This week’s topic of nanotechnology has been my favorite
lecture thus far. I found it fascinating that nanotechnology can be found in
every aspect of our life, anywhere from cosmetics to the food we consume.
Nanotechnology has become such an important factor within science because it
has essentially broadened the areas in which one can explore and discover. It
has also crossed paths with artists to work with. James Gimzewski enticed me as he delved into
the nanotechnology in cosmetics. Being a girl and an avid user of cosmetics,
this truly caught my attention. I had no idea that the science behind
nanotechnology has allowed the cosmetic industry to prolong their cosmetics
expiration date. This could be good or bad because the long-term effects could
be harmful or beneficial to one’s face.
However, with nanotechnology, there appears to be possible alternatives
to the dangerous ingredients in cosmetics. For example, paraben is one of the
most common ingredients in cosmetics that is used to prolong the life of the
cosmetic and in combination with other products- used to prevent microbial
growth. Nanoparticles have the possibility to replace parabens through the idea
of using silver nanoparticles to give cosmetics the antimicrobial effect. Nanoparticles will also be very beneficial
for topical medicine. This would be a huge break through within the dermatology
world because if the nanoparticle is properly sized so that it cannot penetrate
through the organ cell walls, we may see an amazing advance for our skin. I
have suffered from acne my entire life, therefore, making this revelation very exciting. Over the next decade, there will be a major
advance for cosmetics, as nanotechnology will provide cosmetic users to enhance
their beauty in a more natural way. 
Works Cited
Mullens, Anne.
"Parabens: What Are They, and Are They Really That Bad?" Best
Health Mag. Reader's Digest Magazines. Web.
"Nanotechnology."
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web.
"Nanotechnology
in Cosmetics." Nanowerk. Nanowerk. Web.
"Parabens."
FDA. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Web. 22 May 2015.
Raj, Silpa et al.
“Nanotechnology in Cosmetics: Opportunities and Challenges.” Journal of
Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences 4.3 (2012): 186–193. PMC. Web.
"Silver
Nanoparticles: Properties and Applications." Sigma-Aldrich.
Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC. Web. 22 May 2015.
UConlineprogram.
“Nanotech Jim pt1-pt6.” Youtube. Youtube, 21 May 2012. Web.
Hi Andrea!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated your enthusiasm about this weeks topic. Relating it to your personal life and your own use of cosmetics really made me think about how important nano particles are. More specifically I liked how you put an emphasis on how important the role of nano particles can be when it comes to developing the proper cosmetic products that will not only benefit our skin but improve it! I didn't really realize how influential and important those little particles were.