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Nanotechnology – Preserve Women’s YouthBingqing ZhongAbstractCosmetics 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.IntroductionFor 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 NanotechnologyNanotechnology 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 NanoscaleIn 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 BeautyThe 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: NanoparticlesSecond, 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 CreamPotential RisksDespite 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 NanotechnologyEvery 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: what/definition[2] Bray, K, "Sunscreen and nanoparticles". Retrieved July, 2012 Available: http:// .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: [4] "Nanotechnology in Cosmetics". 2013 Available: nanotechnology-in-cosmetics.php[5] "Nanotechnology." Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Web. Available: http:// article.php?id=307[6] "Nanoparticles in Sunscreens". Available: nanoparticles-in-sunscreen/[7] "Position Statement On Nanotechnology". Available: article.php?id=336[8] "Sizing Up Nanotechnology: How Nanosized Particles May Affect Skin Care Products." PRnewswire. Web. [9] "Sizing Up Nanotechnology: How Nanosized Particles May Affect Skin Care Products". Retrieved March, 2010 Available: sizing-up-nanotechnology-how-nanosized-particles-may-affect-skin-care-productsFig. 1: "Size of the Nanoscale". Available: nano-size Fig. 2: Available: . 3: Available: gy-2Fig. 4: Available: ................
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