Researchers at the Université Lavel’s Faculty School of Medicine have discovered that a common ingredient in many anti-wrinkle creams and products causes a pathological reaction in skin cells.

The substance, DMAE (2-dimethylaminoethanol) first causes a rapid swelling of fibroblasts. Fibroblasts act as reservoirs and interface between the inside and outside of the cell.

But after a few hours there is a noticeable slowing of cell division and a dying off of fibroblasts. The initial thickening of the skin from the swollen fibroblasts is probably what causes the “anti-wrinkle” effect.

Cosmetics are not subjected to the same rigorous testing and safety trials as medications or other regulated products.

The researchers aren’t saying whether or not DMAE poses a health risk. But many compounds used in cosmetics are absorbed by the skin and enter the bloodstream, they may even be stored in the liver. That’s why Dr. Francois Marceau, one of the authors of the study, thinks it’s time that the possible dangers and health risks of cosmetic ingredients be studied.

Université Laval

There are scientists in all fields, we know that, but did you know there are scientists out there studying what makes fingernails hard or soft?

According to researchers at the University of Manchester, our nails are at their strongest when at a humidity of 60%, the natural humidiy of the nail bed. When the humidity is lower, nails become brittle, too high - such as when you have your hands in hot water - and they become soft and bend easily.

Nails are made up of three layers, the middle layer protects the inner layer from breaking towards the quick. At humidities higher or lower than 60%, these layers change and lose their protective qualities.

Hard as Nails!

Who do you think would have the most germs under their fingernails?

a. Someone with long nails
b. Someone with short nails
c. Nail biters

Surprisingly, the answer is b.

You might think that long nails afford the most area for germs or that nailbiters might have germs transferred to the nail from the mouth, but the germ count on both was lower than short nails. Short cropped nails harbor the most germs, long nails harbor much fewer but nailbiters have the fewest of all.

A student at Academic Magnet High School, Jamie Yohn, mentored by faculty members at the Medical University of South Carolina, gathered samples from 30 fellow students for a science fair project. She also surveyed the participants on their hygiene habits. As you might expect, the students who washed their hands frequently had the fewest germs. The most common organism found under nails was staphylococcus.

Andrew Annand, D.O., medical director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at MUSC, said that nail biters may have had the fewest germs under their nails, but that may be because they are simply ingesting them instead. That means that no one is recommending that people bite their nails as a hygiene measure.

Whether your nails are long or short, wash hands frequently and use a hand sanitizer when you can’t access soap and water. Remember that your hands come into contact with dozens of surfaces in the course of a day and you don’t know what organisms may be lingering on your hands from that contact. Above all, never bite nails - you don’t know what germs you may be ingesting.

Nail-biters May Have ‘cleaner’ Nails, But Ingest More Germs

I have to admit to never having liked Chapstick or any lip balm for that matter. I wasn’t sure why, but I always felt like it made my lips more chapped and they peeled more and not less. In fact, it seemed that if I started to use lip balm, I couldn’t stop because the problem would increase ten-fold and my lips would come off in chunks.

Just for fun I decided to look around the net and I was surprised to find so many people who had the same experience as I did. In fact, there are websites devoted to lip balm addiction. There are people out there who are unable to go from one room to the next without being assured of finding a lip balm to reapply constantly.

I discovered that some medicated lip balms have ingredients that actually exfoliate, that is, peel the lips. So these do, in fact, make the problem worse. But even lip balms that don’t contain these ingredients seem to have a hold on people who use them.

I thought then about my own use of lipstick and I do apply lipstick sometimes just because my lips are dry. However, with lipstick I don’t have the urge to constantly reapply, I can go entire days without wearing any and I don’t find my lips get dependent on it.

The majority of physicians and dermatologists state that lip balms can be psychologically addicting only, but in my limited experience, and it seems the experience of many others, lip balm is a highly addictive substance that requires constant reapplication to avoid it worsening the problem you used it to alleviate.