Now he runs his own consultancy company, Seers Consulting, and is also conference manager for in-cosmetics Asia 2010. Personal Care editor, Richard Scott, spoke to Dr Khaiat to find out what the 2010 conference has in store.
PC: The conference and educational areas of in-cosmetics have been very successful and a big draw for people. What areas will be covered in 2010?
AK: In Bangkok there will be a full day programme on facial skin care, and that will be sub-divided into three topics: anti-ageing, anti-acne and whitening. Last year we had one conference on whitening, covering all the whitening aspects and a workshop on cosmetic safety. This year the focus will be on facial skin care and will continue to have a session on whitening but we have extended it to include anti-acne. Antiageing was the topic of the conference two years ago, so we now have a panel on anti-ageing news and whitening news and we’re introducing a new topic of anti-acne which I think is going to be very interesting.
PC: Since the conference two years ago, what do you feel have been the major developments in anti-ageing?
AK: Many companies have taken a more scientific approach to anti-ageing; the use of UVA sunscreen for example and many of the suppliers, likely, have modified the positioning of their ingredients. The conference in 2008 focused on the physiology of ageing as well as some new ingredients in the area. Ageing in Asia is closely related to pigmentation and as such some of the ingredients have a double focus.
PC: According to recent research, in Thailand consumers are finding that humid weather and increasing pollution levels are aggravating skin problems. How do these two factors influence skin disorders?
AK: Yes, pollution is one of the main factors in the creation of free radicals and free radicals are one of the causes of pigmentation of the skin and wrinkles, both of which are signs of ageing. So an increase in pollution will affect the way we look. However, the humid weather can often be a positive influence as humid weather causes you to naturally moisturise your skin. The problem that we’re facing in south east Asia is that the heat and humidity is not really bearable, so we go from dry, air conditioned cool air back to hot and humid air. And these changes cause dehydration of the skin, which then causes skin problems.
PC: The process of sweating can make it difficult to retain products that have been applied to the skin as well.
AK: Yes, actually sweating is one way that the skin moisturises itself. Unfortunately you also have to wipe out the sweat from the skin and in doing so you remove any product that would be sitting on the skin.
PC: Is this an area that formulators need to address?
AK: Well, for formulators, the fact that the weather is humid and people sweat makes it very difficult to develop a product that feels nice on the skin. Everything feels too heavy, too oily and does not penetrate because of the sweat on the skin. So yes, this is an area that formulators have to work with in order to create a pleasant texture application.
PC: With increasing urbanisation and global warming, could this be a growing trend in many other regions of the world?
AK: With the development of the countries, the pollution increases and that in turn increases the problem. I think that the population becomes more aware of the problems with their skin and the requirement for good products that address these issues.
PC: Allergic reactions in skin have also been on the rise over the last two or three decades. Is this also related to pollution?
AK: The increase in pollution, and in free radicals creates an increase in irritation rather than allergies. However, the fact that people are using more products, in general not only cosmetics, so household products and drugs, means that they are coming into contact with a whole range of ingredients which they can become allergic to.
PC: Anti-acne is a new theme at in-cosmetics Asia. Is acne more common with people of Asian descent?
AK: Yes, Asian skin is usually more oily. And during puberty everywhere in the world, with the burst of hormones, there is an increase in oil production which leads to an increase in acne. But because Asian skin is more oily, this is more prevalent in Asia and this leads to widening of the pores, which is the way the oil comes out of the body, and the widening of the pores gives a look that is less preferred. So, good anti-acne products are important for teenagers and young adults.
PC: Are skin-whitening products an effective treatment for acne scarring?
AK: That’s a good question! Acne scars are usually formed due to the fact that people squeeze the pimple, and that leaves the scar. Now, the scar tissue is always of a deeper colour to the adjacent skin, and whitening products do not always address this correctly because the darkness is not due to a constant production of melanin but due to its production during the scarring process. So if you use the whitening product during the scarring process, then yes, it will address it. But if it is used after the scar is already there, then most of the whitening products available today only prevent the formation of further melanin and that does not address the deeper colour of the scar.
PC: Last year at in-cosmetics Asia, there was a great deal of emphasis on the safety of various new skinwhitening treatments. Do you feel the improving effectiveness of new products is winning the battle against unregulated products which may show high-efficacy but also carry high risk of harm, such as low-grade bleaching agents?
AK: The traditional use for whitening is very old. There are traces in archaeology going back more than 5 or 10,000 years showing that women were using lead, which is poisonous and they died at a very young age (not always conclusively due to the continuous use of lead, but it is a likely cause). Lead is of course no longer allowed. But, more recently, hydroquinone has been used as a bleaching agent, and is still used by doctors on a prescription basis. At 4%, hydroquinone is effective in bleaching but the side-effects are quite severe, especially if there is exposure to the sun, then the whole face can develop permanent dark marks. Hydroquinone also kills the whole skin cell, so the skin has no way to defend itself after that. Also, the safety of hydroquinone use during pregnancy has not been established, and for these reasons hydroquinone is reserved for specific cases and doctors’ prescription. Unfortunately, there are adulterated products containing hydroquinone sold in some countries. However the development of science has allowed new whitening technology that is getting to be as efficient as hydroquinone and is perfectly safe. So, hopefully as more and more of these technologies are introduced, consumers will recognise that efficacy and safety can go together.
PC: Asia has a long history of using natural ingredients in cosmetics, but do you see the popularity of natural ingredients in modern cosmetics continuing?
AK: In terms of plant extracts and natural ingredients, today it is hard to think of any product that does not contain them, whether it’s in Asia or in Europe or the US. I have not seen many products that do not contain at least one plant extract. I remember when I started in cosmetics in 1980, there were very, very few products with plant extracts, as the trend was to use animal extracts in cosmetics for their similarity to skin molecules. By the mid to late 80s things had turned around and more and more people were using plant extracts, and since the outbreak of ‘Mad Cow’ disease and others, people have progressively eliminated all animal extracts. A lot of research has gone into plant chemistry, plant biology and plant extraction processes and it’s true now that although some companies do use plant extracts as a marketing tool, the technology is showing real efficacy. And a lot of companies are using these plant extracts and many suppliers are providing the extracts with good scientific data showing they do have efficacy on the skin or hair.
PC: In your 30 years in the cosmetics industry, what for you has been the most important advancement in cosmetic science?
AK: 30 years ago, I was told by respected dermatologists that the skin was a dead organ: nothing you put on the surface penetrates. Well, a few years later we started to realise, thanks to good scientific studies, that there were numerous reactions taking place in the skin, that it was indeed a living organ and that anything you place on the surface will eventually penetrate (unless the formulation deliberately prevents this). A 180 degree change! Cosmetic was considered an art: the art of formulating; today people realise cosmetics is an art and a science: the formulation must be appealing to the senses, and the efficacy appealing to the mind!
For further information about the Facial Beauty Conference, visit www.incosmeticsasia.com/education