Daily Cosmetic Research Analysis

Mercury in skin-lightening cosmetics poses a serious health risk despite international limits of 1 mg/kg set by regulations like the Minamata Convention. This study analyzed 134 products purchased online from seven Asian countries using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Over 58 % of the samples exceeded the permissible mercury limit, with concentrations ranging from 1.8 mg/kg to an alarming 144,893.9 mg/kg. Products from the Philippines, Indonesia, and India showed the highest average mercury levels, reflecting significant regulatory gaps. Health risk assessments revealed that over 94 % of mercury-positive products had hazard quotient (HQ) values exceeding the safety threshold, even under conservative assumptions. The findings highlight widespread non-compliance with safety standards, especially for online cosmetics, where regulatory oversight is limited. Immediate action is needed to strengthen enforcement, enhance consumer awareness, and implement routine monitoring to address the health risks posed by mercury-containing cosmetics.

OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in the activity pattern of root caries lesions (RCLs) treated with fluoridated dentifrices (1450 vs 5000 ppm F) in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: We used data from a previous randomized controlled clinical trial that evaluated the effectiveness of high-fluoride dentifrices for treating RCLs. A total of 2071 active and inactive RCLs initially detected were followed-up for 2 years. Modified Nyvad's criteria were used to determine activity status and each lesion was categorized into one of eight possible patterns of activity or inactivity at baseline, one year, and two years. Bivariate analyses, Cochrane Q test, and a mixed logistic regression model were conducted to compare RCLs patterns of activity. RESULTS: Activity of RCLs treated with a 5000 ppm F toothpaste followed two main patterns: a) 64 % of the lesions were active (A) at baseline, became inactive (I) at one year, and remained inactive at two years (A-I-I); b) 30 % of the lesions remained inactive at all time points (I-I-I). In contrast, a mixed pattern of activity was observed for 1450 ppm F, where lesions followed more variable trajectories: only 17.8 % of the lesions followed the A-I-I pattern and 20.4 % remained inactive throughout (I-I-I), while the remaining lesions exhibited fluctuating transitions between activity and inactivity. CONCLUSION: The use of 5000 ppm F toothpaste for RCLs in older adults appears to generate consistent and stable inactivation patterns, with a significant proportion of lesions transitioning from active to inactive and maintaining inactivity, unlike 1450 ppm F that exhibited more variability in lesion activity. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The use of 5000 ppm fluoride toothpaste in older adults consistently inactivates root caries lesions (RCLs) and maintains inactivity over two years. Compared to 1450 ppm fluoride, it significantly reduces the likelihood of lesion reactivation, suggesting that higher fluoride concentrations provide more stable and effective long-term management of RCLs.

BACKGROUND: Accurate and reliable evaluation of sunscreen performance is necessary to ensure adequate balanced sun protection against ultraviolet light (UV) and high-energy visible light (HEV), depending on an individual's skin phototype and dermatoses. The objective of this study was to investigate the importance of methodological considerations for standardized evaluation of sunscreen performance to protect against UVA, especially long UVA1, and HEV. METHODS: In an open in vivo study, 6 commercial sunscreens were applied on the backs of subjects (n = 15) to evaluate the performance against UVA and HEV using a robust protocol of hybrid diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (HDRS), based on validated ISO methodology. High-resolution absorbance spectra were obtained between 310 and 450 nm using a 1 nm stepsize. The region 365-450 nm was compared with a method using linear interpolation from four discrete wavelengths (365, 405, 435 and 450 nm). RESULTS: The sunscreen ranking observed using the in vivo high-resolution spectral representation (1 nm steps) method was not consistently reproduced by the method using four discrete wavelengths with linear interpolation. Differences between the two methods were observed in the range of 380-400 nm, leading to misclassification in the rank of protection depending on the methodology used. CONCLUSIONS: The absorption profile in the UVA and HEV light ranges of each sunscreen was determined accurately and reliably by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy with measurements every nanometer. Sunscreen performance characterization will depend on the methodology, and applying linear interpolation from broader wavelength bands may give inaccurate results.