Category: Sunburns

British Scientist working on new Sunscreen Pills

Scientists in Britain are working on a new sunscreen pill that will protect the people skin and eyes of people for weeks. These scientists are using the same chemicals and technique that is used by coral to protect itself from the harmful ultraviolet rays. If the pills are successfully launched, it will make sunglasses and sunscreen cream unnecessary.

Researchers at King’s College in London have collaborated with US and Australian scientist and have made a breakthrough after studying how the coral from the Great Barrier Reef in Australia uses its own algae to protect itself from harmful UV rays.  The alga produces a compound that is transported to the coral which modifies the compound which benefits both the algae and the coral.

Researchers are of the view that this compound not only protects the corals but also the animals that feed on the coral. The fishes that feed on the coral are also protected from UV rays because the compound is passed to them.

However, these pills are only in the preliminary stages of development and it may be more than five years before the pills are available in the stores. Also, these pills will only be available if they are prescribed by the doctor. These will not be sold as Over-The Counter (OTC) pills as overdose of these pills can cause vitamin D deficiency.

Study shows that wine can reduce skin and sun burn damage

According to a study conducted by Spanish National Research Council and University of Barcelona, drinking wine can reduce skin damage due to sun burn. According to researchers, wine has compounds that can help in protecting the skin from sun damage.

One of the main ingredients use to make wine is grapes that is known to contain Flavonoids which protects the skin from ultraviolet radiation. Flavonoids help in preventing chemical reaction that is known to kill skin cells. When the skin is exposed to harmful UV rays, the reactive oxygen species get activated in the body that oxidize the DNA and lipids in the body. These produce enzymes that kill skin cells by disturbing the important cellular functions of the body. Flavinoids present in grapes decrease the formation of reactive oxygen species in the body which helps in preventing skin damage.

The research team was led by Marta Cascante who concluded that when people drink wine, the flavonoids present in wine protect the skin from sun damage. Marta believes that these findings will help skin cream companies in developing better products that help in protecting the skin from sun damage.