Knowledge and Behavior Regarding Cosmetics in Koreans Visiting Dermatology Clinics

An Observational Study on Cosmetics Use-related Adverse Effects: Cosmetovigilance Need of the Day

INTRODUCTION

The pursuit of aesthetic attractiveness and increased awareness have contributed significantly to the growth of the cosmetic industry. However, it is crucial to recognize that even the minimal use of cosmetics may have harmful consequences for both the overall well-being and the broader community, an issue that has yet to be adequately recognized or addressed.

OBJECTIVE

This study is aimed at providing insights into the usage pattern of consumer behavior regarding skin care products and to assess the prevalence and determinants of cosmetic-related adverse events among the general populace.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out for four months in a satellite city of the National Capital Region (NCR) of India. The data from 435 respondents was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using frequencies and percentages.

RESULTS

Among 435 participants, 32.9% experienced one or more adverse effects owing to the use of skincare products; the prevalence was higher in females (36.3%). Hair loss, allergies, and dry skin were the most frequently reported adverse effects. The majority of the adverse reactions were reported with soap (21%), followed by shampoo (17%). The gender-wise difference between adverse effects of skin care products was found to be statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

To improve the system's efficiency, a comprehensive review of the current regulatory protocols for cosmetics is crucial. Additionally, it is essential to widely disseminate information on Cosmetovigilance and promote the reporting of any adverse effects of cosmetics within the community; this is the demand of the present time.

Knowledge, perceptions, and consumption behaviour of cosmetics among undergraduates of Sri Lanka: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Background

Despite the increasing usage of personal care products among young adolescents in Sri Lanka, limited studies have been conducted to understand the behaviour of cosmetic users and associated health complications. Therefore, the current study was conducted to evaluate the cosmetic consumption related behaviour of the undergraduate community in Sri Lanka and to identify the driving factors behind the incidences of cosmetic related adverse health effects.

Method

An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted by recruiting 421 undergraduates from five state universities in Sri Lanka through stratified random sampling, as the study population. Information on socio-demographic factors and cosmetic consumption behaviour of the participants were acquired through a self-administrated structured questionnaire, along with Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) relevant for cosmetic usage. The Binary Logistic Regression model was used to determine the significant socio-demographic driving factors on cosmetic usage among the undergraduate community in Sri Lanka at a confidence level of 95%.

Results

Around 96.4% of the study population used one or more cosmetic products (77%) out of which, 75.3% experienced cosmetic related adverse health effects. Skin dryness (24%), acne (21%), allergies (20.5%) and rashes (19.8%), were identified as the most dominant adverse health effects, related to cosmetic usage. Perfumes (65.6%), face cream (63.2%) and body lotion/hand cream (60.6%), were the mostly used cosmetic products. Even though half of the study population exhibited higher levels of good practices during purchase (54.9%) and application (52%) of cosmetics, around 47.5% were characterized with a low level of knowledge on cosmetics. Gender, academic year, knowledge on cosmetics, monthly expenditure on cosmetics, source of recommendation for cosmetics, practices related to purchase and consumption of cosmetics and preference to receive medical care in case of cosmetic related emergency were recognized as significant risk factors (p < 0.05) associated with the incidence of cosmetic related adverse health effects among undergraduate students.

Conclusion

Given the high prevalence of cosmetic related adverse health effects, the health authorities of Sri Lanka should pay more attention towards the wellbeing and responsible cosmetic usage among undergraduates. Designing of effective tools and regulations to monitor the cosmetic market and improving the knowledge on cosmetics are recommended to ensure safe cosmetic usage within the country in general and of adolescent users in particular.

Knowledge and attitude of Lebanese women about cosmetics: a cross-sectional survey

The Middle East and North Africa region, including Lebanon, is well known for its excessive cosmetics expenditure. While the use of beauty products is increasing, it is unclear if customers are aware of the products' safety and proper use.

Objective

To explore Lebanese women's knowledge and attitudes toward cosmetics use.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to May 2021 among a sample of adult Lebanese women. Data were collected using an electronic questionnaire divided into 3 sections (sociodemographic characteristics, cosmetics knowledge, and attitude) and shared via social media platforms. Knowledge and attitude scores were then calculated. Descriptive and regression analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. P value < .05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 1,051 females completed the survey, and the age range of the majority 744 (70.8%) was between 18 and 20 years. The mean score of participants' knowledge was 7.54 ± 2.7 (range 0-14) with 658 (62.6%) of the respondents being knowledgeable about cosmetics. The study sample exhibited an overall positive attitude toward cosmetics. A significant association was observed between the area of residency and monthly income of respondents and their knowledge toward cosmetic products (P < .001).

