Towards the personalization of 3D printed patches for cosmetic applications
Podium 73
Presented by: Joana Marto
Introduction: The cosmetics industry is increasingly demanding, competitive, and subject to global competition, so it is natural that it is exploring the possibility of innovating its products through the adoption of 3D printing technologies. In particular, the opportunity to produce cosmetic products by semi-solid extrusion 3D printing has been explored as a way of offering solutions to produce personalized skin care products, adapted in shape and size to the consumer, which represents a market trend. However, for the sake of progress, it is imperative to have full knowledge of print configuration management and construction design, as these can be used as tools for products personalization. Therefore, the main goal of this work was to develop an innovative and versatile gelatin-based 3D printed patch for multipurpose cosmetic applications, like anti-aging, that can be easily personalized using a tool that allows to adjust the patch’s porosity and network topology by changing different print parameters. Furthermore, the possibility of using advanced biometric in vivo methodologies to perform an assessment of skin barrier function and bioactive release in a live mode was explored.
Materials and Methods: Gelatin-based hydrogel inks were printed in an extrusion-based 3D bioprinter (Allevi2, Allevi, USA) employing a 25G nozzle. For the printing tool development, 3-layered patches with several infill patterns were printed, varying the line distance and the angles to create grid and triangular pores. Measurements of pore width were performed in the ImageJ® software, for each tested condition, and Visioscan® was used to record the topography of the printed patches. After, Visia-CR™ skin analysis imaging system was employed as a 2D skin scanner for designing a personalized eye patch with controlled network topology. Following, to validate the possibility of using this advanced biometric equipment to evaluate the skin barrier function and record the bioactive release, IBR-TCLC® in Jojoba Oil 0705 (INCI: Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract in Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil and Squalene; IBR Lucas Meyer, Israel) was incorporated in the printed patches, which is a fluorescent purified tomato extract rich in colourless carotenoids with recognized antioxidant and anti-aging properties. A Plastic Occlusion Stress Test (POST) was also performed, where the printed patches were applied for 24 hours. After removal, the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were continuously recorded for 30 minutes.
Results and Discussion: The 3D printing data showed that it is possible to produce gelatin-based hydrogel patches with different degrees of porosity by varying the printing settings, which will have a great impact on the release of bioactive substances, thus reinforcing the pertinence of using such technologies to design personalized skin care products with desired features for the most different cosmetic applications. As a proof-of-concept, the anti-aging bioactive, IBR-TCLC®, was incorporated into a personalized eye patch with controlled network topology, which was successfully designed and printed considering the 2D anatomy of a selected volunteer. From a printing quality perspective, its incorporation did not appear to largely affect the printing accuracy and pore shape fidelity, showing similar topographic results to the gelatin-based control, which demonstrate the versatility of the technology employed. Regarding the biometric in vivo methodology, the tests performed so far, showed that it is indeed possible to visualize and record the fluorescence of the bioactive incorporated on the Visia-CR™. As ongoing studies, and to understand in vivo the influence of patch’s porosity on performance and the bioactive release, patches with different degrees of porosity are being tested. In addition, and to accurately validate this system to perform an assessment of skin barrier function, the data collected will be compared with data obtained through the standard methodology, POST.
Conclusion: This work delivered insight over the practicality of employing 3D printing in the production of versatile personalized skin care products with reproducible and controlled pore geometries, which could represent an opportunity in terms of modulating the bioactive release. In addition, the possibility to evaluate such effects in vivo opens a new prospective to evaluate and adjust the cosmetic outcomes. Moreover, these data will allow to evolve towards the printing of advanced structures that fit perfectly in the face of each consumer, considering, for example, the possibility to print patches with different bioactive concentrations or porosity levels in the same structure, thus improving the personalization quality of skin care products.
Materials and Methods: Gelatin-based hydrogel inks were printed in an extrusion-based 3D bioprinter (Allevi2, Allevi, USA) employing a 25G nozzle. For the printing tool development, 3-layered patches with several infill patterns were printed, varying the line distance and the angles to create grid and triangular pores. Measurements of pore width were performed in the ImageJ® software, for each tested condition, and Visioscan® was used to record the topography of the printed patches. After, Visia-CR™ skin analysis imaging system was employed as a 2D skin scanner for designing a personalized eye patch with controlled network topology. Following, to validate the possibility of using this advanced biometric equipment to evaluate the skin barrier function and record the bioactive release, IBR-TCLC® in Jojoba Oil 0705 (INCI: Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract in Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil and Squalene; IBR Lucas Meyer, Israel) was incorporated in the printed patches, which is a fluorescent purified tomato extract rich in colourless carotenoids with recognized antioxidant and anti-aging properties. A Plastic Occlusion Stress Test (POST) was also performed, where the printed patches were applied for 24 hours. After removal, the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were continuously recorded for 30 minutes.
Results and Discussion: The 3D printing data showed that it is possible to produce gelatin-based hydrogel patches with different degrees of porosity by varying the printing settings, which will have a great impact on the release of bioactive substances, thus reinforcing the pertinence of using such technologies to design personalized skin care products with desired features for the most different cosmetic applications. As a proof-of-concept, the anti-aging bioactive, IBR-TCLC®, was incorporated into a personalized eye patch with controlled network topology, which was successfully designed and printed considering the 2D anatomy of a selected volunteer. From a printing quality perspective, its incorporation did not appear to largely affect the printing accuracy and pore shape fidelity, showing similar topographic results to the gelatin-based control, which demonstrate the versatility of the technology employed. Regarding the biometric in vivo methodology, the tests performed so far, showed that it is indeed possible to visualize and record the fluorescence of the bioactive incorporated on the Visia-CR™. As ongoing studies, and to understand in vivo the influence of patch’s porosity on performance and the bioactive release, patches with different degrees of porosity are being tested. In addition, and to accurately validate this system to perform an assessment of skin barrier function, the data collected will be compared with data obtained through the standard methodology, POST.
Conclusion: This work delivered insight over the practicality of employing 3D printing in the production of versatile personalized skin care products with reproducible and controlled pore geometries, which could represent an opportunity in terms of modulating the bioactive release. In addition, the possibility to evaluate such effects in vivo opens a new prospective to evaluate and adjust the cosmetic outcomes. Moreover, these data will allow to evolve towards the printing of advanced structures that fit perfectly in the face of each consumer, considering, for example, the possibility to print patches with different bioactive concentrations or porosity levels in the same structure, thus improving the personalization quality of skin care products.