Simon : Think twice about early nanotech cosmetics

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Think twice about early nanotech cosmetics

Christine Peterson at the Foresight Institute has highlighted how cosmetics are now available on the market with nanoscale particles. While she's "pro-free enterprise and pro-nanotech," she's concerned about the unknown risks of nanoscale particles and the public relations nightmare that could result if some nanotech cosmetic product was found to be dangerous. Says Peterson:

I was surprised to see on the market a face cream containing buckyballs, with little mention (either by the producer or in the press) of the obvious question of safety. The March 2006 Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Report called such concerns "alarmist."

I'm with Peterson here, who notes how poorly cosmetics are regulated. I'm all for nanotech research, development and application. But since many questions remain about the environmental and health impact of nanoscale particles, I think it's a bit too early for people to be slathering buckyballs all over their face.

Published Thursday, April 06, 2006 12:10 PM by Simon

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	Johnny wrote on April 7, 2006 7:20 AM Although I dount if buckyballs will make your face look bgetter I shouldn't start worrying yet about the effects of them on the enviroment. This is what the experts say about buckyballs: "we've actually been making fullerenes unknowingly for thousands of years – whenever we burn a candle or an oil lamp. The candle's flickering flame vaporises wax molecules containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Some of these molecules burn instantly in the blue heart of the flame. Others move upwards into the yellow tip where the temperature is great enough to split them apart. The result is carbon-rich soot particles that glow, giving off gentle yellow light. Amid this soot are buckyballs. Buckyballs also exist in interstellar dust and in geological formations on Earth. So while they are new to science they are reasonably common in nature." Source: http://www.science.org.au/nova/024/024key.htm
	Mr. Farlops wrote on April 7, 2006 9:17 PM This is one of the sad consquences of the misappropriation of the the term "nanotechnology" by marketing weasels in the mid-nineties to refer to stuff that is, at best, mild refinements in materials science. Nanopants and nano-cosmetics are not what Feynman and Drexler were talking about. The sad thing is that if some nano-cosmetic version of Thalidomide happens, research into real molecular nanotechnology will probably pay a price for it.
	dagon wrote on April 8, 2006 5:03 AM The healing energies of Plutonium, now made available by your ACME company. Use as a lotion of tonic, feel that envigorating warmth spread all over your body and rejuvenate your vital essences.

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About Simon

I aim to understand, apply and develop science, technology and communications to achieve positive change. To this end, I am the owner and operator of Betterhumans, which I founded in 2002. I also work in interactive healthcare marketing, helping pharmaceutical and other healthcare organizations effectively use interactive technologies. Currently, I'm also working part-time on a masters degree at the University of Toronto in the history and philosophy of science and technology.