People who took lycopene supplements or ate tomato-based products showed measurable improvements in skin protection: reduced redness, thicker and denser skin, and better resistance to UV damage. The research suggests lycopene works as an internal antioxidant that helps neutralize sun-related skin stress, though it's not a replacement for sunscreen.

Researchers analyzed 21 clinical trials (out of nearly 20,000 publications reviewed) where healthy people took lycopene or tomato supplements and their skin was measured for UV damage, redness, and structural changes.

Funding not disclosed in abstract