Liposomed cosmetic and dermocosmetic products
The skin is the body's largest organ. It is the outer protection which covers the entire body surface and separates our internal environment from the surroundings. It is our body’s first physiological barrier and protects us from external factors. It is virtually impenetrable to substances and has a "brick and mortar" structure that facilitates this type function.
Langerhans cells are a specialized immunologically competent cells, located in the lower epidermal layers.
They are the first line of defense and will help block the vast majority of substances from penetrating the skin and getting inside our bodies. Included in the substances that these cells block are creams and dermo-cosmetic products. The ingredients of these products usually have a large molecular sizes, so they are unable to penetrate into the internal layers of the skin. Thus, their action exclusively limited to the outer layers.
Is there any solution to this problem? Yes, nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter on an atomic and molecular scale to produce new structures, materials and devices with NANO dimensions (1-250 nm).
How can nanotechnology be applied to a field such as cosmetic dermatology? Taking advantage of the ability to create microscopic structures to carry active ingredients to the desired target area. These structures are called nanosomes, nano-sized vesicles whose composition is completely assimilated by the body. Because of their size, these nanocapsules are able to transport active ingredients through various structures such as skin and hair and penetrate to levels previously unimaginable.
Liposomed cosmetic and dermocosmetic products - Scientific Study
Sesderma Laboratories and the General University Hospital of Valencia research foundation conducted a study to determine how nanosomes penetrate through cutaneous structures such as skin and hair and see how far they arrive. For this human skin is placed in a chamber (Franz diffusion cell) in contact with a fluorescent nanosome solution to more easily follow their path. In doing so some spectacular images are obtained confirming the high degree of nanosome penetration, which find their way into the hair root and even reaching the deepest layers of the skin after only a few hours of application. This finding translates into the benefits of our skin and hair products where active ingredients are encapsulated within liposomes acting at the root of the problem.
Another appealing factor of this new technology is the fact that the liposomes themselves function as a safe stabilizing and protecting the active ingredients (particularly important in unstable ingredients such as vitamin C, which is easily oxidized) until the time of their release. Further, the liposomes themselves, due to their composition of essential fatty acids are also capable of providing benefits such as an anti-inflammatory and epithelizing effects.
The obstacle posed by the skin for the penetration of active ingredients to deeper layers has its remedy with the application of nanotechnology.
Cosmetic dermatology has a clear application for nanosomes, microscopic vesicles. The basic composition of these nanosomes is natural with a high biocompatibility. All ingredients used are GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe). Nanosomes are composed of fatty acids: linoleic, oleic, linolenic. Their composition is similar to that of cell membranes giving them distinct advangages:
- Better absorption, penetration and diffusion.
- Deep action thanks to their nano size.
How are they made? The polar part of the phospholipids absorbs water and the polar part repels water. This causes them arrange themselves in a bilayer. The phospholipid bilayer folds around itself forming a vesicle or liposome. This is how the how the capsule is formed and also how the active ingredients are encapsulated within. When transporting the active ingredients to the desired target area we can achieve unprecedented penetration depth of active ingredients. Also much lower doses of active ingredients can be used.
The characteristics of liposomes allow them them to be used as active an active ingredient even when they are empty.
Their advantages:
- Resurfacing : They repair the damaged stratum corneum and enhance the skin barrier function.
- Anti-inflammatory: Decreases edema in the area.
- Bactericidal: Prevent the spread of infections.
- Clarifying: Linoleic acid has clarifying properties and evens out skin color.
- Sebum regulating: Normalize the lipids in the skin surface, increasing the levels of linoleic acid and decrease squalene.
Liposomes act differently in the different layers of the skin. So, on the surface action is cosmetic and cleaning, in the middle layers they produce an antioxidant action, and in the deeper layers, the liposome corrects various problems and can work as a:
- Skin depigmenter.
- Anti-aging treatment.
- Anti-cellulite treatment.
- Epithelializing treatment.
What active ingredients can be encapsulated in liposomes? Those that we want to penetrate into the skin. However, if a surface effect is desired it is not necessary to encapsulate active ingredients.
Liposomes Active ingredients that Sesderma uses are:
- Ferulic acid .
- Phloretin.
- Snail secretion.
- Vitamin A.
- Vitamin E.
- Vitamin C.
- Resveratrol .
- Organic silicon.
- Hyaluronic acid (low molecular weight ).
- Salicylic, glycolic , and mandelic acids.
- DMAE.
- Placenta Extract (pig).
- Lactoferrin.