Could new sunscreens be developed from melanin itself?

Researchers from McGill University, the Ohio State University and the University of Girona in Spain, announced a major advance in understanding the fundamental structure of melanin and one of its components transforming light into heat, which among other things protects the body from damage caused by the sun. Cosmetics manufacturers have been hoping for several years to create melanin-based sunscreens. The objective is to be able to offer products that come closer and closer to the natural color of the skin, while avoiding the use of chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. Read: Take action with these 3 tips to offer personalized preventive skincare services “A lot of sunscreen on the market right now is made from petroleum-derived chemicals and they can be harmful to the environment, as you can see with the degradation of corals, for example,” says study lead Jean-Philip Lumb, a professor at McGill University. "Having a biodegradable alternative would be a big step forward." However, melanin has been very difficult to study. While we know that melanin absorbs energy from light to transform it into heat, we know very little about its molecular structure and mechanism. “Melanin is extremely difficult to extract, as it is recalcitrant and does not dissolve easily. It has a very complex structure that can be altered when trying to extract it in nature,” says Lumb. He compares it to a Lego box. "We know a little about the shapes in the box, but we don't know exactly how the shapes stick together." Read: Poll: Doctor, what are you most looking forward to about summer? With his team, he created a molecule of synthetic melanin which allowed them to better understand its structure. Thanks to this small molecule, the team was able to discover that the melanin component converts light into heat from all wavelengths—from ultraviolet to infrared—thus providing a broad spectrum of protection. "Our little molecule is green and not brown or black like the melanin found in nature, but it's a start," he says. Indeed, this discovery is only a first step and can serve as a blueprint for other studies looking at the mechanisms of melanin, says Lumb. "We could, for example, start from this small molecule to develop effective sunscreens based on melanin in the future," he says."It's going to take time, because it's quite complex chemistry, but now we have this study to point us to the future." This article has been translated from its original French and first appeared on our sister site Profession Santé.

Could new sunscreens be developed from melanin itself?

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