Could suncream made of coffee really prevent skin cancer?
New research has suggested that suncream made from coffee, chocolate or tea could one day prevent the most common form of skin cancer.
Caffeine products supposedly protect the skin against ultraviolet rays from the sun, according to researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle.
Reportedly caffeine can also reduce the risk of cells becoming cancerous too, with laboratory tests showing it encouraged UV-damaged cells to kill themselves, but leaving healthy cells untouched.
Skin cancer is one of the fastest growing diseases in the UK, with rates of it being found in men quadrupling in the past 25 years. While cases found in women have also tripled.
Past studies in this area have suggested that drinking plenty of coffee can reduce the risk of skin cancer by one third, while animal tests have supported this new research too.
Dr Paul Nghiem, who led the research, said: "These data suggest that topical application of caffeine, perhaps in a sunscreen or after-sun preparation, could be investigated as an approach to minimise or reverse the effects of UV damage in human skin," reports Marie Claire.