Cosmetic Surgery and Beauty Magazine #66

feature
Nanoparticles:
No
small
matter
Nanoparticles are
increasingly found
in cosmetics and
sunscreens, yet their
use has divided
the health arena.
Caitlin Bishop reports.
Slip, slop, slap is a phrase most Australians are familiar with and,
in a country with the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, it’s
for good reason. However, in the hype surrounding sunscreen
and its capacity to protect the skin against both cancers and premature
ageing, an underlying debate has emerged. With concerns escalating
over the potentially carcinogenic nanoparticles being used in sunscreen,
some non-government organisations are warning certain cosmetics and
sunscreens could be doing more harm than good.
In recent years, technological advances have resulted in a change in the
way certain sunscreens and other cosmetics are made, with an increase
in the use of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide mineral sunscreens. Some
companies are using smaller particles of these minerals (nanoparticles)
as they are thought to be more cosmetically appealing to consumers
as they appear invisible on the skin. The inclusion of nanoparticles
in sunscreens has spawned a fierce debate – with some arguing the
microscopic particles could be putting our health at risk rather than
protecting us from the dangers of the sun. Others, however, believe any
evidence linking nanoparticles with adverse events is lacking, and the
aesthetic benefits of nanoparticles of zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide
clearly outweigh any suggested risk.
90 www.cosbeauty.com.au