Nanotechnology – Preserve Women’s Youth

Bingqing Zhong

Abstract

Cosmetics and skin care products have used the most advanced

technologies to help women preserve their youth and beauty.

Nanotechnology has enhanced the effectiveness and user friendliness of

cosmetics and provides a perspective of future of cosmetics.

Introduction

For thousands of years, women have been using cosmetics and skin

care products applied with advanced technologies to preserve their youth

and beauty. In ancient Egypt, women implanted gold fibers under their skin

to preserve their youth; in ancient China, women used face powder

composed of mercury to make their skin white and clear. Nowadays, the

technology is far more advanced and as a result, women’s youth and beauty

can be much better preserved. Nanotechnology can be used to create

extremely small atoms and molecules. Therefore, this technology can make

active ingredient carriers small enough to penetrate skin and make

cosmetics much easier to be absorbed by human skin.

Development of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is a technology dealing with small particles, each

about 1 to 100 nanometers. One nanometer is 109 of a meter and a sheet of

newspaper is about 100,000 nanometers thick. This technology was first

conceived by Physicist Richard Feynman, who first proposed a theory that

scientists could manipulate individual molecules and atoms; then Professor

Norio Taniguchi created the term nanotechnology; in 1981, modern

nanotechnology began with the development of the scanning tunneling

microscope and the atomic force microscope, which could "see" individual

atoms.

Fig. 1 Size of the Nanoscale

In only 33 years, nanotechnology has enhanced the properties of

many materials and products by giving them higher strength, lighter

weight, and greater chemical reactivity because scientist and engineers can

tailor the essential structures of materials at the nanoscale to achieve

specific properties. For instance, nano-scale materials in cosmetics provide

greater coverage and clarity.

Implications for Beauty

The nanotechnology has been used in sunscreens, skin cleansers,

complexion treatment, creams and specialized make up. For instance, La

Prairie introduced its 'Platinum Rare' Cellular Cream in which

nanotechnology is used to minimize skin pigmentation and wrinkles in only

six weeks; Olay was designed with nanoemulsion technology in 2005. The 2

main uses for nanotechnology in cosmetics are the use of nanoparticles as

UV filters and delivery agents.

First, best-selling sunscreens often contain titanium dioxide

nanoparticles or zinc oxide nanoparticles. These two kinds of nanoparticles

act as physical blockers to reflect and scatter UV radiations [2]. They are

better for sensitive skin and known for their abilities to protect skin from

UVA and UVB rays. They make sunscreen much clearer, less greasy, much

lighter and much easier to be absorbed by skin – no residue while retaining

ability to block UVA and UVB lights [2]. These nanoparticles can fit into

every nook and cranny of the skin, give more protection and coverage on

the skin’s surface [2]. Particularly, zinc oxide nanoparticles are especially

stable in sunlight, a property making them more appealing than larger zinc

oxide particles [2]. One example of such a sunscreen is “Vinosun Anti-Aging

Suncare” from Caudalie, which relies on “nanomized” UV filters.

Fig.2: Nanoparticles

Second, the nanotechnology is widely used in the delivery of active

ingredients in moisturizers, creams and other skin care products. The

nanoparticles used here include lipid, and dendritic or hyper-branched

polymers, which are much more efficient at delivering active ingredients to

the skin cells than their larger counterparts. Active ingredients are

contained in liposomes (simply bigger lipid nanoparticles); liposomes

combine with cellular membranes when applied to the skin, and then active

ingredients are released into the skin cells.

Fig. 3: Active ingredients encapsulated in both liposomes and

nanoparticles

Lipid nanoparticles also encapsulate active ingredients. However,

lipid nanoparticles are composed of much higher quality phospholipids than

larger liposomes are created from, and some lipid nanoparticles have higher

percentages of phosphatidylcholine, an essential component of cell

membranes. Therefore, lipid nanoparticles can much easily combine with

skin cells, and can even deliver phosphatidylcholine to feed the cells’ own

building block. Moreover, nanoparticles made with various phospholipid

types can contain and release both water soluble and oil soluble materials.

[3] For instance, L’Oreal has used polymer nanocapsules (a type of

nanoparticles) to deliver active ingredients such as Vitamin A to deeper

layers of skin. [4]

Nanoparticles can also be used as antioxidant ingredients in

cosmetics and skin cares. For instance, platinum and silver nanocolloids –

two types of metal nanoparticles, are used as active ingredients in ‘Platinum

Silver Nanocolloid Cream’ from DHC, to minimize the appearance of

wrinkles (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4 DHC Platinum Silver Nanocolloid Cream

Potential Risks

Despite all the benefits nanotechnology brings, there are still some

debates about its applications in cosmetics. Because of their size,

nanoparticles can have significantly different chemical properties from

larger scales of the same materials. Therefore, nanoparticles may introduce

new and potentially heightened risks that remain poorly understood.

Nanotechnology is so new that it is almost entirely untested for

negative health effects, and some argue there aren’t sufficient requirements

for either testing or labeling nanotechnology products to guarantee that

consumers are both safe and well informed of the risks. Moreover, some

animal experiments found that when carbon nanotubes are inhaled, they

may cause mesothelioma – a type of cancer. This finding identified the risks

exposed to workers who manufactured products containing carbon

nanotubes, and to the consumers who bought the final products.

