A number of widely available  studies have shown that many of the popular sunscreens could contribute to cancer due to the fact that they create free radicals. The chemicals in sunscreens can also cause skin irritation and rashes.  Even more alarming is the fact that often these sunscreens contain chemicals that could disrupt normal sexual development and cause reproductive problems.

Because benzophenone is one of the best chemicals in protecting against both UVA and UVB rays it has been included a variety of sunscreen products.  Yet, this has been proven to not be a wise choice and in the case of certain sunscreens may create more harm than good and actually cause the disease it’s trying to prevent. Benzophenone is a powerful free radical generator activated by ultraviolet light.  These free radicals could trigger a reaction that may ultimately lead to melanoma and other skin cancers.  It has been shown to be harmless in the dark but dangerously mutagenic in the sunlight attacking DNA directly.

Studies show that some of the chemicals in sunscreens are absorbed into the bloodstream in significant amounts. The longer amount of time the sunscreen chemicals are sitting on the skin, the greater the absorption into the body. One study suggests “it would be prudent not to apply oxybenzone (or benzophenone) to large surface areas of skin for extended and repeated periods of time, unless no alternative protection is available. There may be an additional concern for young children who have less well-developed processes of elimination, and have a larger surface area per body weight than adults.”

Principal investigator Dr. Robert Modlin, chief of dermatology and professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA said, “Acne affects millions of people, yet we have few treatments that are both safe and effective. Harnessing a virus that naturally preys on the bacteria that causes pimples could offer a promising new tool against the physical and emotional scars of severe acne.”

In their examination, the doctors in the study looked closely at two microbes that are similar in name and function: Propionibacterium acnes, a bacterium living in our pores that can trigger acne; and P. acnes phages, a family of viruses that live on human skin. The viruses are harmless to humans, but they can serve a beneficial role as well to infect and kill the aforementioned P. acnes bacteria.

When P. acnes bacteria irritate the immune system, it causes the swollen, red bumps associated with acne. Most effective acne treatments work by reducing the number of P. acnes bacteria on the skin.

To test their hypotheses the scientists used over-the-counter pore cleansing strips purchased from the drugstore.  The researchers lifted acne bacteria and the P. acnes viruses from the noses of both zitty and clear-skinned test subjects.

When the team “sequenced” the bacteriophages’  (or viruses that infect bacteria) genomes, they learned that the viruses possess multiple facets – like small size, limited diversity and the broad ability to kill their hosts – that make them perfect candidates for the development of a new anti-acne treatment.

“Our findings provide valuable insights into acne and the bacterium that causes it,” observed corresponding author Graham Hatfull, Eberly Family Professor of Biotechnology, professor of biological sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute researcher. “The lack of genetic diversity among the phages that attack the acne bacterium implies that viral-based strategies may help control this distressing skin disorder.”

“Phages are programmed to target and kill specific bacteria, so P. acnes phages will attack only P. acnes bacteria, but not others like E. coli,” added Marinelli. “This trait suggests that they offer strong potential for targeted therapeutic use.”

Acne is so prevalent that it affects almost 90 percent of people at some point in their lifetime, but scientists truly know very little about what causes the disorder and have made minimal progress in recent years in developing new strategies for treating it. Dermatologists’ arsenal of anti-acne tools — benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics and Accutane – hasn’t expanded in decades.

“Antibiotics such as tetracycline are so widely used that many acne strains have developed resistance, and drugs like Accutane, while effective, can produce risky side effects, limiting their use,” explained coauthor Dr. Jenny Kim, director of the UCLA Clinic for Acne, Rosacea and Aesthetics. “Acne can dramatically disfigure people and undermine their self-esteem, especially in teens. We can change patients’ lives with treatment. It’s time we identified a new way to safely treat the common disorder.”

Source

Another company offers even more groundbreaking customization by its ability to utilize one’s own stem cells to create a customized skin care solution. The company, based in New Jersey, is called Personal Cell Sciences and features an Autokin-CM blend in each of its products.  The Autokin-CM blend is unique to each person as it is comprised mainly of stem cells collected from the fatty tissues of an individual through a mini-lipo procedure.  These cells can then be used to help repair tissue and eventually repair damaged skin.  The beauty of this process is that it only needs to happen once and then the collected stem cells can be cryogenically stored for future use in the personalized formulations.  According to the company, there are other firms that claim to use stem cells in the production of their products but Personal Cell Sciences is the only one who extracts actual samples from the customer for use in its formulations.  The Personal Cell Sciences’ products fall under the name brand of “U Autologous Adult Stem Cell” and are offered as a serum, moisturizer, and eye cream.

My questions:  Is this something any of you would try or trust?  Do you think these products actually work or are they simply “hype”?

