IFSCC Probes into the Biology of Cosmetics

By: Rae Grabenhofer

Posted: November 13, 2008

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Finally, makeup to reduce elderly women’s risk of falling was described by Waly Fall of the Hôpital La Charité in Saint Etienne. As Fall noted, “Beauty care has an impact on mood, mood impacts gait, and gait impacts whether a person falls,” which occurs more frequently in elderly populations.

The evening wrapped up with an informal dinner, cocktail reception and muscial entertainment held in the host hotel’s botanical gardens.

Day three of the IFSCC kicked off with a keynote presentation from José Vicente Castell, PhD, of the University of Spain in Valencia, who covered the alternatives to animal testing currently available. He noted that the testing ban is expected to be put into force by March 11, 2009, but “it is unlikely that we will have fully replaceable test methods for animals in place by 2009 or 2013.” The day’s sessions continued with further discussions on antiaging and actives research; cosmetic safety including consumer health and animal testing alternatives; neurobiology and immune response in cosmetics; and sensorial appeal in cosmetics.

Day four started the morning session off with bright and early discussion of stem cells and cancer research from Maria Blasco, PhD, of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO). Her presentation provided an interesting approach to antiaging with a look at cancer cells.

The theory presented was that since cancer cells are eternal, the answer to antiaging may be found in their perpetual activity. The primary candidates described were DNA telomeres. According to Blasco, as telomeres shorten, DNA stops regenerating; in contrast, if telomeres are lengthened, cells live longer. In relation to stem cells, Blasco has been investigating whether they contain telomeres and thus eventually stop regenerating tissues as the telomeres shorten, leading to failure to maintain mechanisms in the skin and thus produce the signs of aging.