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Avoiding sunburn reduces risk of skin and other cancers

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There’s oodles of science, testing and thinking that goes into skin care. And with summer approaching, we’ll be encouraged to get out in the sun and enjoy all the benefits of the outdoors along with all the precautions for our skin. Usually, there’s a suggestion as to what SPF levels to apply. Yet, Dr. Moondust, founder and primary biochemist of Moondust Cosmetics® Ltd., still found no truly protective suncare products in the market. She saw SPF did not address the issue of apoptotic sunburn (scientific sunburn) so she developed her novel approach to solve her own skin’s painful reactions to sun and sunburns. It included the parameter of APF (Apoptosis Protection Factor) and thus was created the formulation of the pleasant and easy to apply Moondust sunscreen –Sun Protector Plus (SPP)!  

Moondust’s suncare product is part of her larger efforts studying skin health, and especially skin cancer. A British journal just published a review of her research on the subject. You can read it all here . It brings together skin care, the skin cancer connection, apoptosis (don’t worry it’s a good thing), the Human Sunburn Cycle and more. 

Ready for your season of sun after this pandemic winter? Let’s speed things up and share the highlights of the post that is entitled:  Alternative causes of cancer: The relationship between cancer and apoptosis          

The article references our Dr. Moondust – Dr Chanda Siddoo-Atwal, biochemist and cancer biologist with a specific interest in the mechanisms that lead to cancer. Her research has centred on skin cancer and the need for effective novel sunscreens to protect against the development of UV-radiation induced skin cancer. 

Why is ‘cancer’ mentioned so often along with skin care in the sun?   

Globally, cancer is the second leading cause of death so in 2018 for example it accounted for 1 in 6 deaths. Skin cancer is diagnosed in one in every three cases of cancer. We can expect an increase due to climate change impacting the protective ozone layer around the Earth and allowing more UV radiation from the sun to reach the Earth’s surface. 

“Dr Siddoo-Atwal’s new cancer theory suggests that following exposure to a specific carcinogen (cancer causing agent), an initial increased rate of apoptosis can trigger carcinogenesis.” Our key here is apoptosis. 

Apoptosis is a ‘programmed cell death’. The process removes damaged or defective cells by the body’s immune cells, thus making space for new cells and removing cells that are only required for tasks temporarily. Links between apoptosis and known carcinogens have been demonstrated for agricultural pesticides, mycotoxins, heavy metals and several different types of radiation, with many more studies ongoing. 

Her new theory to explain why some cancers don’t fit previously held views about how they grow etc. is a  tad technical, but still readable if you love science details. You might have seen apoptosis or useful cell death if you’ve read posts about your food plans, fasting and ways to enjoy health and longevity.  

What’s important now for your sun time is: The human sunburn cycle 

While the skin naturally and regularly sheds dead skin cells and replaces them with new healthy skin cells –Dr. Moondust wanted to observe what happens to living cells during sun exposure. She noticed that sunscreen protected her from the redness and inflammation caused by sunburn, but that she still experienced some skin peeling or apoptosis. This led her to learn more about the ‘human sunburn cycle’. She believes that this cycle, lasting around 7 days in length, can be divided into three stages: inflammation, new tissue formation and apoptosis.   

The initial inflammatory stage involves the reddening of the skin following sun exposure; this stage lasts around 2-3 days. Next, formation of new skin is stimulated below the surface of the skin (although we cannot see this phase). Finally, the top layer of dead skin cells sloughs off to reveal the new layer of tissue below. 

What her findings mean for your fun in the sun, or work outdoors 

After carrying out case studies on herself and other volunteer subjects, Dr Siddoo-Atwal concluded that a combination of zinc oxide and melanin, in her newly developed sunscreen would protect against apoptotic sunburn, which is directly linked to skin cancer. Zinc oxide has a long history of use as an FDA approved ingredient in UVA/UVB sun protection. Melanin is a naturally occurring skin pigment, made by specialist skin cells called melanocytes. Some people make more melanin than others, and higher levels of melanin may help protect the skin from UV radiation. It is already used in some sunscreens to maximise the tanning process, which is a distinct physiological process from sunburn. 

How the tube you tote along and use is part of future science of sun care and cancer fighting  

“Understanding more about underlying mechanisms of cancer may lead to novel treatment strategies, as well as screening and diagnostic procedures.” 

Now you know how Moondust Cosmetics® sun care products came to be from genuine and immediate personal need to combat ‘apoptotic sunburn’, and its part in the service of science for our beauty and our life long health and safety in the sun that Dr. Moondust brings with her dedicated professional expertise.      

Of course there is much more – ongoing dedication, studies, books and papers presented at conferences some of which you can see on the website. Her work explores novel approaches for assessing cancer risk, based on the relationship between apoptosis and cancer, and the carcinogenic potential of a variety of components, including those mentioned above. 

For more info on the fun side of sun time check out the posts with tips on the Moondust website Connect with us virtually, any time.  

Book reference;    Siddoo-Atwal, C. (2017). A New Approach to Cancer Risk Assessment: An Overview. Lambert Academic Publishing, Maritius. ISBN: 978-6202022262 

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