Word: pathak
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...melanin, the skin pigment that absorbs the sun's ultraviolet rays. The black mark against Bergasol, say other doctors, is that it contains the chemical psoralen, extracted from citrus oil. In animal tests at Harvard Medical School, high doses of psoralen caused skin cancer. Still, says Harvard Dermatologist Madua Pathak, Bergasol also contains sunscreen, which reduces UV absorption and cuts the risk to humans to acceptable levels. Harvard Colleague Robert Stern is not so sure. Says he: "I don't believe that using the agent is safe...
Like X rays, UV radiation can alter cell DNA, producing the mutations associated with cancer. "Both UVA and UVB are carcinogenic," says Harvard Photobiologist Madhu Pathak. UV also appears to suppress the body's immune system. This may explain why certain viral infections, such as chicken pox and fever blisters, become more severe in the sun. And since the immune system is believed to play a role in preventing tumor growth, its suppression "may also be an aggravating factor in the development of skin cancer," says Dr. Margaret Kripke of the National Cancer Institute...
...screens in the 6-to-8 range; those who occasionally burn but tan well need only 4-to-8 protection; olive-complected Type IVs, who never get scorched, can manage with a factor of 2 to 4. In the future, however, a sunscreen pill being developed in Pathak's lab may make the lotions obsolete...
Except for the obvious risk of sunburn from overexposure, medical specialists see no immediate danger from such tanning. But, cautions Madhukar Pathak, research professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, "we don't know the long-term effects of exposure to ultraviolet lamps." He warns that prolonged use of the lamps found in most clinics may cause skin cancer in fair-complexioned people. Although this is usually treatable, the aging and wrinkling of the skin that also come from too much exposure are irreversible. Those who do not use goggles risk developing cataracts. As of next...