Some people grin hearing about leeches being applied in medicine but they should not. Today, we will tell you about production of cosmetics using leech saliva and leech extract. We are at International Medical Leech Center situated in the Moscow Region. It was founded in 1937. Now it successfully grows medical leeches in artificial conditions to produce cosmetics.

Saliva of medical leeches is a balanced complex of biologically active substances. In the photograph you see a leech model and tools to extract its saliva.

They hold the leech with their scissors-vise and suck in its saliva with a special device. The leech doesn’t die after the procedure but it isn’t happy about it either.

The work is 100% manual.

As for the advantages of the leech saliva, it improves blood microcirculation and supplies oxygen to the tissues, stimulates the local immune system, antioxidant activity, eliminates pigmentation disorder, protects the skin from environment, slows down aging, makes the skin more elastic and keeps moisture.

The leech stands the photo session with dignity.

They add leech saliva into their cosmetics. So its biologically active substances in combination with starch polysaccharides, Chinese rose milk, vitamins A, B, F and C, olive oil and other ingredients moisturises and improves skin, restores its regeneration and makes it more elastic.

Poor little thing…

They breed leeches in special filtered water in reservoirs.

They use over 100 ingredients in their production.

Apart from the saliva, they add the leech itself into their cosmetics. But before that, they dry it out and form these brickets…

To make leech powder.

They add it into water…

To receive a fundamental component of their cosmetics.

At first, they mix it up by hand.

Then pour the mix into a jar…

And put it into a centrifuge.

After filtration, they receive their leech extract.

Experts know how much saliva or leech extract they need to make this or that cosmetics.

Price for their cosmetics varies depending on the amount of leech saliva and leech extract added. Their most expensive cosmetics contain leech embryo extract and may sell for as much as $1,500.

They add aromatizers to make it smell good.

The lab. The production is semiautomatic here.

This device fills and seals their tubes.

They print the date of production at the same lab.

Finished products.

Don’t try to save some money on your cosmetics by purchasing leeches at the market or catching them in the river.

Before applying leeches, make sure they are medical but best of all use certified leeches grown by biofactories.

Here’ s some instructions for you on how to apply leeches.

First of all, wash the place of your body where you are going to apply leeches to because they do not like side smells. When the leech bites your skin, you will feel some burning and then see the leech making undulatory motions. The bloodletting may last from 10 minutes to 1 hour and after the leech is full it will fall off by itself. Then, the leeches should be put into 3% chloramine solution. Treat the wounds with iodine and apply a sterile dressing and a tampon.

Location: The Moscow Region

via chistoprudov