Evaluation of subclinical chronic sun damage in the skin via the detection of long-lasting ultraweak photon emission.

BACKGROUND: It is well known that solar radiation accelerates skin photoaging. To evaluate subclinical photodamage in the skin especially from the early phase of ultraviolet (UV)-induced damage, we have focused on ultraweak photon emission (UPE), also called biophotons. Our previous study reported that the amount of long-lasting UPE induced by UV, predominantly from lipid peroxidation, is a valuable indicator to assess cutaneous photodamage even at a suberythemal dose, although it was only applied to evaluate acute UV damage. The aim of this study was to further investigate whether long-lasting UPE could also be a useful marker to assess subclinical chronic sun damage in the course of skin photoaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-three Japanese females in their 20s were recruited and were divided into two groups according to their history of sun exposure based on a questionnaire (high- and low-sun-exposure groups). Several skin properties on the cheek and outer forearm were measured in addition to UV-induced UPE. RESULTS: Among the skin properties measured, water content, average skin roughness, and the lateral packing of lipids in the stratum corneum were significantly deteriorated in the high-sun-exposure group as were changes in some skin photoaging scores such as pigmented spots and wrinkles. In addition, those skin properties were correlated with the UPE signals, suggesting the possible impact of oxidative stress on chronic skin damage. CONCLUSION: Subtle oxidative stress detected by long-lasting UPE may contribute to subclinical cutaneous damage at the beginning phase of chronic sun exposure, which potentially enhances skin photoaging over a lifetime.

18-MEA and hair appearance.

The effects of the removal of 18-MEA on the dynamic contact angle (advancing contact angle and receding contact angle) and friction force (friction force microscopy (FFM)) were examined in the present study. Chemically untreated hair tresses formed more finely ordered bundles, with the fibers aligned more parallel to each other, in the wet state, and lying flat and aligned parallel to each other in the dry state. Hair tresses in which 18-MEA had been removed by potassium t-butoxide treatment formed coarser tangled bundles and were aligned in a disorderly manner in the wet state, causing the hair to become entangled and disorderly in the dry state. This was because the 18-MEA-removed hair fibers adhered to each other and were not easy to realign in the wet state. The distorted part of the bundle dried faster and the tress shape was eventually fixed in the entangled shape. One role of 18-MEA is to allow hair fibers to lie flat and parallel with respect to each other in the wet state by providing relatively high receding contact angles and low surface friction. Hair alignment in the dry state is directly affected by hair alignment in the wet environment, particularly in the case of damaged hair.

A role of the anteiso branch of 18-MEA in 18-MEA/SPDA to form a persistent hydrophobicity to alkaline-color-treated weathered hair.

The effect of the anteiso-branch moiety of 18-MEA (18-methyleicosanic acid) to create a persistent hydrophobicity of alkaline-color-treated weathered hair treated with 18-MEA/SPDA (stearoxypropyldimethylamine) was investigated by comparing a straight-chain fatty acid (n-heneicosanoic acid, n-HEA) and an iso-branch fatty acid (19-methyleicosanic acid, 19-MEA) with the anteiso-branch fatty acid (18-MEA), using dynamic contact angle measurements, quantification of 18-MEA by LC/MS, and temperature controlled atomic force microscopy (AFM). The dynamic contact angle measurements indicated that the anteiso-branch moiety of 18-MEA is critical for the creation of a persistent hydrophobicity to alkaline-color-treated weathered hair. The temperature-controlled AFM investigations revealed that the anteiso-branch moiety of 18-MEA in the 18-MEA/SPDA system produces a persistent hydrophobicity to alkaline-color-treated weathered hair by providing higher fluidity to the upper region of the 18-MEA/SPDA layer.

Deposition of 18-MEA onto alkaline-color-treated weathered hair to form a persistent hydrophobicity.

A technology for the deposition of a persistent hydrophobicity to alkaline-color-treated weathered hair surfaces using 18-MEA (18-methyleicosanoic acid) is presented. Two approaches were examined in order to make 18-MEA bind tightly to the alkaline-color-treated weathered hair surface. One was to apply 18-MEA as an acid form and the other was to apply 18-MEA as a salt or complex. It was found that the combination of 18-MEA with specific cationic surfactants [stearoxypropyldimethylamine (SPDA) and docosyldimethylamine (DSDA)] makes the alkaline-color-treated weathered hair surface hydrophobic and that its hydrophobicity is maintained even after shampooing. Characterization of adsorbed layers of 18-MEA/SPDA on a mica surface, as a possible hydrophilic surface model, was performed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AR-XPS). The results revealed that 18-MEA/SPDA formed a layer with high wear resistance, with an alkyl chain, the hydrophobic moiety, oriented at an angle of around 25 degrees to the air interface.