Melatonin Is Trending in Skin Care Lately, But Can It Really Benefit Your Skin?

Clocking in those all-important Zzz's is essential to staying healthy and happy, and for some folks, taking a melatonin supplement does the trick for helping get a good night's sleep. But could the ingredient also be a missing link in your skin-care routine? With a handful of luxury brands launching products formulated with the molecule, it raised more than a few eyebrows at the Allure office. The rumored benefits include boosting the skin's natural defenses against free radicals and UV radiation, as well as warding off visible signs of stress and pollution. In order to separate the fact from fiction, we asked a couple of dermatologists to weigh in on the trendy ingredient — and whether or not it's worth a spot in your nighttime routine.

First of all, how does melatonin work as an ingredient?

"Your body has two natural systems to stop UV damage: antioxidants like vitamins C and E, and antioxidant enzymes like SOD [Superoxide dismutase] and CAT [catalase]," New York City-based dermatologist Dendy Engelman tells Allure. "Melatonin stimulates your body's natural production of these antioxidant enzymes during the night." In other words, applying melatonin topically can trick your skin into triggering antioxidant behavior that would otherwise kick in during sleep, where skin regeneration is naturally at its best performance. "When the body is in a deep, restful sleep, the skin's metabolism increases and cell turnover and renewal escalates," Engelman adds.

In addition, melatonin can help shield the skin from oxidative stress by "acting as a direct scavenger of harmful free radicals," according to Kenneth Howe, a dermatologist at Wexler Dermatology in New York City.

What can I expect, results-wise?

"The outcome of using a topical melatonin at night is an increase in your natural defenses to fight free radicals caused by UV radiation, stress, and pollution the next day, as well as repair the damage done that day," Engelman explains. And while there are limited studies on the ingredient (and its rumored skin-care benefits), it seems that like other antioxidants, mitigating the effects of UV damage is at the top of the list. "Think of it as a potential new sun protection ingredient," New York City-based dermatologist Ellen Marmur says. "Topical melatonin theoretically might help to intercept UV photons." (Just don't forget to always, always put on that sunscreen, too.)

Anything else to keep in mind?

As much as we love an ingredient breakthrough moment, it's important to do your homework before hopping on the bandwagon, which may include asking your dermatologist if a product is right for your skin. "More than other areas of medicine, skin care is subject to trends and fads," Howe points out. "Many of these ingredients are mainly exciting simply because they're new; you're usually not missing out if you stick with an ingredient [that works for your skin]."