Wrinkled Face Less Likely to Develop Cancer
Wrinkles can make you look old and ugly – the reason why people hate them. But did you know that they can protect you from cancer too?
That's what scientists at Manchester University in England are saying after studying the relationship between wrinkles and skin cancer. The results are surprising: they found that heavy wrinkling shielded people from the dreaded disease.
Researchers arrived at this conclusion after studying 118 white people aged over 50. They observed that those with heavy wrinkles were 90 percent less likely to develop basal cell carcinoma (BCC) – the most common form of skin cancer. Their findings were published in the Archives of Dermatology.
The Skin Cancer Foundation said there are about a million new BCC cases a year in the United States alone. While it is easy to treat when detected early, 5 to 10 percent of BCCs don't respond to treatment and can be difficult to eliminate. Unlike other cancers, however, BCC is usually not life-threatening.
"Because basal cell carcinomas often take decades to develop, they once occurred almost exclusively in older adults. In recent years, though, the tumors have become much more common in younger people and are increasing every year among adults of all ages," according to the Mayo Clinic.
Although most cases of BCC (and wrinkles) are caused by prolonged or intense exposure to the sun, the disease was not found in people with plenty of wrinkles. Somehow, the presence of wrinkles protected one from BCC.
"Professor Christopher Griffiths, the dermatologist who led the study, said the reasons for wrinkled people apparently being protected against BCC were not clear. However, the explanation could lie in how the skin repaired itself," said James Chapman in the Daily Mail.
"Dr John Ashworth of Hope Hospital, Manchester, a skin cancer expert, said the finding was unexplained, but some people might have a gene that predisposed them to wrinkles while also protecting them from sunshine," Chapman added.
But Griffiths cautioned sun worshippers from using his study as an excuse to stay under the sun longer than necessary. Until there is a clear explanation for this phenomenon, he said avoiding the sun will reduce your chances of developing BCC and other cancers.
"Most BCCs are caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight. Avoiding the sun as much as possible is the best protection. Sunscreen is an important part of a sun-safety program," the Mayo Clinic concluded.
To reduce those ugly wrinkles caused by the sun, smoking or aging, try Dermaxin, a safe and natural Botox alternative that penetrates the skin quickly to deliver dramatic and visible results. For more information, go to http://www.dermaxin.com.
That's what scientists at Manchester University in England are saying after studying the relationship between wrinkles and skin cancer. The results are surprising: they found that heavy wrinkling shielded people from the dreaded disease.
Researchers arrived at this conclusion after studying 118 white people aged over 50. They observed that those with heavy wrinkles were 90 percent less likely to develop basal cell carcinoma (BCC) – the most common form of skin cancer. Their findings were published in the Archives of Dermatology.
The Skin Cancer Foundation said there are about a million new BCC cases a year in the United States alone. While it is easy to treat when detected early, 5 to 10 percent of BCCs don't respond to treatment and can be difficult to eliminate. Unlike other cancers, however, BCC is usually not life-threatening.
"Because basal cell carcinomas often take decades to develop, they once occurred almost exclusively in older adults. In recent years, though, the tumors have become much more common in younger people and are increasing every year among adults of all ages," according to the Mayo Clinic.
Although most cases of BCC (and wrinkles) are caused by prolonged or intense exposure to the sun, the disease was not found in people with plenty of wrinkles. Somehow, the presence of wrinkles protected one from BCC.
"Professor Christopher Griffiths, the dermatologist who led the study, said the reasons for wrinkled people apparently being protected against BCC were not clear. However, the explanation could lie in how the skin repaired itself," said James Chapman in the Daily Mail.
"Dr John Ashworth of Hope Hospital, Manchester, a skin cancer expert, said the finding was unexplained, but some people might have a gene that predisposed them to wrinkles while also protecting them from sunshine," Chapman added.
But Griffiths cautioned sun worshippers from using his study as an excuse to stay under the sun longer than necessary. Until there is a clear explanation for this phenomenon, he said avoiding the sun will reduce your chances of developing BCC and other cancers.
"Most BCCs are caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight. Avoiding the sun as much as possible is the best protection. Sunscreen is an important part of a sun-safety program," the Mayo Clinic concluded.
To reduce those ugly wrinkles caused by the sun, smoking or aging, try Dermaxin, a safe and natural Botox alternative that penetrates the skin quickly to deliver dramatic and visible results. For more information, go to http://www.dermaxin.com.
