BOSTON — Scientists have developed a drug that can increase pigmentation in human skin without the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. <br /> <br />In a study published in Cell Reports, Dr. David Fisher and other researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) have found a way to trick the skin into producing dark melanin in tests on skin samples and mice. <br /> <br />The study is a follow-up to a 2006 study where Fisher identified the gene largely responsible for the tanning response in skin. <br /> <br />Ultraviolet light causes the skin to tan by damaging it. This starts a chain of chemical reactions in the epidermis that eventually leads to the production of dark melanin, the body’s natural sunblock, according to the BBC. <br /> <br />The drug is applied to the skin and triggers the process of making melanin without the need for UV light. <br /> <br /> <br />After testing their skin-tanning agent on mice, they tested it on samples of human skin in a lab dish, according to Time. The human skin cells darkened as they would have when exposed to sunlight, except without the exposure to UV rays, Time reported. <br /> <br /> <br />According to Fisher, “our real goal is a novel strategy for protecting the skin from UV radiation and cancer. <br /> <br />“Dark pigment is associated with a lower risk of all forms skin cancer — that would be really huge.” <br /> <br />Tests performed in the study have shown the melanin produced by the drug was able to block harmful UV rays, according to BBC. <br /> <br /> <br />The drug still needs to go through more safety testing and is not yet ready for commercial use. <br /> <br />Researchers eventually hope to combine their drug with sunscreen to provide more protection from the sun.
