Research Increases Understanding of Skin Cancer
Cancer Research UK notes that new US research has dramatically changed the current state of understanding of skin cancer. While the traditionally accepted causes (skin cell damage caused by UV radiation) remains the primary cause, researchers have isolated a compound in plants and used that chemical to induce tanning in mice that minimizes UV damage.
Tanning, sunburn and skin cancer are all caused by UV damage to skin cells.
Tanning occurs when the sun’s UV radiation stimulates the most common skin cells, known as keratinocytes.
These then release a hormone known as MSH which tells nearby melanocytes to produce a pigment called melanin, causing tanning.
Using a naturally-occurring compound derived from a plant, known as forskohlin, the researchers were able to simulate the chain of interactions that occurs when MSH stimulates melanocytes.
This created an effect similar to that of a sun tan, without exposing the skin to the sun’s damaging UV rays.
While a tan inducing compound will not alone protect fair skin (providing the equivalent of SPF4 sunscreen), it may allow fair-skinned individuals to obtain a tan in safe conditions, allowing them to skip intentional exposure and obtain a more natural tan than other synthetic tanning methods.