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'Super Melanin' Heals Skin Injuries From Sunburn, Chemical Burns

posted by hubie on Sunday November 12 2023, @01:10AM   Printer-friendly
from the Medicine dept.
Science

taylorvich writes:

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-11-super-melanin-skin-injuries-sunburn.html

Imagine a skin cream that heals damage occurring throughout the day when your skin is exposed to sunlight or environmental toxins. That's the potential of a synthetic, biomimetic melanin developed by scientists at Northwestern University.

In a new study, the scientists show that their synthetic melanin, mimicking the natural melanin in human skin, can be applied topically to injured skin, where it accelerates wound healing. These effects occur both in the skin itself and systemically in the body.

When applied in a cream, the synthetic melanin can protect skin from sun exposure and heals skin injured by sun damage or chemical burns, the scientists said. The technology works by scavenging free radicals, which are produced by injured skin such as a sunburn. Left unchecked, free radical activity damages cells and ultimately may result in skin aging and skin cancer.

The study, titled "Topical Application of Synthetic Melanin Promotes Tissue Repair," is published Nov. 2 in npj Regenerative Medicine.

Melanin in humans and animals provides pigmentation to the skin, eyes and hair. The substance protects your cells from sun damage with increased pigmentation in response to sunlight—a process commonly referred to as tanning. That same pigment in your skin also naturally scavenges free radicals in response to damaging environmental pollution from industrial sources and automobile exhaust fumes.

Journal Reference:
Biyashev, D., Siwicka, Z.E., Onay, U.V. et al. Topical application of synthetic melanin promotes tissue repair. npj Regen Med 8, 61 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41536-023-00331-1

Original Submission

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  • (Score: 1, Troll) by melyan on Sunday November 12 2023, @01:29AM (1 child)

    by melyan (14385) on Sunday November 12 2023, @01:29AM (#1332568) Journal

    how much of the stuff can they extract from your mom?

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 12 2023, @04:31AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 12 2023, @04:31AM (#1332577)

      I thought Super Melania was going to be a Trump story . . .

  • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 12 2023, @02:27AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 12 2023, @02:27AM (#1332572)

    That's about how long it will take before the word "melanin" starts appearing in adverts for skin cream...

  • (Score: 2) by looorg on Sunday November 12 2023, @02:43AM (3 children)

    by looorg (578) on Sunday November 12 2023, @02:43AM (#1332573)

    How much can you glob on before the colour of your skin starts to turn darker? Large sections of the world population might not want or like that, for various reasons. Still if it cures or protects against skin cancer and other skin related injuries ...

  • (Score: 2) by Barenflimski on Sunday November 12 2023, @04:45AM (1 child)

    by Barenflimski (6836) on Sunday November 12 2023, @04:45AM (#1332578)

    I can't wait to go burn in the sun all day carefree like a child and then just melanin myself up after a soak in the hot tub.

    Margaritas, melanin and bikinis for the win!

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by pTamok on Sunday November 12 2023, @03:17PM (1 child)

    by pTamok (3042) on Sunday November 12 2023, @03:17PM (#1332606)

    People have a tendency to think that (dietary) anti-oxidants are an unalloyed good, and the same feeling covers other anti-oxidants.

    Things are more complicated than that. Your body generates free radicals in proper functioning of the immune system and as part of generating the benefits exercise. Studies also show that anti-oxidant supplements don't generate the benefits people expect.

    Harvard Medical School: Understanding antioxidants [harvard.edu]

    While free radicals are damaging by their very nature, they are an inescapable part of life. The body generates free radicals in response to environmental insults, such as tobacco smoke, ultraviolet rays, and air pollution, but they are also a natural byproduct of normal processes in cells. When the immune system musters to fight intruders, for example, the oxygen it uses spins off an army of free radicals that destroy viruses, bacteria, and damaged body cells in an oxidative burst. Some normal production of free radicals also occurs during exercise. This appears to be necessary in order to induce some of the beneficial effects of regular physical activity, such as sensitizing your muscle cells to insulin.

    I'm not saying that the research is wrong or misguided, but just saying that bathing yourself in artificial antioxidants might not be an unalloyed good. This is why research is needed.

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