using them:
Apply a quarter-sized amount of the new product to a test spot twice daily for seven to 10 days in a place where it won't be rubbed or washed away.
Leave the product on your skin for as long as you would normally do. If it is a cleanser, wash it off according to the product directions.
After seven to 10 days, if you don't have a skin reaction (such as a rash or red, itchy skin), start using the product just once every couple of days. This will allow your skin time to adjust to the product.
If you develop a skin reaction, gently wash off the product immediately. Do not use it again. Treat the irritated area with a cool compress or petroleum jelly.
To further determine whether snail mucin is the cause of any irritation that occurs, you may need a medical test called patch testing to pinpoint whether snail mucin or another ingredient in the product is irritating.
Summary
Snail mucin has been hyped for its use in natural skin care products. Product claims often say snail mucin can reduce wrinkles and hydrate the skin. Research confirms that there is a basis for many of these promises.
Snail mucin also shows value as an agent for wound healing, slowing skin cancer, and treating gastric ulcers. Further research is needed to fully understand the power of snail mucin.
While snail mucin seems well-tolerated by most people, you should proceed with caution when trying any new skin care product. Talk to a healthcare provider about the safety of using snail mucin if you are pregnant, nursing, treating a skin care problem, or have a shellfish allergy.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