Companies referenced:  Codage, Personal Cell Sciences

Maurizio Battino, leading researcher from Italy’s Universita Politecnica delle Marche explains: “We have verified the protecting effect of strawberry extract against damage to skins cells caused by UVA rays.”

The research team prepared fibroblasts (human skin cell) cultures, and added strawberry extract concentrations of 0.05, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml to all but the control extract culture, before exposing them to ultraviolet light, which, according to Battino was, “equivalent to 90 minutes of midday summer sun in the French Riviera.”

The results showed that compared with the control cells, the UVA exposed fibroblasts with added strawberry extract have photoprotective properties and increase cell survival as well as viability, whilst reducing DNA damage.

According to Battino, “These aspects are of great importance as they provide protection for cell lines subject to conditions that can provoke cancer and other skin-related inflammatory and degenerative illnesses. It is the first step in determining the beneficial effects of strawberries in our diet or as a possible compound source for ‘food integrators’ or cosmetics for instance.”

So why do researchers think the Strawberry is so helpful in blocking the sun’s ultraviolet radiation?  They believe that anthocyanins are responsible for strawberries’ photoprotective properties, since other analyses have confirmed that extracts are rich in these types of items.  Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments that may appear red, purple, or blue depending on the acidity level.  They are present in plant parts such as the leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits and provide the strawberries with their red color.
Sara Tulipani from Barcelona University explains further and tempers the researchers’  findings by stating:

“These compounds have important anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor properties and are capable of modulating enzymatic processes,” adding that “we have not yet found a direct relationship between their presence and photoprotective properties. At the moment the results act as the basis for future studies evaluating the ‘bioavailability’ and ‘bioactivity’ of anthocyanins in the dermis and epidermis layers of the human skin, whether by adding them to formulations for external use or by ingesting the fruit itself.”

According to the company, app uses a recommendation engine called “Just Like Me” to find skincare products for you in “a personalized, scientific, and unbiased way.”

First, you’ll take a skin assessment consisting of questions about your skin type, diet, lifestyle factors and any other skin concerns which will help build a profile that the app can use to help find the most beneficial skin care product(s) for you.  Upon completion of this phase, the app will provide recommendations from its database of over 160,000 skin care products.  These product are from various retailers and manufacturers.

Next, the app lets you track the products you have used in the past in order to build a rich history which can be shared with others facing similar skin care dilemmas or issues.  There is a also a Wishlist included with the mySkin app as well as the ability to find friends to see what they are currently using and to participate in question and answer sessions with other users.

Finally, the company states that “the recommendation engine is powered by patent pending technology developed by leading dermatologists, plastic surgeons and cosmetic pharmacologists.”

Official list of application features:
* Check if a skincare product would work for your skin before buying
* Track skincare products you’ve used and share your experiences
* Build your skincare Wishlist to take to store or purchase online
* Get answers to your skincare questions, from a trusted and savvy skincare community
* Find your friends, see what they use, and follow skincare experts and mavens
* And more!

Get the mySkin iPhone App – Link

Professor Andrew Mills and Dr Michael McFarlane of the University who invented the device will be retained by Intellego as consultants.  They found a great demand for such a warning device because too much exposure to damaging UV rays can lead to malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.  Worldwide studies put the number of cases of melanoma at 200,000 in 2008.

“We are very excited about the UV dosimeter technology and we look forward to developing it further and commercializing it,” said Mr Lindahl said.

Fiona Strang, Commercialization Manager with the University of Strathclyde’s Research & Knowledge Exchange Services is excited for the collaboration between the University and the corporate world.  “Strathclyde has a strong track record of developing technology which goes on to have a significant global impact in health, engineering, technology and energy.

“The sunburn monitor is the latest example of this innovation. It will make a significant contribution to public health as an affordable, fashionable device which enables people to enjoy the benefits of the sun while at the same time keeping them alert to the risks of overexposure.”

As the risks of sunburn elevates, the monitor works by changing color drastically from yellow to pink.  The change in color is due to an acid-release agent which picks up ultraviolet light and a dye which responds to pH levels in the indicator. When the agent becomes decomposed by the sunlight it changes colors rapidly, thus indicating it might be time to get out of the sun or to reapply sun protection.

Source:  PR Link

The study’s head researcher, Philippe Autier, who also serves as director of the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon, France offers a stern admonishment:  “Indoor UV tanning devices are real carcinogenic devices, and people should be advised not to attend indoor tanning parlors or to buy them for private use.”

For this reason, the usage of tanning beds has been made illegal in Brazil and New South Wales and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering a ban as well for anyone under the age of 18.  Autier said that the movement against indoor tanning is also gaining momentum in France.

Study co-author Mathieu Boniol, who is also from the International Prevention Research Institute, added that “as the use of these devices produces no positive effect to health, it is now in the hands of policy makers to decide how to manage, minimize or remove this risk.”

