What Is Nanoparticles

What are nanoparticles exactly?

Nanoparticles are tiny particles. Their size is between 1 and 100 nanometers. For size comparison, human hair is approximately 90,000 nanometers wide. If a human hair were as wide as the sphere of the Berlin television tower, then a nanoparticle would be about the size of a poppy seed.

So we are moving in almost unimaginable, tiny dimensions. Nanoparticles of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (INCI: Zinc Oxide (Nano), Titanium Dioxide (Nano) ) are used in cosmetic products mainly as UV filters. They are so-called physical or mineral UV filters.

While chemical filters convert UV rays into heat, mineral filters block UV rays on the skin’s surface. The advantage: You can do without chemicals in the skin. Precisely because many of the common chemical UV filters are harmful, this is desirable

Criticism:

However, due to their tiny size, nanoparticles are still subject to controversy. These particles are assumed to penetrate natural barriers, i.e., ‘ permeable to membranes.

Should this be possible, health risks would result. The small particles could then accumulate anywhere in our bodies, with unclear consequences for our organism.

By the way, in Europe, any nanoparticles must be declared as ingredients. The word ‘nano’ is found in brackets after the respective ingredient (e.g.  Zinc Oxide (Nano)). Unfortunately, this is untrue in America, and the consumer remains ignorant.

Nanoparticles – a health hazard?

The problem with this technology is that they should not enter the body. They must remain in the top layer of skin (stratum corneum) and not enter the circulatory system. Current research is still in agreement about the small particles.

A study from 2009 showed that nano-zinc oxide and nano-titanium dioxide could not penetrate the stratum corneum, i.e. the top layer of skin (see sources at the end of the article).

This sounds reassuring, but there are other views. A study from 2010 found that test subjects had increased zinc levels in their blood and urine after using sunscreen for several days.

It should be noted that it has yet to be clarified whether the increased zinc level results directly from the nanoparticles, as these can decompose in the sunscreen formulation.

The zinc concentration measured reaches its peak after about 9 days. This could indicate that the zinc has collected in the horny layer and is absorbed by the body over time.

This is interesting for using nanomaterials in cosmetics and for every substance we apply to the skin, such as hormonally active substances or chemical UV filters.

Although there are some studies on the subject, it has yet to be sufficiently researched what these tiny particles do in our skin or organism.

Even consulting with several doctors and intensive study of the current studies could have clarified more definitively.

If one intends to use nanoparticles, it is advisable not to apply nanoparticles to irritated or damaged skin, as penetration and, thus, contact with the blood could be facilitated there.