After 10 years of rigorous research, a team of scientists have finally come up with a tanning chemical that's suitable for any type of skin tone while also boosting the body's natural defenses against skin cancer. In the US journal Cell Reports published on Tuesday, the researchers said that the new compound will work best if paired with sunscreen. That said, the newly discovered chemical can offer a temporary boost in melanin production, which is a complex polymer that is responsible for giving human skin, hair, and identifies its color.
In one of his statements, Professor David Fisher, who led the work at Massachusetts General Hospital said that contrary to the previous claims, the chemical will have the ability to generate a real tanned skin. The scientists have also revealed that while it has only been tested on mice and skin samples in petri dishes, they believe that the new compound will be an upgrade from the telltale orange hue of a spray tan. Furthermore, it was found that the primary motivation of the team was to come up with a more effective protection against skin cancer.
Meanwhile, it can be recalled that in 2006, Fisher and his colleagues have reportedly discovered that a plant extract known as "forskolin" could possibly produce a cancer-protecting tan in red-haired mice. What is more, they have also found that this comes naturally even without being triggered by harmful UV radiation from the sun. Consequently, as the scientists have applied forskolin to the skin of mice that had been genetically engineered to have fair skin and rust-colored fur, it allegedly stimulated the production of melanin.
Despite having desirable results in mice, the researchers highly emphasize that the compound hasn't been tested on humans yet, since the human skin is five times thicker than mouse skin, and far better at keeping foreign chemicals out. However, if it lives up to its promise, this compound is predicted to be the key in cutting down the rate of skin cancer, known to be the most common cancer in the US. Ultimately, the team explains that they are now looking for a commercial partner to carry out further and a more thorough testing in human trials.