Traditional sunscreens may be a thing of the past thanks to new research from scientists at King’s College London.
The UK scientists discovered that when palythine (a type of amino acid) was extracted from seaweed and tested on human cells, this type of amino acid could effectively absorb harmful rays from the sun and protect human skin cells from UV radiation.
The compound is traditionally found in organisms that live in sunlight-rich, shallow-water environments; and unlike conventional sunscreen, palythine showed the ability to protect skin against free radicals linked to cellular damage and photoageing.
Speaking on the study, St John's Institute of Dermatology at King's College doctor, Dr Karl Lawrence, expressed the immense benefits of seaweed as a UV protectant, saying: “It also acts as a potent antioxidant, which is an important property as exposure to solar radiation induces high levels of oxidative stress and this is something not seen in synthetic filters.”
Finally, seaweed-based sun protection could be a meaningful step for the environment, as the UN has expressed that over half of the sunscreens used in Europe are eco-toxic and when washed off could harm marine life.
United Nations Environment Programme member Professor Antony Young spoke on the study from an environmental perspective: “Our data shows that, with further research and development, marine derived sunscreens may be a possible solution that could have a significant positive impact on the health of our marine habitats and wildlife, whilst still providing the essential sun protection that human skin requires to guard against damage that causes diseases such as skin cancer.”
