The Unboxing
You guys have been asking for a review on this product back in December. I got this in one of my Korean Advent calendars. I had never heard of it. I was excited. I saw, y’all know I’m a huge fan of cantella, sounded great. Just looking at the packaging, as I took it out of the box.
The Revelation
Didn’t really spend much time reading the ingredient list, set it aside. Only a few days later did I realize what this actually is and we’re going to talk about it in this video. If you haven’t heard, this is a really trendy product right now, all over Instagram. I’ve gotten a lot of requests. What it contains that I didn’t realize upon unboxing it for the first time is hydrolized sponge spicules.
What Are Spicules?
What are spicules? Spicules are these little particles that are part of sponges. If you look at them microscopically, they look like some sort of medieval torture device. They come in a variety of different sizes, shapes, and they’re really, really pointy. Spicules are an area of interest for drug delivery because, as you can imagine, they’re very sharp. Maybe they can help enhance penetration of medications when we’re trying to get things into the skin. It can be quite challenging.
Formulation and Penetration
I always tell you guys, it’s not about the product ingredients, it’s about the formulation overall and a key aspect of formulating skincare products is formulating them in such a way that not only are the ingredients stable and at an effective concentration range, but can they actually get into your skin? Your skin is designed as a barrier, a waxy barrier, and it really actively works to limit penetration of things into the skin. That’s great until you actually want something to get into the skin, and then you’ve got to really put your brain to work to figure out what you’re going to do.
Micro Dart Patches and Skin Penetration
Claw their way into the outermost dead layer, the protective layer layer of the skin, which is called the stratum corium and release the active ingredients. So you get in theory, more effective penetration. Well, it turns out at least my understanding, those micro Dart patches, theyre, actually kind of challenging to get the ingredients onto the little micro darts, so theres that now in dermatology we utilize micro needling to enhance delivery.
Enhancing Delivery in Dermatology
We also utilize a variety of energy based devices to enhance delivery of certain medications into the skin. Recently, I did some videos reacting to Brian Johnsons, exotic anti aging Pursuits, and we talk about tixel tixel as a approach to enhancing penetration of things. You dont have to be a genius to figure out just by looking at these things under a microscope that theyre, probably quite abrasive, abrasive Things become of interest for the act of exfoliating, the skin, smoothing the skin surface, which, if you read reviews of this product online People often talk about how theyve noticed that their skin feels a lot smoother.
Abrasive Properties of Spicules
They really like that, and that is one of the many draws to this product. The abrasive properties of these spicules may help to smooth out the skin surface. As I said, you got this outermost differentiated dead layer called the stratum corium and with age. You know the kind of turnover and natural shedding of that can slow down a bit. You can get a buildup of dry rough SK, dead.
Skin Texture Improvement
Skin cells on the skin surface lead to uneven skin texture, so some type of exfoliant, whether it be a chemical or mechanical, is intended to remove that smooth it away. Ultimately, that helps improve not only skin smoothness but also the overall luminosity and brightness.
The Science Behind Spicules
What about the actual science of using these, though? It’s all well and good until somebody gets hurt. Is there any research to show that spicules actually are effective? Truthfully, it’s quite in its infancy. A small study done in porcine skin showed that these little spicules appear to pierce the skin and, in theory, act almost like a little hypodermic needle, enhancing the delivery of active ingredients.
Clinical Research Findings
As far as clinical research on actual people, it is really limited. There is one small study that examined EGF, a growth factor, either EGF alone or EGF loaded onto spicules. After 4 weeks of using either of these, the subjects had an improvement in the appearance of crow’s feet out to 8 weeks. However, the spicule group had even greater improvement.
Exciting Discoveries
On first impression, it suggests that they are getting better penetration of EGF into the skin, so it must be working better. However, one must consider if EGF applied to the skin does anything anyway, other than just create a little bit of local fluid retention and swelling.
Suspect Skin Quality Improvement
While many reported an improvement in their skin’s appearance and reduction in wrinkles after using VT Reedle Shot, it is important to consider the possibility that these changes may be superficial. The question arises whether the effects were solely due to local swelling caused by the product rather than a true enhancement in skin quality.
Short-Term Results
The study only examined the effects of VT Reedle Shot over an 8-week period, which is relatively short in terms of assessing long-term benefits and potential adverse effects. This raises concerns about the sustainability of the improvements seen in the short term.
Potential Skin Irritation
Any product that exfoliates or penetrates the skin has the potential to cause irritation, irrespective of its form. Whether it’s a physical scrub or tiny particles like those in VT Reedle Shot, there’s always a risk of irritation. Enhanced penetration may lead to better delivery of ingredients but also increases the likelihood of skin irritancy.
User Experiences
While some individuals may have no issues with using VT Reedle Shot, it’s essential to recognize that everyone’s skin reacts differently. What works well for one person may not necessarily be suitable for another. It’s crucial to pay attention to any signs of irritation or discomfort when using such products.
Concerns about Silica Calcium Particles
Its working well for me, its not causing me irritation, but here is my other reservation. What exactly is the f of these silica calcium particles? These are things that are not broken down in your skin. What exactly is happening to them. So in theory, you know they pierce your outer dead layer and eventually that gets shed away, so they probably are just exfoliate it out. You can imagine that these piercing the skin, they have the potential to embed in the skin, and this is a problem because it can create whats called a foreign body reaction which is known to happen with silica embedded into the skin.
