An Ingredient Missing In Sunscreens And Anti-Ageing Creams Limits Their Protection: Study

Sunscreen missing ingredient: If the rich source of natural photoprotection is added to sunscreens, our skin will be protected from the damaging effects of the Sun to a much greater extent. 

Representative image of Sunscreens | Credit: Getty Images

New Delhi: An important ingredient missing from all sunscreens and anti-ageing creams limits their protection, a new study has found. If the rich source of natural photoprotection is added to sunscreens and anti-ageing creams, our skin will be protected from the damaging effects of the Sun to a much greater extent. 

What Is Photoprotection?

Photoprotection is the biochemical process which helps organisms cope with molecular damage caused by sunlight. In other words, it is the protection against the harmful effects of sunlight, especially ultraviolet light. 

Photoprotection is indicated on sunscreens for reduction of ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced skin damage and skin cancers.

The findings of the study, conducted by researchers at University of Bath in the United Kingdom, were recently published in the journal Antioxidants. 

What Are Photoageing And Photocarcinogenesis?

The study focuses on sun-related skin ageing. The damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation include photoageing and photocarcinogenesis. Photoageing is the phenomenon in which the Sun prematurely damages the skin, and can lead to skin cancer. The changes to the skin are induced by chronic ultraviolet radiation exposure. Two types of ultraviolet light are proven to contribute to the risk for skin cancer. These are: Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB).

UVA has a longer wavelength, and is associated with skin ageing, while UVB has a shorter wavelength and is associated with skin burning. 

Photocarcinogenesis is a complex multistage process in which the events, initiated by ultraviolet radiation of appropriate wavelength, lead to the occurrence of skin cancer.

Which Ingredient Is Missing In Sunscreens?

According to the study, a class of antioxidants, commonly found in nature, is the missing ingredient in sunscreens and anti-ageing creams. Antioxidants protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals, and prevent or delay some types of cell damage.  Free radicals are a type of unstable molecule, and together with free iron, cause skin damage. 

The antioxidant molecules described in the study eliminate excess iron in cells, experiments have shown. This helps cells maintain a healthy level of free radicals.

How Will The Missing Ingredient Protect Skin From The Sun?

In a statement issued by University of Bath, Dr Charareh Pourzand, the lead author of the study, said that by including these potent antioxidants in skin-care products and sunscreen formulations, and therefore trapping free iron, one can expect to get an "unprecedented level of protection from the Sun."

It has been known for some time that iron deposits promote the appearance of ageing. The latest study is different because it highlights the interplay between free iron and free radicals in the skin. 

Dr Pourzand noted in the study that skin-care manufacturers should look more closely at opportunities to include iron-trapping extracts in their products. 

Where Can The Ingredient Be Obtained From?

Scientists in the Bath lab have already identified a number of iron-trapping natural extracts, which include several classes of bacterial, fungal, and marine-based compounds. Extracts from certain vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, bark, and flowers have also been identified. 

According to Dr Pourzand, more research is needed for any of these extracts to be fit for commercial purpose.

Dr Pourzand explained that though the antioxidants the researchers have identified work well in laboratory conditions, they do not necessarily remain stable once they have been added to a cream. She added that these extracts come from plants, and environmental factors affect their stability and long-term effectiveness. 

She said that anything from the season in which the extracts are grown, soil type, latitude, and time of harvest can change the strength by which they neutralise free radicals and work as iron traps.

Dr Pourzand further said that what is needed now is for the bioactive (substance having a biological effect) chemicals in the extracts to be standardised. Once that has happened, the chemicals can and should be added to products designed to protect the skin from ageing, she said.

How Do Sunscreens Available In The Market Work?

According to the study, the sunscreens available in the market today are designed to either block or absorb ultraviolet rays. By doing so, the sunscreens lower the number of free radicals created on the skin.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that cause skin damage and ageing, in a process known as oxidative stress, and can cause harm by damaging DNA and other cell components, which sometimes results in death.

How Can Sun-Care And Anti-Ageing Formulations Improve?

According to the authors, what has not been considered in sun-care and anti-ageing formulations is the role of iron, both in damaging skin directly when it interacts with ultraviolet radiation, and in amplifying the damage caused by free radicals.

Dr Pourzand asserted that this needs to change, and formulations need to adapt and improve.

According to the study, the antioxidant compounds identified by the researchers have the ability to protect the skin against both chronological ageing and sun-mediated ageing, known as photoageing. Chronological ageing is the natural decline in skin texture that comes with age.

What Harm Can Excess Iron Cause To Cells?

It is true that the body needs iron to function properly. However, too much or too little iron is dangerous or even deadly to the cells. Human cells, in order to protect themselves from the danger posed by high amounts of iron, have a well-developed system for adjusting excess iron when it builds up. This brings the iron back to a state of balance, known as homeostasis. However, this balance is disrupted in the presence of sunlight, leading to skin damage, ageing, and sometimes cancer. 

Sometimes, iron levels may fall out of balance as a result of chronological ageing. This happens especially in women after the menopause, implying that older people, particularly women, are more vulnerable than others to the ravaging effects of the Sun.