PEGs are everywhere - in our skin care and in our medical
care - and most of us don't even know what they are. We
want to clear up some of the confusion about PEGs and help
you understand what they are, what they do, and why we use
them in our skin care products.
So, the first question is "what is a PEG?" PEG is the
acronym for polyethylene glycol. PEGs are polymers of the
same molecule, meaning that many of the same molecules are
bonded together (like a string of beads with all the beads
strung together). PEGs are almost always written with a
number after their name such as PEG 2, PEG 40, PEG 100, PEG
150, PEG 3350, PEG 6000: the number is the approximate
molecular weight of that particular PEG. So PEG 40 is a lot
smaller than PEG 3350. There are many, many different PEGs,
and size matters. Each of the PEGs listed above are
different sizes and different weights; they therefore have
very different functions. PEG 3350 is actually used as a
drug to treat constipation (called MiraLax®) whereas
PEG 4 is used as a skin moisturizer.
Cosmetics mostly use smaller PEGs, such as PEG 100 or PEG
150. Often the polyethylene glycol is connected to another
molecule, such as stearic acid (remember stearic acid is a
natural fatty acid, usually from vegetable oil). So PEG 100
stearate means that the polyethylene glycol with an
approximate molecular weight of 100 is attached chemically
to stearic acid. If you look at ingredient labels or at the
medical literature, you will see numerous different size
PEGs attached to many different molecules (like stearic
acid or castor oil).
What do we use PEGs in our products?
At derma e®, the safety, efficacy, and integrity of our
products matter most. We choose high-quality ingredients
that are both safe and effective. Creating a body care
formula can be tricky. We cannot simply put all the
ingredients together and hope that a suitable product forms
as a result. Formulating and producing a product that is
the right texture (you don't want a super watery
crème), stable over time (you want your crème
to be crème every time you open it), and effective
(to give you beautiful skin) is a multi-step, tightly
controlled process that requires a variety of different
ingredients with different chemical functions. PEGs, such
as PEG 100 stearate or PEG 150 distearate that function as
emollients and emulsifiers, serve a variety of important
functions in helping us formulate effective bodycare
products. (Emulsifiers are especially important to help the
water-based and oil-based ingredients mix properly.
Emollients also help soften and lubricate the skin, and
sometimes form a protective barrier on the skin.) These
essential emollients and emulsifiers ensure that your
favorite product stays just the way you like it!
Are PEGs in my skin care safe?
Of course. We would not use them if they weren't safe. The
PEGs that are used in skin care products have been around
for a long time and have been studied for years. Their
safety has been well-documented for use in topical products
(Fruijtier-Pöllot, 2005). At derma e®, the safety
of our products is our utmost concern. We continually
review the scientific literature to ensure we are aware of
any new studies that suggest an ingredient may be harmful,
and we do not use ingredients that science has shown to be
even potentially harmful. At any time, if we find better,
safer ingredients that could be used in our products, we
will make the switch, as your safety and the effectiveness
of our products is of the highest priority.
Are PEGs antifreeze?
No, PEGs are not antifreeze. Antifreeze is primarily made
of ethylene glycol, not polyethylene glycol. Any confusion
may arise because the two are chemically related (as you
can see by their similar names), but they have very, very
different chemical properties and functions. Ethylene
glycol, a much smaller molecule than most of the PEGs, is
very toxic and can be extremely dangerous if ingested.
Drinking ethylene glycol affects a variety of organ systems
in the body and can cause serious illness or death. PEGs
are not dangerous whereas ethylene glycol is extremely
dangerous.
Other applications of PEGs
PEGs are used in a variety of medical and healthcare
applications, in addition to skin care products. They are
often used in pharmaceutical formulations, and as mentioned
above, some PEGs are used as drugs (PEG 3350 is used to
successfully treat constipation). PEGs are finding new
applications in surgeries and medical research; some
studies are even investigating the ability of PEGs to treat
colon cancer.
Remember, the many, many types of polyethylene glycol have
many functions: PEGs play important roles in a variety of
medical applications and are important skin care
ingredients. They help us produce safe, stable and
effective bodycare products, which has always been our
primary goal.
Reference:
Fruijtier-Pölloth, C. "Safety assessment on
polyethylene glycols (PEGs) and their derivatives as used
in cosmetic products." Toxicology 214 (2005) 1-38.
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Sondra Miles has a BS in Brain and Cognitive Sciences with
a minor in Chemistry from MIT. She writes extensively on
natural skin care, topical antioxidants and skin botanicals
and is a member of the Research and Development team at
derma e® Natural Bodycare. For a free sampler pack and
catalog of derma e® products visit
http://www.dermae.com/samples .
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