Preliminary scientific research also suggested that since nanoparticles can

penetrate cell walls and they are highly reactive, some nanoparticles can be

toxic to human tissue and cells, resulting in DNA mutation and even cell

death. [5]

In fact, scientists have shown that at least some nanotechnology

products are indeed safe to use. There is no evidence suggesting that zinc

oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles can penetrate skin in any

significant amounts. A recent experiment suggested that penetration of zinc

oxide particles of 19 and 110 nanometers on people [6], who applied

sunscreen two times a day for five days, isn’t significant. Less than 0.01 %

of the zinc from either particle size entered the bloodstream. A European

Union study also found that sunscreen users did not show increased blood

zinc levels [5].

Still, there are some measures to prevent these risks and reduce

concerns about nanotechnology used in cosmetics. The Campaign for Safe

Cosmetics asks manufacturers and retailers to: 1) “label all products that

contain nanomaterial ingredients”, 2) request data from suppliers and

manufacturers on the impacts of nanomaterial ingredients, and 3) “prohibit

the unsafe or untested use of nanomaterial ingredients in personal care

products”. Moreover, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics suggests FDA to: 1)

“require the manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care products to

conduct comprehensive pre-market testing of products composed of

nanomaterial ingredients for their impact on public health, worker health

and environmental health”; (2) “prohibit the unsafe or untested use or sale

of nanomaterial ingredients in personal care products”; (3) create a publicly

accessible database on impacts of nanomaterial ingredients; and (4)

“require manufacturers to label all products they manufacture or sell that

contain nanomaterial ingredients”. [7] If the manufacturers, retailers and

FDA act as the proposals suggest, benefits and costs of nanotechnology will

be more accurately understood by all parties, and there will be less

concerns raised towards nanotechnology and its applications.

Futures of Nanotechnology

Every technology has its benefits and costs just like nanotechnology.

In the future, the nanotechnology will be far more advanced than today, so

many concerns will be reduced and many questions will be answered.

In the future, nanotechnology can be commonly used in anti-aging

products. Nanoparticles may be able to topically deliver retinoids and

antioxidants such as botulinum toxin or growth factors to rejuvenate skin.

[8] These active ingredients would not normally penetrate the skin if not

delivered by nanoparticles. For instance, antioxidant vitamin C can help

reduce age-related skin damage, and work bests below the top layer of skin.

Vitamin C of normal particle size is unstable and is hard to penetrate the

skin. Yet, in the future, the stability of vitamin C can be increased and its

ability to penetrate the skin can be enhanced by making vitamin C into

nanoparticles. [8]

Nanotechnology may also help with treatment of melanoma in the

future. Gold nanoshell is very useful to treat for melanoma in animal studies

because it can absorb specific wavelengths of light [9]. Gold nanoshell

particles generate heat when the wavelength of light unique to a type of

gold nanoshell is used on it. In one animal study, gold nanoshells were

joined with a molecule which homes to melanoma, and these particles are

injected into mice harboring melanoma [9]. After, the nanoshells gathered

together in the cancerous tissue. When lights with particular wavelength

illuminated the mice, their tumors, which were surrounded by gold

nanoshells, were heat up and killed. The remaining parts of this tissue,

lacked gold nanoshells, and thus were unharmed [9].

The future of nanotechnology is bright, given all these prospective

benefits. The risks present today exist, but as more research and

experiments are conducted, less questions about nanotechnology will be

raised. After knowing benefits and costs of nanotechnology, people will be

able to utilize this technology to the greatest extent in the right place.

[1] "What is Nanotechnology?". Available: http://www.nano.gov/nanotech-

101/ what/definition

[2] Bray, K, "Sunscreen and nanoparticles". Retrieved July, 2012 Available:

http:// www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/food-and-health/beauty-and-

personal-care/ cosmetics/sunscreen-and-nanoparticles.aspx

[3] "Nanoparticles in Skincares & Cosmetics Is Smaller Better?". Available:

http://www.beautymagonline.com/sample-pages/1190-nanotechnology-2

[4] "Nanotechnology in Cosmetics". 2013 Available:

http://www.nanowerk.com/ nanotechnology-in-cosmetics.php

[5] "Nanotechnology." Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Web. Available: http://

safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=307

[6] "Nanoparticles in Sunscreens". Available:

http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/ nanoparticles-in-sunscreen/

[7] "Position Statement On Nanotechnology". Available:

http://safecosmetics.org/ article.php?id=336

[8] "Sizing Up Nanotechnology: How Nanosized Particles May Affect Skin

Care Products." PRnewswire. Web. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-

releases/sizing-up-nanotechnology-how-nanosized-particles-may-affect-skin-

care-products86378327.html

[9] "Sizing Up Nanotechnology: How Nanosized Particles May Affect Skin

Care Products". Retrieved March, 2010 Available:

http://www.newswise.com/articles/ sizing-up-nanotechnology-how-

nanosized-particles-may-affect-skin-care-products

Fig. 1: "Size of the Nanoscale". Available: http://www.nano.gov/nanotech-

101/what/ nano-size

Fig. 2: Available: http://images.gizmag.com/hero/msnanoparticles.jpg

Fig. 3: Available: http://www.beautymagonline.com/sample-pages/1190-

nanotechnolo gy-2

Fig. 4: Available: http://www.dhccare.com/DHC/ProductDetail.aspx?

ProductID=3002