According to the researchers, since the use of tanning beds is relatively new and there is need for more research, unfortunately the risk might be even greater.

Dr. Jeffrey C. Salomon, an assistant clinical professor of plastic surgery at Yale University School of Medicine, said that “this study validates the previous studies and adds new risks to the ever growing knowledge of the downside of tanning beds.”

Parents should not only be concerned about their children using tanning beds, they should avoid using these devices themselves, he said.

Salomon said, “Tanning beds are worse than the sun for risk of melanoma based on these results.  The risks from tanning beds are real, the untoward results can be dire, and the ultimate solution may require total prohibition.”

Michael Sabel, M.D., associate professor of surgery at the U-M Medical School, the lead physician involved in developing the app said, “Whole body photography is a well-established resource for following patients at risk for melanoma. However, it requires a professional photographer, is not always covered by insurance, and can be an inconvenience. Now that many people have digital cameras on their phones, it’s more feasible to do this at home.”

Skin cancer is more prevalent than ever with more than 2 million Americans diagnosed with it each year.  Melanoma cases, the most lethal form of skin cancer, now number around 50,000.  Many of these cases could have been diagnosed even earlier with self checks like those provided by this the UM SkinCheck app.

Basically, the apps presents user with a gallery of 23 photos which encompass the body, head to toe.  Photos are saved within the app for later retrieval and comparison.  The app will even let users set a reminder to prompt them to perform another self-exam.

If one of the images reveals changes or abnormal growth, then that particular photo or set of photos can be shared with a dermatologist to aid in determining whether a biopsy is required.

Dr. Sabel concludes, “We recommend skin self-exams for everyone in order to detect skin cancer at the earliest stages, when treatment is less invasive and more successful. If you have fair skin or burn easily, have had sunburns in the past or used tanning beds, or have a family history of melanoma, you are considered high-risk, and so it’s even more important.”

UMSkinCheck on iTunes - Link

Lead author of the study, Jiali Han, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, says, “Most likely, the protective effect is due to caffeine.”  People in the study who drank decaffeinated coffee did not appear to have a lower risk of developing the skin cancer.

One thing researchers recommend is that people should not increase their sun exposure because they drink more coffee and are seemingly protected.  They should still abide by the rules of applying and re-applying sunscreen during times in the outdoors.

“I would hope that people would not decide to spend a lot more time in the sun because they are drinking coffee,” said Lorelei Mucci, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, who was not involved in the study. “There is a lot more about the prevention of BCC that we need to understand,” Mucci said.

The study gathered data from 113,000 health care professionals and nurses to form its pool of participants.  Over the 20-year study, 22,786 participants developed basal cell carcinoma, while 1,953 developed squamous cell carcinoma and 741 participants developed melanoma.

Researchers found that the helpful effects of caffeine were also seen in those who consumed chocolate, tea or caffeinated sodas.  Coffee just happens to be the drink whereby the majority (78.5%) of study participants received their caffeine doses.

Interestingly enough, the caffeine did not seem to have an effect on the deadliest form of cancer, melanoma.  Nor did it seem to effect those who developed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).  Researchers like Han are quick to point out that this might be attributed to the fact that there were not many case of those types of cancers reported, so the true effect of caffeinated coffee on them is still unknown.

Han said, “In another 10 years or more, it may be clearer whether caffeine also helps stave off these other types of skin cancer.”

The researchers stated that BBzP is used in vinyl flooring, artificial leather and other materials, and can be released into the air.  Other common sources of BBzP include nail polish and nail enamel.  According to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, “BBP is added to plastics, particularly PVC. These plastics used to make a variety of products, such as flooring tiles, car trims and dashboards, artificial leather and conveyer belts. It is also added to some adhesives.”

Study author Allan Just, a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in a news release from Columbia University where the study was conducted that “While hereditary factors, allergens and exposure to tobacco smoke are known to contribute to the condition, our study is the first to show that prenatal exposure to BBzP is a risk factor.”

The study, which was based on measuring “urine concentrations of BBzP during the third trimester of pregnancy for more than 400 black and Dominican women living in New York City,” found that “children of mothers exposed to higher concentrations of the chemical were 52 percent more likely to develop eczema by age two.”

Researchers are unsure how BBzP can cause the eczema symptoms to appear.  In order to rule out possible allergies among the children, they were tested for three common household allergens:  cockroaches, dust mites and mice.  Their results did not indicate there was a link between BBzP exposure and allergies.

Senior study author Dr. Rachel Miller, an associate professor of medicine and environmental health sciences at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, said in the news release, “We know allergies are a factor with some childhood eczema, but our data suggests that is not the case when BBzP is involved. However, these are important findings, given that eczema is a common and uncomfortable disease of early childhood.”