Limitations

The self-administered questionnaire may have resulted in information bias and it targeted only those having internet access, and the age group 18 to 20 years was overrepresented.

Conclusion

The study sample demonstrated a good level of knowledge as well as a positive attitude toward cosmetics. However, raising awareness on the acute and chronic side effects of cosmetics is warranted.

User Experience in Cosmetics: Perception Analysis Regarding the Use of an Anti-Aging Moisturizer

One of the most important characteristics of aging skin is dehydration, which is why the use of moisturizing products is very important, especially with increasing age. Thus, the user’s experience when using a product is interesting for the companies to develop specific cosmetics not only considering the physiological needs of each skin, but also according to the preference of a group if there is any. For this, a moisturizer was developed, containing an antioxidant active, ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, whose sensory characteristics were evaluated by 33 Brazilian women between 30 and 60 years old. The results showed that the formulation was well accepted by all subjects, regardless of their age group, initial hydration, or the presence of visible signs of skin aging. It is suggested that the presence of the active ingredient in different concentrations caused a different perception of the formula for specific attributes such as the aqueous residue, film formation, and the feelings of oiliness and stickiness to the skin after application. These results suggest that the perception of the sensory characteristics of the product was more related to the nature and proportion of the compounds than to the age of the subjects.

Comprehensive investigation of persistent and mobile chemicals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in urine of flemish adolescents using a suspect screening approach

Persistent and mobile chemicals (PMs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are groups of chemicals that have received recent global attention due to their potential health effects on the environment and humans. In this study, exposure to a broad range of PMs and PFAS was investigated in Flemish adolescents' urine samples (n = 83) using a suspect screening approach. For this purpose, three sample preparation methods were evaluated, and a basic liquid-liquid extraction was optimized for urine analysis based on the extraction efficiency of PMs (53-80%) and PFAS (>70%). In total, 9 PMs were identified in urine samples at confidence levels (CL) 1-3 and, among them, acetaminophen, 4-aminophenol, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone, trifluoroacetic acid (TFAA), sulisobenzone, ethyl sulfate, and 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one 1,1-dioxide were confirmed at CL 1 and 2. In addition, the detection and identification of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone, 4-aminophenol, TFAA, and m-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)-N,N-bis(2,3-epoxypropyl) aniline (CL 3), has been reported for the first time in human urine in this study. For PFAS, only 2 compounds were identified at CL 4, implying that urine is not a suitable matrix for suspect screening of such compounds. A significant difference between sexes was observed in the detection rate of identified PMs, in particular for acetaminophen, 4-aminophenol, and sulisobenzone. The findings of this study can be used in future human biomonitoring programs, such as by including the newly identified compounds in quantitative methods or monitoring in other human matrices (e.g., serum).

Parabens in human urine from several Asian countries, Greece, and the United States

Parabens, esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, are commonly used as antimicrobial preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products. Although several studies report exposure of humans to parabens in Western countries, little is known about exposure of humans to parabens in Asian countries. In this study, we determined concentrations of six parabens in spot urine samples collected from nine countries and estimated daily intakes (DI) and potential health risks of parabens. Ethyl-paraben, methyl-paraben, and propyl-paraben were detected frequently at 100, 98.0, and 80.3%, respectively, with representative median concentrations of 0.68, 7.02, and 1.21 ng/mL, respectively, for all nine countries. Urine samples from females (total median concentration: 32.3 ng/mL) contained significantly higher concentrations of parabens than did those from males (5.46 ng/mL). Urine samples from Korea (total median paraben concentration: 227 ng/mL) had the highest concentrations, which were one to two orders of magnitude higher than those found in other countries (3.67-29.1 ng/mL). The estimated DI of parabens (on the basis of concentrations measured in urine) varied widely, and several samples had propyl-paraben exposures above the acceptable DI. Our results suggest that paraben exposure is ubiquitous in Asian countries, and further assessment of potential health risk of these chemicals is needed.