The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which reviews sunscreen products, has not declared any type of sunscreen to be unsafe. But as of February 21, 2019, the FDA has proposed a regulatory agency to update regulatory requirements for sunscreens sold in the United States. As part of this proposed rule, the FDA requested additional safety information on 12 active ingredients commonly found in chemical sunscreens: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate.
A small clinical trial published in May 2019 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that four of these sunscreen chemicals (avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, and ecamsol) at levels significantly higher than 0.5 ng/ml. (ng) are absorbed by human skin. blood flow /ml). That’s far more than the amount the FDA requires to conduct safety studies on topical medications to determine possible toxic effects.
Although the study authors say these results support the need for more research, they also say their findings do not prove sunscreen is safe. Furthermore, the known health risks of sun exposure far outweigh the potential risk of absorbing sunscreen chemicals.
However, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) recommends avoiding chemical sunscreens containing oxybenzone due to concerns that the substance may disrupt hormones and cause allergic skin reactions. Dr. McGregor also warns against using chemical sunscreens when swimming in the ocean. A review published in January 2019 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology suggests that common sunscreen chemicals such as oxybenzone may bleach and damage coral reefs.
Meanwhile, the ingredients in mineral sunscreens—zinc oxide and titanium oxide—are generally recognized as safe and effective by the FDA (everydayhealth.com).
From: Everyday Health
