Scientists have rescued sunbathers from a common conundrum: Is it worth it to get that tanned glow when lying in the sun could cause a burn, or even cancer?
Meanwhile, the current “fake tan” creams and sprays on the market are notorious for leaving users with an unnatural orange hue.
Now, researchers have discovered a chemical that boosts the production of melanin — the pigment that naturally gives skin, eyes and hair their color. In effect, the cream helps skin tan from the inside. As a bonus, it also boosts the body’s natural defenses against skin cancer.
“It would not actually be a fake tan, but the real thing,” David Fisher, a professor who led the research at Massachusetts General Hospital, told The Guardian.
In the study, the researchers found a molecule, called an SK inhibitor, that kick-starts the production of melanin, which darkens skin and dissipates almost all UV rays absorbed in the skin. That process — which is common in people with a genetic predisposition to tanning, but lacking in people with skin that burns — helps limits cancer-causing radiation damage to cells.
In trials involving mice, the chemical was effective in darkening skin — even turning it black in high enough doses. After a few days the color began to fade the same way a typical tan does.
The researchers said the chemical would be designed to work in conjunction with sunscreen. The team is now seeking a company to partner with for human trials.
