What is Snail Slime?

The snail is a Gastropod, a mollusk that moves by means of a very expanded foot, on which the whole body rests and which represents the only locomotor structure. The snail mucopolysaccharide, commonly called "mucus", is a secretion produced by particular glands located at the level of the snail's foot.

The main functions of the different types of snail mucus are as follows:

• Hydration and protection
• Lubrication
  
• Adhesion
  

The mucus produced by the snail's foot allows this small mollusk to crawl on any surface encountered in nature without causing itself any harm!

Use of Helix aspersa in history

The Helix aspersa has been known in literature since ancient times for its use as food and also as a therapeutic remedy. From ancient Greece to the Middle Ages, snail mucus has traditionally been used in medicine for stomach problems, such as peptic ulcers and gastritis, to heal wounds and stop hemorrhages and, in the form of syrup, to calm coughs, dissolve phlegm and facilitate its elimination.

The discovery of the cosmetic ingredient

In 1980, in Chile, the Bascunan family bred snails destined for the French culinary market. The workers employed in heliciculture realized that their hands were incredibly soft and that the cuts on them healed very quickly, without developing infections or scars. This observation led researchers to begin characterizing the mucopolysaccharide of snails, to understand what mechanism allowed the rapid healing of wounds. After 15 years of research, the secretion of Helix aspersa was used to create a first cream which was given the name Elicina®. The patent was filed in Geneva and in 1995 Elicina® was introduced to the market. Today, the product is marketed in several countries, with the claim of tissue regeneration.