The Brighter Side of Tanning

In a breakthrough, Boston scientists have developed a new cream that activates tanning process in skin cells without sun exposure and thus, raised hope to protect light-skinned people from skin cancer.

The study conducted at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital, Boston, used a cream that gave mice a tan without exposing them to the sun. The cream is not yet tested on human skin.

Tanning is a process that darkens the skin when exposed to sun. UltraViolet B radiations, UltraViolet A radiations and oxygen triggers tanning. UVB initiate tanning by stimulating the cells ‘melanocytes’ to produce melanosomes, which contain a pigment named melanin. The melenin thus produced gets darkened when the UVA comes in contact with the oxygen available from beneath the skin in blood vessels and from outside the skin.

According to latest studies the UVA not only increases UVB 's cancer-causing effects, but also directly causes some skin cancers, including melanomas.

It is a medically proven fact that dark skinned people, or those who tan easily are less prone to develop skin cancer than those with fair skin. Researchers claim, that the new findings may be able to change the skin pigmentation of fairer people to ward off skin cancers like melanoma, the world's fastest-growing cancer.

The faulty pouch-like receptor called MC1R placed on the surface of the pigment-producing melanocyte skin cells does not allow fair people to tan properly. This, in turn, reduces the production of cyclic AMP (cAMP) which stimulates the melanocytes to produce melanin. This reduced melanin leads to sun burn rather than sun tan.

Different skin types produce different levels of cAMP. The cream comprises small molecules which are known to increase cAMP levels. It initiates the tanning process when skin cells come in contact with ultraviolet radiations from sun.

Estimated figures posted by World Health Organization, quote as many as 60,000 deaths around the world due to melanoma anually.

Dr. Seth J. Orlow, chairman of the department of dermatology at New York University Medical Center in New York City said, “The skin on mice is much thinner than it is on humans, so it would be harder for any potential medications to penetrate deep enough to be effective.”

Although experiments on mice reported no dangerous side effects, the potential side effects in humans are yet to be seen.