Potential Risks of Silica Granulomas
Silica is found in glass. Its found in sand people who get shards of glass or sand embedded into their skin, they can develop a foreign body reaction to that silica, its called a silica granuloma. Basically, the immune system is like what exactly is this? The body cant quite break it down, so it walls it off and you get this bump an inflammatory reaction and heres the thing with foreign body granulomas from silica foreign body granuloma formation in general, its not a oh. I just started using this and all of a sudden, I have a bump, no its something that can take a really long time to show up to appear to manifest were talking in some cases 60 years and the problem with foreign body granulomas is.
Challenge of Treating Foreign Body Granulomas
They are really really challenging to get rid of its its a really challenging thing to treat a foreign body granuloma thats, one of my major reservations with this.
The Spicules Issue
So once I saw this had spicules in it, it was an immediate no. For me, I was not interested in using it, and I know this drives people up the walls when people review products that they havent actually tried. Im not trying that Im not going to use spicules on my skin. That being said, in my ignorance as to what was actually in it, of course, if you watch me unbox it, I did in fact open it up and smear it on my skin.
My Apprehension
Yes, I have technically applied it to my skin, but I havent actively used it in my skincare routine. I havent put it on my face. I have no interest in doing that, but I have gotten many requests. Please review this popular product. These are my thoughts on the ingredient. Why Im not interested in using it so be aware of that. A lot of people hype it up, but Im really nervous about spicules call me paranoid, but I would just like to see more long term safety data with these.
Ingredient Analysis
What else is in this product? A lot of really good ingredients, which is why I was so excited when I first opened it up and glanced over the ingredient list. It has things that I love. It has niacinamide, which is great for redness hyperpigmentation, its great for the moisture barrier, its anti-inflammatory its an antioxidant.
Exploring the Ingredients in VT Reedle Shot
You know its its widely abundant in many skincare products, so its not necessarily novel. There are plenty of things out there with niacinamide. It also has a variety of amino acids, which are part of Skins, outermost protective layer. They help with moisture retention. They are natural, moisturizing factors that help to hydrate the skin uh. It has glutamic acid, ESP spartic acid Lucine alanine lysine Arginine tyrosine, and it has compounds from centella like masso side.
The Role of Anti-Inflammatory Compounds
These compounds are anti inflammatory and they also help red use. Oxidative stress, which is a big deal when it comes to damage to your skin, from not just UV rays, which you should be protecting yourself from with sunscreen and Sun protective clothing, avoiding Peak sun exposure hours, but also pollution, infrared radiation, visible light. All of these things um, you know they do create a lot of oxidative stress and with age. Our Skins ability to handle that declines, and also a lot of that contributes to certain underlying skin problems.
Protecting Your Skin
The the flares of those skin problems is severity, namely like acne and atopic dermatitis. Their severity is linked, and you know, tend to be more severe Ill say for people who live in areas with a lot of pollution, for example. So we know that – and you know topical antioxidants in theory are really beneficial and a lot of what limits topical. Antioxidant efficacy is not just their stability and the Nuance of the right antioxidant at the right time, but also getting them into the skin.
The Mysterious VT Reedle Shot
I always harp on this when it comes to vitamin C serums like yeah um gray, but how is it getting into the skin, and this serum in theory will enhance penetration of those, but it comes with my major reservation. I dont have any proof that this is going to happen.
A Brave New World
Okay, so if youve been using this dont dont freak out, I Ive never. You know this is a relatively new territory, all in all its not something that is that commonly utilized in a widespread fashion. This particular product VT, the r shot, the one I got is um the 100 95000 sea rle, so Im assuming that means um. How many are in there or you know, kind of their relative concentration. It says hardness 100. Now there are other levels of this. I suppose that you can get theres like a 500, which sounds really intense. I think theres a 50 theres a 700, regardless of the number Im still worried about the possibility of foreign body reactions with these you, you dont, really feel them rubbing on your skin.
A Tingly Sensation
You can feel a little bit of warmth, a little bit of tingling sensation. I am told cuz again, I didnt use these on my face. I didnt feel that just rubbing it on my hand, but you can feel that a lot of people report that, but as far as when youre rubbing it on you, have it on your finger, pads and youre rubbing it on its.
The Unexpected Texture
Not like. You feel really those little spicules, which is why, when I first opened this – and you know popped it on my hand, to show you the texture, I didnt realize it had those spicules in the product.
The Need for More Research
I would just like to see more research come back. 10. 15 years from now, Im, hopefully Ill still be doing YouTube. Videos at that point and you guys will hopefully still be watching, probably not, but I could have a totally different mindset at that point.
Potential Future Outcomes
There could be more data, and I can be you know raving about them all the more. So let let me end with that that this is my opinion here and now, as it stands as far as where the limited to no research on these and long term safety data lies, but that could change in the future.
Hopes for the Future
I would really hope that you know longterm. Maybe we have better safety studies one day. Maybe we will see more spicules being incorporated into topicals for delivery of medicinals. That would be great if they end up being effective. I Im not against them, but I do have serious reservations without long term safety data all right, yall thats, what I have to say about this popular trendy Korean skincare product.
There are a variety of different strategies: micro-needle dart patches. I’ve even tried some of these out on this channel, specifically from the Dollar Tree, and they’re these little pointy barbs on a patch and in theory, they are impregnated with the active ingredient and those little barbs.