From Sunscreen to Skin: Investigating Avobenzone Permeation Using Synthetic Skin Models

Active ingredients in sunscreen products are known to penetrate the skin and potentially disrupt normal cellular functions. Avobenzone, one commonly used active ingredient, is suspected of interfering with hormonal pathways following skin permeation. To study avobenzone penetration through skin, Strat-M membranes are used as a synthetic skin model. Time-course samples are collected and analyzed using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). Current findings indicate that avobenzone does penetrate the synthetic skin model within the first three to five hours of equilibration. After determining the maximum permeability of avobenzone through the membrane, ongoing experiments will be focused on identifying the detrimental effects of skin penetration and potential interventions to mitigate permeation.