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Moisturizers have been found to raise the risk of skin cancer in mice, leading many experts to wonder if the same could be true for human beings.
Moisturizers are sold to the tune of millions of dollars every year, as they aid people to soothe the effects of dry skin.
For their study the researchers exposed hairless mice to UV radiation in order to invoke skin cancer. They then applied 4 different brands of skin moisturizers, 5 days a week for a total of 17 weeks.
The moisturizers that were used were Dermabase, Dermovan, Vanicream and Eucerin Original Moisturizing Cream.
Mice that received skin moisturizer treatment showed an increased level of tumor formation compared to those who did not receive treatment.
“These creams we tested have tumorigenic [tumor-causing capability] activities,” said lead researcher Allan H. Conney, from the university’s Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research.
But, he added, “I need to emphasize that what we have done is only in mice. We don’t know what the implications are for humans. But it does raise a red flag that this is something that should be considered.”
The study is published in the Aug. 14 issue of theJournal of Investigative Dermatology.
