According to the Environmental Working Group, The active ingredients in sunscreens come in two forms, mineral and chemical filters. Each uses a different mechanism for protecting skin and maintaining stability in sunlight. Each may pose hazards to human health.
The most common sunscreens on the market contain chemical filters. These products typically include a combination of two to six of these active ingredients: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate. Mineral sunscreens use zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. A handful of products combine zinc oxide with chemical filters.
This table outlines human exposure and toxicity information for nine FDA-approved sunscreen chemicals. EWG asked these questions:
- Will the chemical penetrate skin and reach living tissues?
- Will it disrupt the hormone system?
- Can it affect the reproductive and thyroid systems and, in the case of fetal or childhood exposure, permanently alter reproductive development or behavior?
- Can it cause a skin allergy?
- What if it is inhaled?
- Other toxicity concerns?
Chemical
|
EWG Hazard Score
|
Use in U.S. sunscreens
|
Skin Penetration
|
Hormone disruption
|
Skin Allergy
|
Other concerns
|
References
|
UV
filters with higher toxicity concerns
|
|||||||
Oxybenzone
|
8
|
Widespread
|
Detected
in nearly every American; found in mother’s milk; 1-to-9% skin penetration in
lab studies
|
Acts
like estrogen in the body; alters sperm production in animals; associated
with endometriosis in women
|
Relatively
high rates of skin allergy
|
Janjua
2004, Janjua 2008, Sarveiya 2004, Gonzalez 2006, Rodriguez 2006, Krause 2012
|
|
Octinoxate
(Octylmethoxycinnamate)
|
6
|
Widespread
|
Found
in mothers’ milk; less than 1% skin penetration in human and laboratory
studies
|
Hormone-like
activity; reproductive system, thyroid and behavioral alterations in animal
studies
|
Moderate
rates of skin allergy
|
Krause
2012, Sarveiya 2004, Rodriguez, 2006, Klinubol 2008
|
|
UV
filters with moderate toxicity concerns
|
|||||||
Homosalate
|
4
|
Widespread
|
Found
in mothers’ milk; skin penetration less than 1% in human and laboratory
studies
|
Disrupts
estrogen, androgen and progesterone
|
Toxic
breakdown products
|
Krause
2012, Sarveiya 2004, SCCNFP 2006
|
|
Octisalate
|
3
|
Widespread;
stabilizes avobenzone
|
Skin
penetration in lab studies
|
Rarely
reported skin allergy
|
Walters
1997, Shaw 2006 Singh 2007
|
||
Octocrylene
|
3
|
Widespread
|
Found
in mothers’ milk; skin penetration in lab studies
|
Relatively
high rates of skin allergy
|
Krause
2012, Bryden 2006, Hayden 2005
|
||
UV
filters with lower toxicity concerns
|
|||||||
Titanium
Dioxide
|
2 (topical use), 6 (powder or spray)
|
Widespread
|
No finding
of skin penetration
|
No
evidence of hormone disruption
|
None
|
Inhalation
concerns
|
Gamer
2006, Nohynek 2007, Wu 2009, Sadrieh 2010, Takeda 2009, Shimizu 2009, Park
2009, IARC 2006b
|
Zinc
Oxide
|
2 (topical use), 4 (powder or spray)
|
Widespread;
excellent UVA protection
|
Less
than 0.01% skin penetration in human volunteers
|
No
evidence of hormone disruption
|
None
|
Inhalation
concerns
|
Gulson
2012, Sayes 2007, Nohynek 2007, SCCS 2012
|
Avobenzone
|
2
|
Widespread;
best UVA protection of chemical filters
|
Very
limited skin penetration
|
No
evidence of hormone disruption
|
Relatively
high rates of skin allergy
|
Klinubol
2008, Bryden 2006, Hayden 2005, Montenegro 2008
|
|
Mexoryl
SX
|
2
|
Uncommon;
pending FDA approval; offers good, stable UVA protection
|
Less
than 0.16% penetrated the skin of human volunteers
|
No
evidence of hormone disruption
|
Skin
allergy is rare
|
Benech-Kieffer
2003, Fourtanier2008
|
|
6
other ingredients approved in the U.S. are rarely used in sunscreens:
benzophenone-4, benzophenone-8, menthyl anthranilate, PABA, Padimate O, and
trolamine salicylate
|
The Trouble With Sunscreen Chemicals - Environmental Working Group
Sun Screen Don'ts - Environmental Working Group
Sun Safety Tips - Environmental Working Group
What brand(s) do I recommend? I am by no means an expert and no one product will every satisfy the needs of every individual but Sandy Kennedy, who knows way too much about the adverse effects that common house hold products can have upon us recommends Ava Anderson. When discussing this topic with Sandy, she told me of her utter frustration when seeking out products that did not contain known carcinogens and xenobiotics. Even when shopping at Holistic shops with products calling themselves "Natural" or "Organic" she found no clean sun screens. That is when she discovered Ava Anderson.
Personally, I would digest the Link: Sun Safety Tips, cover up when possible and avoid the Chemicals listed above. Enjoy the sun, but be careful.
Dr David J. Marcon
Marcon Chiropractic & Wellness Center
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