DNA Sunscreen - Increased Protection the Longer You Sunbathe

DNA in the sunscreen protects more effectively the longer you stay in the sunA thin film made of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-material could in the future be a new type of biological UV-filter, replacing the chemical and physical filters used today. In a report published in the distinguished scientific journal Nature [1], the research group shows that the longer the DNA-film is exposed to UV-light, the better it protects. Meaning that, the longer you stay on the beach, the more efficient the sunscreen will be. The DNA-material in question is large water-soluble crystals, which the skin cannot assimilate that forms a thins transparent film on the skin surface. An added bonus is that the film also moisturizes the skin since it is hygroscopic, i.e. enriches moisture and reduces evaporation. We suspect that some might feel a certain hesitation to rub DNA onto the skin, but DNA-material is not the same thing as genes but solely the material that genes are made of, in the same way that muscles are made out of protein. The fact is that DNA as UV-filter is:

  • Natural
  • Non-toxic
  • Biodegradable

The only drawback that we can see with the sunscreen is that it probably disappears quickly when swimming because it is water soluble.

Reference

  1. Gasperini, A.E. et al., Non-ionising UV light increases the optical density of hygroscopic self assembled DNA crystal films. Sci Rep, 2017. 7(1): 6631.

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