Nanosomal curcumin

[DrMaddy]

Hi Dr Yechiel,

I wonder if it is possible to formulate a topical nanosomal curcumin solution that would not stain the skin.

The treatment would have to be based on pure curmumin or a +95% curcumin extract.

I am interested in curcumin in reason of its potent 5alpha-reductase inhibition capacity but gave up using alcoholic solutions or creams due to their unbearable staining effect on the skin.

Many thanks,
DrMaddy

[DrYechiel]

Hello DrMaddy,

Thank you for your question.

The answer is yes, we can make water-based curcumin formulations attached to a vehicle which makes them non-staining, and we have done it for a long time. Curcumin in alcohol is not just staining but it does not absorb. The alcohol dries quickly and concentrates the curcumin at the outer top layers of the skin. Because the curcumin is no longer in alcohol at that point, you end up with curcumin powder on your skin because it cannot dissolve again in the skin’s natural moisture and it will mostly remain where it is with very little penetration to deeper skin layers. In contrast, when we formulate curcumin in water-based vehicles it retains water-solubility even after the original solution is dried or diluted by natural skin moisture. The curcumin molecules remain “individualized” rather then settling on the on the outer skin layers as a powder. All the curcumin molecules are able to move deeper into the skin, and the vehicle which they are attached to, because of its small size and other chemical and physical characteristics, can facilitate deep penetration. Please note: all our products are skincare or scalpcare, not medicines.