It turns out that caffeine can reduce your risk of getting skin cancer. Apparently, it reduces the function of a protein called ATR and eliminates precancerous cells. If you drink six cups of coffee a day, you have a thirty percent reduced risk of skin cancer. Does this mean that people should drink more coffee? No, but some doctors are now recommending a cup right before going to the beach. Or, if you prefer, a can of caffeinated soda. However, they are not recommending an increase in caffeine consumption. At Island Dermatology, we do suggest a trip to Starbuck’s before heading to the beach, it might also stop you from falling asleep in the sun. This might be less of a concern for our Seattle dermatology customers than for those in, say, Florida, but even in dreary weather, the suns rays can damage the skin.
Researchers are now looking into the idea that caffeine might be added to sunscreens. It turns out it can help block ultraviolet rays as well as inhibit the development of precancerous cells. So, a little bit of caffeine might go a long way for Seattle dermatology customers. This is today’s dermatology news and, as usual, we are working hard on making sure our customers have the most up to date information on ensuring healthy skin.
