Spotlight on skin whitening in Asia

During the morning, the focus of the spotlight will be on the different aspects that impact on the final launch of a skin care product designed to lighten the skin. The keynote speaker for this conference is senior manager for the Shiseido Research Center, Dr Shinji Inomata, who has a Ph.D. in applied biology. His thesis was based on the production of active ingredients of medicinal plants. He has been studying the development of functional cosmetic ingredients, such as skin whitening ingredients and anti-ageing ingredients for about 20 years at the Shiseido Research Center. His keynote presentation entitled: An overview of the dermatological knowledge of dark spots will discuss uneven dark skin and skin pigmentation, which are the major skin problems for Asian women. There are several kinds of skin pigmentation, such as solar/senile lentigo, melasma and post-inflammatory pigmentation, and these pigment disorders are mainly caused by abnormal metabolism of melanin. One of the effect mechanisms of skin whitening ingredients is to suppress melanin production in melanocytes. Dr Inomata will discuss ingredients that have been developed to work in keratinocytes to reduce melanin accumulation in the skin. He will also briefly explain effective mechanisms citing Shiseido products as examples. He will introduce topics relating to new findings regarding solar/senile lentigo revealed in Shiseido laboratories.

Regulation

Regulation on skin whitening products will be the next topic – it is essential for formulators to understand regulations before commencing work on a new product launch. Dr Alain Khaiat of Seers Consulting is an ideal expert to present on this topic. He is currently president of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association of Singapore, a vice president of the ASEAN Cosmetics Association, a member of the ASEAN Cosmetic Scientific Body, and an advisor on cosmetic safety to the Singapore Health Authorities. He is also a senior international expert on cosmetics (post market surveillance, product safety, product efficacy and quality) with organisations such as the European Commission, the World Bank and the UN International Trade Centre. His former role as international vice president of Research & Development Asia Pacific for Johnson & Johnson Consumer Divisions also contributed to his knowledge. He states that numerous technological approaches are at the disposal of the formulating scientist, but each might have an impact on the regulatory classification of the product. He will go through a panorama of the various regulations on whitening products in the different Asian markets. Are whitening products drugs, cosmetics or anything in between? He will show how sometimes the ingredients chosen or the claims made can make a whole difference between one classification and another and speed to market. Additionally considered will be regulation in the EU and US.