Physical Wellness

Bleach Solution May Help Slow Skin Aging

By Christine Hsu | Update Date: Nov 18, 2013 01:25 PM EST

Bleach may be the best aging antidote, according to a new study.

Scientists found that a bleach dilution effectively treats skin damage caused by radiation, sun exposure or natural aging, according to the Daily Mail.

This 0.005 percent liquid solution, which is significantly weaker than bleach sold in convenience stores, can help prevent skin inflammation. However, researchers are warning people not to put bleach on their skin.

Experts have long known that bleach can help soothe severe eczema, but have never known why.

"Originally it was thought that bleach may serve an antimicrobial function, killing bacteria and viruses on the skin," said Dr. Thomas Leung of Stanford University, according to the Daily Mail. "But the concentrations used in clinic are not high enough for this to be the sole reason. So we wondered if there could be something else going on."

Leung and his team found that mice exposed to radiation showed less skin damage when bathed in the 0.0005 percent bleach solution.

Further analysis revealed that low doses of bleach blocked a chemical that triggers the immune system's inflammatory response. While inflammatory responses are vital for fighting infection, it can cause significant damage if there the responses are too strong.

Researchers said the next step is to test the solution on humans.

"It's possible that, in addition to being beneficial to radiation dermatitis, it could also aid in healing wounds like diabetic ulcers," Leung said."This is exciting because there are so few side effects to dilute bleach. We may have identified other ways to use hypochlorite to really help patients. It could be easy, safe and inexpensive."

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