Skin :: Dermatologists can help consumers sort through the cosmeceutical clutter

When it comes to selecting a cosmeceutical to protect the skin from sun damage and the effects of aging, many consumers make their choices based on advertising campaigns. Combining cosmetic and pharmaceutical ingredients, cosmeceuticals on the market can overwhelm consumers. Presented with so many choices, consumers may wonder how to tell if a product works. According to dermatologists, cosmeceuticals with sunscreen are the ones that have you covered.

Speaking at the American Academy of Dermatology?s Summer Academy Meeting 2007, dermatologist Zoe D. Draelos, MD, FAAD, from High Point, N.C., discussed the antioxidant properties of the newest sunscreen ingredients and what consumers should know about the science, or lack thereof, behind some popular cosmeceutical ingredients.

Effects of Oxidative Damage

Oxidative damage is the interaction between oxygen and anything that comes in contact with it, including the skin. Similar to how foods such as potatoes, bananas or peaches turn brown when cut and exposed to air, the skin oxidizes from intrinsic factors (the natural aging process) and extrinsic factors (external factors, such as the sun). Ultraviolet light from the sun makes oxygen even more energetic, poking holes in the skin?s collagen and causing increased damage over time.

Cosmeceuticals aim to interrupt oxidative damage from occurring. Since cosmeceuticals are not subject to approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it is hard for consumers to know by looking at a product if it delivers on its promise.

?Sunscreen is the anti-aging product in cosmeceuticals that is basically doing all the work,? said Dr. Draelos. ?Since sunscreens are regulated by the FDA, it?s easier for consumers to know what they?re getting when they see sunscreen listed as an ingredient. The other ingredients are not as easy for the average person to decipher, and that?s where dermatologists can help.?

Photostable Avobenzone

Avobenzone is a new organic sunscreen ingredient that prevents ultraviolet A (UVA) rays, which are the sun?s harmful rays that pass through window glass and penetrate deeper into the dermis or base layer of the skin, from striking the skin. Since avobenzone absorbs UVA radiation before it penetrates the skin, oxidative damage is prevented. Dr. Draelos pointed out that avobenzone was not photo stable when it was first introduced, but new formulations that contain a combination of antioxidants have since stabilized the sunscreen.

One avobenzone formulation that was approved as a sunscreen by the FDA in 2006 contains the antioxidants ecamsule, octocrylene and oxybenzone, which work together to stabilize avobenzone and provide long-term protection from UVA damage. Another FDA-approved sunscreen introduced in 2007 combines avobenzone, oxybenzone and a photostabilizing solvent that absorbs UVA radiation, diethylhexyl 2,6-naphthalate (DEHN).

?Avobenzone is a valuable sunscreen ingredient that delivers proven UVA protection that, until now, had not been offered in sunscreen formulations in this country,? said Dr. Draelos. ?Sunscreens that contain the photostable forms of avobenzone are excellent choices when selecting a cosmeceutical with anti-aging properties.?

Green Tea

Another ingredient that is creating a buzz in the cosmeceutical industry is green tea, which is extracted by steaming from fresh tea leaves. In order to reap the benefits of green tea?s potential antioxidant properties, it needs to be consumed orally immediately after it is prepared.

When used in cosmeceutical products, an antioxidant must be added to green tea to stabilize it ? which in this case is butylated hydroxyl-toluene (BHT), the same ingredient used to stabilize bread. One animal study that replaced laboratory water with green tea in a mice colony found that the animals had decreased sunburn cells following exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Dr. Draelos reported that human studies found encouraging results when green tea was applied topically to the skin. In one study, green tea applied topically 30 minutes before UVB exposure resulted in a reduction in sunburn cells by 66 percent ? demonstrating an anti-inflammatory effect ? and decreased UV immunosuppression.

?While these studies suggest green tea is beneficial in providing some UV protection, the results are not guaranteed ? nor does it provide as much protection as sunscreen,? added Dr. Draelos. ?For green tea to be effective in an anti-aging product, the concentration and quality of the green tea matter ? which are factors that are not always apparent by reading the label.?

Feverfew

Another plant-based ingredient being marketed for its anti-inflammatory properties is feverfew. When used in a sunscreen or moisturizer containing sunscreen, feverfew works by trying to stop sun damage after UVA damage occurs rather than preventing it as avobenzone does.

?In unpublished studies conducted by the product?s manufacturer, a 1 percent concentration of feverfew applied topically to the skin appeared to reduce redness from sun exposure,? said Dr. Draelos. ?However, independent research needs to be done to prove feverfew?s anti-oxidant properties and effectiveness in sunscreens.?

Buyer Beware

Despite their enticing advertising claims and in some cases hefty price tags, Dr. Draelos cautioned that some recently introduced ingredients ? such as sea kelp, mushroom extracts and repair enzymes ? have no scientific evidence to back their antioxidant claims.

?Sunscreen is by far the most beneficial of any ingredient you will find in an anti-aging product,? said Dr. Draelos. ?While other ingredients may be promoted for their antioxidant properties, sunscreen is backed by proven science.?

Dr. Draelos encouraged consumers who might be confused by the claims of any cosmeceutical ingredient or product to discuss their questions with their dermatologist.


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