Emma Pezzack
I wrote about this last year on Organic Beauty View when the news first broke, and since then, there’s been a storm of response from the manufacturers of the brands that were listed – all fiercely defending their million dollar investements, as you’d expect them to. According to Cosmetics Design – Europe, tests were conducted by scientists at Rutgers State University of New Jersey, with the study concluding that applying a number of commercially available moisturising creams (Dermabase, Dermovan, Eucerin or Vanicream), to the skin of mice pre-treated with UVB (to make them high risk for skin cancer), increased the rate of tumor formation. Led by Dr Yao-Ping Lu, the team radiated populations of approximately 30 mice with UVB (30mJcm-2) twice a week for 20 weeks in order to predispose them to tumor formation. After the end of the radiation period the mice were treated with 100mg of the creams, once daily, 5 days a week for 17 weeks. The formation and size of tumors were measured throughout the study period before histological characterization of the mouse skin was performed at week 18. At the end of the study, there was a significant increase in both the rate of tumour formation and the total number of tumours.
The findings are being slammed by the likes of Beirsdorf & Pharmaceutical Specialties (among others), both declaring that the results are inconclusive and misleading because the studies were conducted on mice skin, not on humans. Also, the mice skin was irradiated prior, predisposing them to skin cancer anyway. Haven’t we all in our lifetimes been exposed to huge amounts of UVA & UVB (some more than others), so you could argue our skin is also primed for skin cancer if sun exposure has been high? I don’t know about you but I couldn’t give two hoots about whether it was on mice, rat, human or pig skin (my opposition to animal testing not withstanding). ANYTHING, in my mind, that causes an increased risk of skin cancer when exposed to UVB, should be avoided at all costs. The results are not conclusive about what exactly in these moisturizers caused the tumors, however, if you know anyone using these products… please pass this on. Writer :: Emma Pezzack – www.futurenatural.com: the best organic beauty products in the world.
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