Chemical sunscreen ingredients skin#
When the FDA began regulating sunscreens as over-the-counter drugs in the 1970s, it set standards for things like product labeling and testing of a formula’s sun protection factor, or SPF-the measure of how much UVB exposure is required to burn the skin with sunscreen on versus without it. But it’s also the source of some concerns about sunscreen and health. Mineral sunscreens can leave a telltale white residue on the skin, while chemical formulas tend to sink in more completely.įrom a user-friendliness perspective, that easy absorption is an asset. Physical formulas use minerals-typically zinc or titanium dioxide-to create a physical barrier against the sun’s rays, while the latter use chemicals such as oxybenzone, avobenzone, octinoxate and homosalate to absorb UV light. They can do so using either physical or chemical filters, or some combination of the two. Both can contribute to skin cancer, so effective sunscreens must block both. UVA light causes wrinkles and other markers of aging, while UVB light is the primary cause of sunburn. The sun gives off two kinds of potentially damaging rays. Skin cancer, by contrast, is almost always caused by one thing: excess sun exposure.
Many cancers are caused by an opaque confluence of genes, lifestyle and bad luck, making them extremely difficult to avoid. Those stats are especially striking because most skin cancers are preventable. About a fifth of Americans will develop some form of it during their lifetimes, and about 7,000 die from melanoma each year. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S. And consumer watchdogs like the Environmental Working Group routinely publish warnings about the potential health risks of sunscreen chemicals like oxybenzone recently, many have pointed to a 2020 study that found uncertain evidence it could cause thyroid tumors in rats. The FDA in 2019 requested extra safety data on sunscreen components as part of a more stringent regulatory strategy. In 2018, for example, Hawaii passed a ban on sunscreens containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, for fear they could damage coral reefs. But it’s hard to blame consumers for asking questions, given persistent concerns about the environmental and health effects of sunscreen.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) maintain that wearing sunscreen is safe, and crucial to reducing the risk of skin cancer. The company stressed that the recall came from an abundance of caution, and that “the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences,” but it still kicked off a fresh flurry of worrisome news stories. But in July, Johnson & Johnson voluntarily recalled five of its Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreen sprays due to the presence of benzene. Benzene is not an ingredient in sunscreens, but rather a contaminant likely introduced during the manufacturing process, and experts say it’s not clear whether the amount detected in sunscreens could actually lead to health risks. This year, the is-sunscreen-dangerous news cycle started in May, when Valisure, an independent laboratory dedicated to quality-testing pharmaceuticals and personal-care products, released a report warning that its scientists found benzene-a carcinogen also found in vehicle emissions and cigarette smoke-in 78 U.S.
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