Black Raspberries May Protect Skin From Sun Damage

ABC7 ^ | July 10, 2007 | Denise Dador

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Extract Appears to Stop Skin From Swelling Into Sunburn

Scientists are getting closer to figure out how you may be able to reverse sunburn and why women may have thicker skin than men when it comes to the sun. New findings suggest antioxidants have a lot to do with whether you get sunburn or not. The more burns you get, the higher your chance of getting skin cancer.

We all know the importance of sunscreen, but now researchers say a tasty and healthy summertime treat may boost its protection.

Little Lauren is following in her dad's footsteps, although she's starting at the basics.

David Dick wants to make sure his daughter learns one important lesson much sooner than he did: "Use sunscreen if you're going to go out in the sun."

David had two cancerous lesions removed, a result, he says, of too much sun and too little protection.

Now, protection may come from a tasty summer treat: black raspberries.

"And it's like a little lotion that we apply after the animals were exposed to the ultraviolet light," says Ann VanBuskirk, a skin-cancer researcher.

When black-raspberry extract -- which is loaded with antioxidants -- is rubbed on the skin, it appears to stop skin from swelling into a sunburn, and it actually stopped tumors from forming in mice.

"Things that you wouldn't normally expect, like raspberries and skin cancer, who would have ever thought? But it really opens people's minds to alternatives," says F. Jason Duncan, another skin-cancer researcher.

And this new research into antioxidants and sunburns could particularly benefit men.

"Men actually seem to be more sensitive to sunlight but in a different way than women," says cancer researcher Tatiana Oberysyn.

Research in male mice revealed they have much lower cancer-preventing antioxidants in their skin.

"The male mice actually developed tumors about two weeks earlier. They developed more tumors over time. The tumors were larger and also more advanced," says Oberysyn.

Scientists believe this study will translate from mice to men.

And to their daughters.

One lesson that will hopefully last a lifetime.

As for using other berries to help prevent skin cancer, researchers believe almost any berry will have the same anti-inflammatory response.

But don't start rubbing berries on your skin just yet. Scientists say the actual raspberry extract is colorless and doesn't leave a residue.

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