Of Mice, Moisturizers, Skin Cancer: Controversy Afoot

Albino mice in a Rutgers University laboratory that were pre-treated with ultraviolet (UV) light to simulate the lifelong effect of a human’s sun exposure developed skin cancer when a number of common moisturizing creams were applied to their skins.  The creams were meant to be the vehicle by which caffeine would be administered to the mice in an effort to prove the theory that caffeine might prevent skin cancer.  The finding that the creams themselves caused cancer was a surprise to the research team. Read more