Skin ages faster in space, a new study looking at mice proves

While beauty creams on Earth often claim to have "antigravity" effects on the skin, a weightless environment may actually cause premature aging of the epidermis, according to a new study looking at mice.

Three mice that lived on the International Space Station for 91 days — the longest period that rodents have ever spent in space — suffered a 15% thinning in the dermis, the subsurface layer of the skin. This is the first study of the effects of a weightless environment on animal skin, the authors of the new study say.

One previous study on a human astronaut also showed thinning of the skin, as well as changes in elasticity and reduced healing, after six months in orbit. Another astronaut skin study called Skin-B is currently underway on the orbiting laboratory. The findings could have implications for the health of astronauts on long-duration spaceflights Read more...

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