What Are Growth Factors In Skincare?

Patients concerned with anti-aging may see the impact summer sun has on their skin. A combination of UV exposure, humid environments, and drying air conditioning not only aggravate existing skin conditions but highlight fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, flaking, and discoloration.

In trying to visibly improve signs of aging, you may have noticed a new ingredient making its way to the top of many medical-grade skincare products: growth factors.

What are growth factors?

Growth factors are proteins that are already naturally produced and found in the body. These proteins bind to receptors on cells and communicate crucial messages. In the skin, various growth factors tell cells to “produce collagen” or “create more elastin”. Unfortunately, as we age, our body produces lower quantities of growth factors. This results in a decrease in collagen production and a weakening of elastin, which causes signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging, and thinning skin.

What do growth factors do?

Growth factors–when applied topically–help improve the appearance of aging skin by supporting skin’s natural collagen and elastin. These collagen-supporting skincare ingredients can be found in formulations for the face, eye and other areas.

How Do Growth Factors Improve Skin?

Growth factors influence skin health through several interconnected mechanisms. Understanding the distinction between these mechanisms helps explain why growth factor technology produces results that surface-level actives cannot.

Supporting the extracellular matrix: The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the structural network of proteins – primarily collagen and elastin – that gives skin its density, firmness, and resilience. Growth factors signal dermal fibroblasts to maintain and replenish ECM components. As growth factor levels decline with age, this signaling becomes less efficient, and the ECM begins to degrade. Topically applied growth factors help compensate for this reduced signaling.

Promoting cellular communication. Growth factors act as messenger proteins: they do not work directly on the ECM themselves, but rather communicate to cells that production is needed. Different growth factor types signal different cellular activities: some promote collagen synthesis, others regulate cell growth and survival, others support vascularization (blood vessel health in the dermis). An effective growth factor formulation typically involves multiple growth factor types working in concert rather than a single isolated protein.

Addressing skin density and thickness. One of the most visible consequences of declining growth factor activity is skin thinning – the gradual reduction in dermal thickness that makes skin look and feel more fragile with age. Topical growth factor serums that penetrate to the dermis can visibly improve the appearance of thickness and cushioning over time.

What growth factors do not do: Growth factors are not a retinol substitute. They do not drive surface cell turnover or exfoliation – that is retinol's domain. They operate at a different depth and on a different target. The most effective anti-aging systems combine both: retinol for surface-level renewal and growth factors for structural support.

Are Growth Factors Safe for Skin?

Yes. Topically applied growth factors are well-established in dermatological and aesthetic medicine and have a strong safety profile in clinical literature. A few clarifications on common questions:

Do topical growth factors affect cell growth broadly?

No. Topical growth factors are too large to penetrate to the vasculature and do not enter systemic circulation. Their activity is localized to the skin surface and upper dermis. They do not stimulate growth in cells beyond the skin, and they do not replicate at the cellular level in the way that would create systemic risk.

Are they suitable for sensitive skin?

Growth factor serums are generally well-tolerated across skin types, including sensitive skin. They do not exfoliate or increase photosensitivity. ZO's Growth Factor Serum clinical study included participants across Fitzpatrick types II–VI with moderate to severe signs of aging, and the product has been formulated for broad skin type compatibility.

Do they interact with other actives?

Growth factors can be layered with retinol, vitamin C, and other actives. In the ZO system, Growth Factor Serum is applied after Daily Power Defense and before SPF in the AM protocol. On retinol nights, it can be used in the PM system as well. It does not conflict with other standard anti-aging actives.

As with any new addition to your system, introducing Growth Factor Serum under physician guidance is the most effective approach.

Which ZO^® products contain growth factors?

At ZO® Skin Health, growth factor technology is available in two targeted formulations: Growth Factor Serum for the face and Growth Factor Eye Serum for the delicate orbital area.

Growth Factor Serum has been enhanced with ZO's Human-Comparable Growth Factor Technology – an innovative combination of five synthesized human-comparable growth factors (IGF-1, EGF, acidic FGF, basic FGF, and VEGF) that are structurally analogous to the growth factors naturally produced by the body. Alongside this technology, the formula includes plant and enzymatically derived growth factors, ZPRO® (a biomimetic sericin protein complex for suppleness and hydration), and DDBD (Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate) to reduce the visible impact of expression lines.

