A lotion that tans the skin without exposure to sunlight could provide a novel way to prevent skin cancer, scientists announced Wednesday.
The research, done with mice, found that a lotion can prompt skin cells to make melanin, the darkening pigment that protects the skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
After the lotion was applied for several days, the mice developed a light tan. After several weeks, the normally red-haired, fair- skinned mice were nearly black, according to Dr. David Fisher, who led the research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children’s Hospital Boston.
These dark tans provided some protection against a common kind of skin cancer and may protect against others, according to test results presented in today’s issue of the journal Nature. The discovery is not ready for humans, Fisher cautioned.
Other scientists said the work provides a surprising new understanding of the biology behind the prized bronze-skinned look.
Even fair-skinned people, who are more prone to develop skin cancer and less able to tan in the sun, have a deep reservoir of tanning ability that can be readily tapped, the discovery suggests.
“The principles that are shown in this study are quite startling and could have major ramifications,” said Meenhard Herlyn, a skin-cancer researcher who was not involved in the study. “Maybe in the future we can say, ‘You don’t need to damage your skin; you can tan it in other ways.”‘
