Food and Drug Administration
Although the cosmetic industry has adopted a voluntary ban on nanoparticles in products while they await a ruling on the safety of nanotechnology from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nanoparticles have the potential to provide benefits to the skin that no other products can currently provide.
Yesterday, speaking at the 68th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, dermatologist Adnan Nasir, MD, PhD, FAAD, clinical assistant professor in the department of dermatology at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, presented an overview of nanotechnology and how nanoparticles may eventually be used in cosmetic products, including sunscreen.
Products using nanotechnology are increasing at an ever growing rate. Nanoparticles are being incorporated into products to enhance stain and wrinkle resistance and water repellence.
However, the cosmetic industry leads all other industries in the number of patents for nanoparticles, which have the potential to enhance sunscreens, shampoos and conditioners, lipsticks, eye shadows, moisturizers, deodorants, after-shave products and perfumes.
As an example of how nanotechnology can benefit sunscreen, Dr. Nasir noted that one common ingredient in broad-spectrum sunscreens, which protect the skin from both UVA and UVB rays, is avobenzone, which can make a sunscreen greasy and very noticeable when applied to the skin. Since titanium, another common sunscreen ingredient, requires an oily mixture to dissolve, a white residue can be apparent on the skin upon application. However, when these active ingredients in sunscreens are converted into nanoparticles, they can be suspended in less greasy formulations – which seem to vanish on the skin and do not leave a residue – while retaining their ability to block UVA and UVB light.
In anti-aging products, Dr. Nasir added that nanotechnology may allow active ingredients that would not normally penetrate the skin to be delivered to it. For example, vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps fight age-related skin damage which works best below the top layer of skin. In bulk form, vitamin C is not very stable and is difficult to penetrate the skin. However, in future formulations, nanotechnology may increase the stability of vitamin C and enhance its ability to penetrate the skin.
Despite its potential, many dermatologists have concerns about the safety of products using nanoparticles.
“Although nanotechnology is an exciting area that holds enormous potential,” said Dr. Nasir, “we anxiously await the FDA’s review of the safety of nanoparticles which will determine their future role in skin cancer products.”
At SunAWARE, we are following developments in this area very carefully.
Be safe. Be SunAWARE.