In a 2026 independent 12-week clinical study of 46 subjects – women aged 44 to 74, across Fitzpatrick skin types II through VI with moderate to severe signs of aging – Growth Factor Serum delivered the following:

100% of subjects agreed their skin looked lifted and supported
98% agreed their skin felt thicker, more cushioned, and more structurally intact
Subjects felt skin appeared nearly 6 years younger after 8 weeks of use
42% improvement in visible radiance and texture (expert grader measurement)
Measurable improvement in the appearance of skin thickness at 8 weeks (DermaLab® Ultrasound)
16% improvement in visible elasticity (Cutometer® Dual MPA 580)

Growth Factor Eye Serum is formulated with ZO's growth factor technology specifically for the eye area. It targets the appearance of dark circles, creases, hollows, and the look of fatigue around the orbital zone – concerns that a face serum is not optimized to address. The two products are designed as complementary; neither replaces the other.

Within the broader ZO anti-aging system, 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating and Growth Factor Serum serve distinct roles at different times of day. Vitamin C is used in the morning for antioxidant and brightening support; Growth Factor Serum is used in the evening.

In the evening, retinol can be incorporated alongside Growth Factor Serum, with retinol driving surface-level cell turnover and growth factors addressing structural density deeper in the dermis. No anti-aging system is complete without a broad-spectrum SPF 40 or higher every morning to protect the skin that Growth Factor Serum is working to improve.

ZO Growth Factor Serum: What Makes It Different

The Growth Factor Serum represents 18 years of growth factor innovation, now enhanced with Human-Comparable Growth Factor Technology.

The technology: ZO's Human-Comparable Growth Factor Technology uses 5 synthesized growth factors – IGF-1, EGF, acidic FGF, basic FGF, and VEGF – that are structurally analogous to the growth factors naturally produced by the human body. This structural comparability is designed to improve receptor recognition and biological relevance compared to plant-derived or bovine growth factor alternatives, which require the skin to interpret signals from non-human protein structures.

The supporting ingredients:

Disodium acetyl glucosamine phosphate: Enzymatically derived; restores the appearance of plumpness, thickness, and elasticity.
Lactobacillus/panax ginseng root extract: Plant-derived fermented red ginseng; reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
DDBD (Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate): Temporarily reduces the visible impact of expression lines for a smoother appearance.
ZPRO^®: ZO's biomimetic sericin protein complex; supports a more supple and hydrated appearance.

How to use: Apply Growth Factor Serum AM and PM after Getting Skin Ready® and Daily Power Defense®. As a high-molecular-weight product, it should be applied last within the Prevent+Correct step – before SPF in the morning and as the last step in PM. It pairs with retinol in the PM system without conflict.

How Long Do Growth Factors Take to Work?

Growth factor results follow the timeline of the skin's biological processes – they are not immediate. Based on the 2026 clinical study:

By 8 weeks: Measurable improvement in the appearance of skin thickness (confirmed via DermaLab® Ultrasound). Subjects self-reported that skin appeared nearly 6 years younger. 42% expert-graded improvement in visible radiance and texture.

By 12 weeks: 100% of subjects agreed skin looked lifted and supported. 98% agreed skin felt thicker, more cushioned, and structurally intact. 16% improvement in visible elasticity.

The practical implication: commit to at least 8–12 weeks of consistent AM and PM use before assessing results. Growth factor serums work at the structural level – changes in skin density, thickness, and elasticity are cumulative, not visible within days. SPF must be applied every morning to protect the renewal work the serum is supporting.

FIND A ZO® AUTHORIZED PHYSICIAN

Frequently Asked Questions

Growth factors are signaling proteins naturally produced by the body that communicate with skin cells, prompting them to produce collagen, elastin, and other structural components of the extracellular matrix. In skincare, they are formulated into serums to compensate for the decline in the body's own growth factor production that occurs with age. Different growth factor types have different cellular targets – which is why multi-growth-factor formulations like ZO's are more comprehensive than single-growth-factor products.

Clinical evidence supports their efficacy when formulated at effective concentrations and with appropriate delivery mechanisms. In ZO's 2026 independent clinical study, 100% of subjects agreed their skin looked lifted and supported after 12 weeks, with measurable improvements in skin thickness and elasticity confirmed by instrumental measurement. Results require consistent use over 8–12 weeks; growth factors work at a structural level and are not a rapid-visible-effect ingredient.

Meaningful results begin to emerge at 8 weeks in clinical studies, with structural improvements – skin thickness, elasticity, and visible firmness – continuing to develop through week 12. Surface improvements such as texture and radiance may be perceived sooner. Consistent AM and PM use is required to maintain the cumulative effect.

Yes. Growth factor serums do not exfoliate, do not increase photosensitivity, and do not strip the barrier. They are generally well-tolerated across all skin types, including sensitized skin. ZO's Growth Factor Serum clinical study included participants across Fitzpatrick skin types II–VI. For skin that is actively sensitized or in a compromised state, physician guidance on timing and system integration is recommended before introducing any new serum.