One of the most talked about skincare products of 2024 is spicule skincare. Known as “micro-spicules” or “bio-spicules,” these ingredients are derived from the skeletal structures of tiny marine organisms. While the concept of using the remains of marine life may be unsettling, skincare products containing spicules are quickly gaining popularity, especially with products like the VT Reedle Shot 100 serum going viral on the TikTok platform. Micro bone needling is not only seen as an alternative to microneedling, but is also being studied as a transdermal drug delivery technique.
Let’s dive into the science of this new skincare ingredient and get a full understanding of this skincare trend that is expected to continue to grow in 2024 and beyond.
What are spicules?
Bone needles (spicules) are microscopic structures extracted from marine sponges as part of their exoskeleton and contain calcium or silica components. These micron-sized needles have different morphologies and their tip structures are often analogized to needles in microneedling.
The Nature of Bone Needle Skincare Products
Bone needles are not active ingredients in themselves, but microscopic bone needles are believed to enhance the absorption of skincare products. Their efficacy therefore depends on the active ingredient contained in the product. In the ingredient list, bone needles may be labeled as “sponges” or “hydrolyzed sponges“.
The three main effects of bone needling
Transdermal enhancement: Enhancing ingredient penetration through micro-channels in the stratum corneum
Research has found that bone needling can form micron-sized channels in the stratum corneum of the skin to enhance the penetration rate of active ingredients, and is therefore known as the “DIY version of microneedling”. This mechanism improves the absorption of large molecules such as growth factors. In a Korean clinical trial, the use of bone needling with growth factors was shown to be more effective in improving wrinkles.
Physical Exfoliation: Needle-like structure for biological skin resurfacing
The sharp edges of bone needles gently exfoliate old skin, accelerating the skin renewal cycle, promoting skin renewal and stimulating skin cells to repair themselves to produce more collagen, thus improving dullness and acne marks.
Enhanced Effectiveness: Enhanced Efficacy with Active Ingredients
A Korean study showed that subjects using bone needles in combination with growth factors had more significant results in terms of improvement of wrinkles around the eye area and increase in skin density than the growth factor group using bone needles alone (but note that the study had a flawed control group design).
Pros and Cons Analysis
Advantages:
- Alternative to microneedling: non-invasive for transdermal augmentation
- Dual action: penetration + resurfacing synergy
- Immediate results: rapid improvement in skin texture and appearance
- Opens up the circulation: promotes microcirculation in the subcutaneous area
Risks:
- Barriers Damage: excessive use may disrupt the sebaceous membrane barrier
- Risk of irritation: high concentrations of acids/Alcohols may cause irritation
Recommendations for use:
- Follow product instructions and avoid overuse
- Topical testing is recommended due to individual differences in body composition
- Avoid any interaction with stacking with highly concentrated acids/Alcohols
- Enhance moisturization and sun care after use
In the era of Beauty 4.0, driven by “Micro Spicule Skincare” and “Experience Economy”, sponge bio microneedle is reshaping the paradigm of active ingredient delivery with its unique physical biological synergistic mechanism.
References
1.Structure and composition of calcareous sponge spicules: a review and comparison to structurally related biominerals.Sethmann and Wörheide. Micron.2008:39(3):209-28.
2.Skin Delivery of Hydrophilic Biomacromolecules Using Marine Sponge Spicules. Zhang et al. Mol Pharm. 2017 Sep 5:14(9):3188-3200.
3.Skin Delivery of siRNA Using Sponge Spicules in Combination with Cationic Flexible Liposomes. Liang et al. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids.2020 Jun 5:20:639-648.
4.Enhanced Skin Delivery of Therapeutic Peptides Using Spicule-Based Topical Delivery Systems. Zhang et al. Pharmaceutics.2021 Dec; 13(12): 2119.
5.South Korea-Country Commercial Guide.
6.Value of cosmetics exported from South Korea from 2014 to 2022. Statistica.
