Will Sunscreen Become A Thing Of The Past?

Filed Under: Beauty Buzz

Australian scientists seem to have found a cure to the common sunburn!

After 19 years of research and development, Aussie company Clinuvel has come up with Afamelanotide, a drug which mimics the body's natural defense system against UV rays and actually makes patients tan without sunlight.

The way it works is that the drug implanted in a person's waist on a rice-sized implant. Then, the drug stimulates eumelanin, a dark pigmentation which defends skin cells from sunlight, and activates a layer of melanin between a person's dermis and UV radiation. In doing so, the patient's skin is not only protected, but also develops a deep tan which can last up to sixty days.

Wow!

There is bad news, though. The drug is not for everyone, but rather, has been developed specifically for people with a skin condition called EPP, which causes extreme sensitivity to the sun. People with EPP blister and burn from just everyday levels of sunlight. Essentially, they are allergic to the sun.

Doctors are adamantly insisting that the drug is not for the general public and should only be used by those with the skin condition - if used without good reason, the drug could cause immune and cardiovascular damage.

Dr. Phillipe Wolgen of Clinuvel says,

"After years of development and managing uncertainty in drug development, we are approaching our objectives. Our primary goal is to develop a safe preventative drug with a positive impact on the lives of EPP patients. It is conceivable that others with severe skin diseases affected by light may also benefit from afamelanotide. We are pioneers in developing a pharmaceutical answer to shield the skin from UV. Gradually the medical community is responding in a positive fashion as the clinical experiences from patients on the worldwide trials come through."

We still see this as good news for everyone: with time and research, we have a hunch it won't be long before a pharmaceutical company opts to capitalize on the drug and put it to safe use for everyone.

Until then, congrats on the happy news for EPP sufferers!

[Image via AP Images.]

Posted: December 26, 2009 at 10:00 am