This story is slimier than snail slime! Frog foam for beauty? Is it too far from its relatively new leading sis, snail slime? What separates the two? Which one is superior? Are they even comparable?
Let’s first talk about its purpose!
After mating, frog foam is secreted from some tropical frogs to protect and secure their eggs. What sets frog foam apart from traditional colloidal systems, like soap bubbles and seafoam, is its durability or collapse time. Usually, froth or bubbles don’t last very long and they collapse on themselves relatively quickly. A bubble bath, for example, will lose its bubbles after a few minutes. But not frog foam. This type of foam is so strong; it can remain intact for up to 10 days! Most recently, the Túngara frog has been studied for its highly stable foam nests.
What makes this foam so sturdy?
Frog foam is chemically comprised of an 11kDa protein, Ranaspumin-2 (RSN-2). This protein has a clamshell-like structure which accounts for its incredible stability and allows compounds to flow through it. The frog foam can withstand up to 100 Pa of shear stress force before collapsing. That’s equivalent of the force of a strong breeze, or 28 mph!
Frog Foam Applications in Pharmaceutics
The stability of frog foam is what makes it great for medicinal releases via a topical applicator and for encapsulating other medical compounds, like antibiotics. Foams in the past have been used to deliver an immediate release of medicinal compounds into the dermis, but frog foam would allow for a slow release over time. This would be beneficial for people suffering from skin diseases or skin conditions by minimizing reapplication and providing more relief over time.
This “amphibian lather” could be used to replace pills and needles as a delivery system, providing a more comfortable experience. Biomedical engineer Yang Shi, who specializes in immunology and chemotherapy, believes the application of frog foam could be used to deliver treatment to skin cancer patients.
Snail Slime in Cosmetics
Snail mucus is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. It is also highly hydrating due to the high quantity of hyaluronic acid, an excellent humectant. Snail slime helps increase the formation of collagen and elastin. Some artisans have been using the mucus in soaps as an application.
Frog Foam vs Snail Slime
Both secretions of these slimy animals have their own functional, but different purposes. Snail slime has been on the market for years with much-established safety profile, along with skincare related benefits. It is certain that more research is needed for the frog foam to hits the shelves as a pharmaceutical foam. It is yet to be seen whether frog foam could bring any meaningful beauty/skincare benefits. While the short term application of the frog foam seems to be more of pharmaceutical applications, one would have to see how the research evolves.
For more information on snail slime, check out our article, “Snail Slime for Beauty: Real or Just a Gimmick?“
References:
- Arno Meintjes, Foam Nest Frog (Chiromantis xerampelina), [Link]
- Bernard Dupont, Nest of Southern Foam-nest Frog (Chiromantis xerampelina), [Link]
- Brozio, Sarah et al. “Frog nest foams exhibit pharmaceutical foam-like properties.” Royal Society open science vol. 8,9 210048. 8 Sep. 2021, [Link]
- Cover image by Pixabay from Pexels.
- www.sciencetimes.com article on “Frog Foam Potential Treatment for Skin Cancer; Study Claims It Could be an Effective Substitute to Existing Prescriptions.” Accessed 1/10/22 [Link]
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