Osmosis Skincare, a US company, has developed a new form of sunscreen that can actually be consumed, in order to get protection from harmful sunrays and tanning.
About 3.5 million people may be diagnosed with skin cancer each passing year, according to Skin Cancer Foundation, New York.
"The incidence of skin cancer, including melanoma - the deadliest kind - is going up, and wearing sunscreen is one of the best ways to prevent it," CNN News quoted Dr. Ronald Moy, a dermatologist and spokesperson for the Skin Cancer Foundation.
The drinkable sunscreen claims to be the world's first and is currently on sale. The product is still awaiting approval from the Federal Drugs Agency (FDA). The cost of the liquid sunscreen is estimated to be around $30 for a 100 ml bottle and it provides up to three hours of daily protection to consumers, according to Daily Mail.
"If you think your sunscreen is pasty, thick or smelly, you have the wrong kind. It may make you less likely to put it on, or to reapply when you do," Daily Mail quoted Dr. Jeffrey Dover, clinical associate professor of dermatology at Yale University.
Once the product is ingested, the liquid molecules present create vibration on the skin thus removing 97 percent of UVA and UVB rays, said the Osmosis Skincare company.
"If 2 mls are ingested an hour before sun exposure, the frequencies that have been imprinted on water will vibrate on your skin in such a way as to cancel approximately 97% of the UVA and UVB rays before they even hit your skin," Dr Ben Johnson, who founded the Osmosis Skincare company, wrote on his blog, according to Daily Mail.
"This is similar to the amount of UV reflection created by SPF 30 titanium/zinc sunblocks but distinctly better than UVB chemical sunscreens which prevent certain damage that leads to the visible/painful/inflammation reaction we identify as sun damage," he added.
The liquid product is available in two varieties - Tan Enhancing and Non-Tan Enhancing. Tan Enhancing allows consumers to get a tan while protecting themselves from harmful sunrays, stated the company.
The 3.38 ounces bottle can be ingested through an eye-dropper. However, officials from the company noted that the amount to be consumed depends on the height and weight of each individual.
Experts suggest a general rule that the individual out in the Sun should know and should consume accordingly. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15 blocks 93 percent of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97 percent, while SPF 50 prevents 98 percent. Individuals with a family history of skin cancer needs to go for SPF 50 or even 70.
