Researchers are working on a suntan compound that can help create a tan and possibly prevent skin cancer.
Scientists from the Harvard University and the Massachusetts General Hospital is developing a suntan compound that can create a tan without having to sit in the sun. Besides its potential cosmetic value, the scientists are looking to develop this as a new possible protection method against skin cancer.
The new suntan compound could come to be used in conjunction with sunscreen and revolves around melanin. This is the pigment in both the human skin, hair, and eyes that give them their color.
Suntan Compound Still in the Testing Phase
These latest results are based on a study conducted back in 2006, but almost the same team. At the time, the scientists discovered that forskolin, a plant extract, could lead to cancer-protecting tan in red-haired mice. Still, this compound was proven ineffective in humans, so the group looked in a different direction.
Now, the researchers are working on a new such solution, one created from a different class of compounds. Lab tests on both mice and human skin samples have also shown its potential efficiency. This class of compounds was noted to be capable of boosting the skin pigmentation process. It also proved its efficiency in ‘squeezing’ through the outer layers of the epidermis.
The suntan compound works by twitching Salt Inducible Kinase (SIK) enzymes in the skin. These are the melanin production “master off switch”. Once applied, the compound can generate a large production of melanin, capable of ‘tanning’ even the fairest skin tones.
Initially, the solution was tested on red-haired mice and then on human skin samples. Based on these tests, the team determined that the tanning response could be modified by adjusting the frequency of use and dosage. Nonetheless, its effects could last for days without the need of reapplying.
Once the researchers stopped reapplying the solution, which simply has to be rubbed on, the skin returned to its natural tone within a couple of weeks.
The scientists are hoping that used together with sunscreen, this new suntan compound can help reduce the risks of skin cancer. Further research is needed, as well as clinical trials before the compound can transform into a commercially available product.
The results of the study are available in a paper in the journal Cell Reports.
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