Sun Protection: Sesame Oil to Prevent UV Damage to the Skin?

Despite the beneficial effects it has on the overall well-being of the body, the sun is also known to cause numerous damages to the skin (sunburn, melanomas, photo-ageing, hyperpigmentation, etc.). One of the main solutions to protect oneself is to apply a sun care product. However, with the potential adverse effects of sun filters on human health and the environment being criticised, sun care products are increasingly under scrutiny and often abandoned in favour of vegetable oils, which are deemed more natural, safer and healthier.

Among these, it is often claimed that sesame oil could actively protect the skin from the sun, thereby reducing the need to use the chemical UV filters we are familiar with. Several studies have attempted to determine the protective capacity of sesame oil against UV rays. We have reviewed all the existing scientific data to date to determine whether sesame oil truly offers good protection against UV rays. All the information has been gathered and summarised in the following table.

The findings from various studies are somewhat divergent, and do not provide a consistent opinion on the photoprotective power of vegetable oil. While the majority of research agrees that sesame oil typically has a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) between 2 and 3, others suggest that it may in fact have a higher SPF.

Indeed, a study conducted in 2007 on a solar emulsion, with a basic Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of around 8, attributed the product a sun protection index nearing 14.7 after the addition of sesame oil into the formula as a fatty substance. Therefore, according to this analysis, the SPF of sesame oil would be higher.

However, the results of this study should be approached with caution, as there are certain limitations to note. In addition to being one of the first studies of its kind, the tests were not conducted on pure sesame oil but as a factor in enhancing sun protection. Finally, it did not employ the same spectrophotometric method as the others.

Is this sufficient to protect the skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun?

At present, the collective body of studies cited does not definitively assert that sesame oil is a good alternative to traditional sunscreens. Despite various studies demonstrating that sesame oil possesses a Sun Protection Factor (SPF), none appear high enough for it to be considered as a satisfactory standalone sun protection against harmful UV rays. Applying it alone on the skin before sun exposure would likely pose a high risk of sunburn and burns.

While awaiting further studies, sesame oil is believed to have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) between 2 and 3, which is far from adequate to provide UV protection for the skin.

minimum SPF of 30 is required to prevent cellular damage caused by the sun and to help reduce the risk of skin cancer.

To preserve one's sun capital, it is also advised to limit one's exposure to the sun generally, and especially during the hours when the sun's rays are most intense from 12pm to 4pm. It is also preferable to seek shade, when possible, and to wear covering clothing to enhance protection. Furthermore, the daily application of a broad-spectrum sunscreen containing a combination of mineral and organic filters is essential on all exposed areas.

Although it cannot shield the skin from the harmful effects of the sun, sesame oil does, however, exhibit antioxidant activity to reduce the skin impacts of free radicals induced by UV rays. The study conducted by COIFFARD in 2007 particularly utilised this antioxidant activity to enhance the sun protection effects of the tested emulsion. Thus, sesame oil could be considered an interesting additional ingredient to incorporate into the composition of sun care products. It would thereby improve their formulation and positively influence their action thanks to its constituents.