Given the breadth of fields which affect, and are affected by, photoprotection, there is constantly new research being published which is of interest and importance to the field. It’s impossible to cover it all; however we do try to give light to some of the more prominent or quirky developments through the blog and twitter.
Here’s a quick overview of some of the most recent published research:
• Blue and red have been shown to be the most effective garment colours for providing photoprotection from UV to skin
• A group from Sweden have shown that pigment cells can be formed from different cells than those previously assumed responsible
• A team of Australian scientists have seen promising results in animal models for a new method of melanoma detection which may be able to find smaller tumours earlier than traditional methods
• Radioactive skin patches could be used as a treatment for Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) skin cancer
• Tick cancer is being investigated in Brazil as a possible cure for skin, liver and pancreatic cancers
• Ripe bananas, which glow blue under UV light, may provide key clues in assisting our understanding of cellular behaviour (including cancer)
• Vitamin C has been linked to better protection and skin cell regeneration in humans
• Photodynamic therapy has been highlighted as a potential treatment for BCC of the eyelid
