liposomes and sunscreen?

[gaoli]

Hi Dr Yechiel
Just a quick question about the use of your products, specifically nanosomin, alongside sunscreen.

Unfortunately, nanosomin was too strong for my skin so I passed it on to my mother (70+) who seems to think it makes some difference.  I gave her strict instructions to use it at night, but apparantly she's using it during the day and applying sunscreen on top.

My reading would be this is not a good idea as the liposomes are going to enhance penetration of chemicals and emulsifiers etc. which are potentially damaging if they penetrate too deeply and may also degrade the liposomes.  Would that be right?  Could she apply sunscreen after a waiting a certain length of time for the nanosomin to absorb?

I see lately that some sunscreens on the market are now formulated containing liposomes so this somewhat confuses the issue.

Thanks for your help.
gaoli

[DrYechiel]

Hello Gaoli,

Nanosomin Serum is very concentrated (very strong) and I am glad that your mother likes the Nanosomin Serum. I also believe that you can adjust the product to your own use by diluting it, but only in the correct way. Do not add water to the container, as this will reduce its shelf life; in the Journal of Topical Formulations, you can read more about how shelf life can be extended or shortened at http://www.topical-formulations.com/topical/200807/shelflife.htm. Instead, dilute the serum as you use it by patting your face with a wet hand, and then massaging a small amount (1-2 pumps) of the serum all over your face until it is absorbed. The added water will give you a very good coverage of the skin and will prevent application of too much serum.

As for applying a sunscreen on top of the serum: the best procedure depends on whether the sunscreen is an oil base or a water base. You should be able to identify that by looking at the first item in the sunscreen’s list of ingredients; if it is an oil, consider the sunscreen an oil base, otherwise consider it a water base. If the sunscreen is an oil base, it is OK to apply it about 5-10 minutes after the serum is applied and absorbed. If the sunscreen is a water base, it’s better to wait about 30 minutes before applying it on top of the serum.

The ingredients in the sunscreen are not likely to be affected by the liposomes in the serum because they are not formulated into the vehicle. Liposomes can sometimes act as carriers of external materials but this requires very special formulation techniques. The chance that it can happen unintentionally is very low because having a liposome drag along an unencapsulated material is a very unlikely process to happen spontaneously.

Penetrating creams give you a better gradient of sunscreening. Instead of having all the sunscreen in one layer they are organized in multiple skin layers (including on the outside of the skin) which can handle any stray sun rays that evaded the first protective layer. If you are concerned about sunscreen materials penetrating the skin, you can use sun blockers instead of sun absorbers. Sun blockers include oxides such as zinc oxide or silicone oxide to provide a barrier against sun rays. These oxides will remain outside of the skin.

Thank you for your questions and comments.