AMA claims ‘industry first’ in documenting the protection of products in the Infrared range
Because of their wavelength and frequency, IRAs are reported to penetrate deep into the skin’s dermal layer, much more than UVA and UVBs.
In the past here has been little research carried out on sun-related IRA radiation damage as scientists didn't consider it as dangerous.
However, skin experts now say the sun emits up to 30% near-infrared (IRA) radiation.
With this in mind, Cosmetics Design spoke to Brian R. Ecclefield, AMA international sales manager about the lab developing a protocol to protect against this damage.
Innovating for the future of sun protection products
“Most sunscreens are tested to document their protection against UVA and UVB radiation rather than IRA,” he tells this publication.
"So we started working on this method just over a year and a half ago, of which in vitro is finalised and in vivo is still being worked on," Brian adds.
AMA has long specialized in SPF testing to determine the relative sun protection factor a given product may provide.
According to Ecclefield, currently there’s no standard regulation on protecting against infrared sun damage, but as regulatory groups etc. start to see the buzzword of IRA, product launches designed to protect against this type of sun damage will catch on.
"Sometimes the industry is driven by regulation but we are looking ahead, to innovate for future demand," Brian explains.
"We believe if brands start looking to develop this type of consumer protection product now, they will be differentiating themselves from the competition ahead of time."
Scientific advancements in protecting the skin
Scientists at Sederma & IRB have been working on ‘Senestem’, an ingredient that fades the signs of senescence (the body's natural process of deterioration with age) with a method they are describing as 'breakthrough', by targeting the microRNAs.
Cosmetics Design was introduced to a development just last week that claims to be the first to target microRNAs to prevent the decline of protein synthesis that worsens with age and is associated with unsightly phenotypic changes.
Marketing manager Sonia Dawson says this new approach leads to a visible macro embellishment which recovers the skin's density, firmness and elasticity, and lightens age spots.
"The senescence process is constantly happening throughout life and these cells don’t go away, but it's only as we get older that the effects begin to show up on our skin and not every anti-aging product will attend to this," she told this publication.
