However, the science about whether nanoparticles can actually get into the body is pretty mixed. (We're talking seriously small, here: a nanoparticle is between 1 and 100 billionths of a meter). Ingredients in nanoparticle form in these sunscreens include zinc and titanium dioxide, and worries have been raised that their tininess may mean they can be absorbed into the skin and cause problems in the body. The big concern about the other type of sunscreen, the "scattering" kind (that would be sunscreen with zinc), comes from a particular subtype: "mineral" sunscreens that use nanoparticles (which are extremely small ) to look invisible on the skin. The Foundation actually says that "there is no scientific evidence that retinyl palmitate causes cancer in humans," and points out that topical retinoids in the same family of chemical are regularly prescribed by dermatologists without issues. However, the Skin Cancer Foundation points out that the study in question was done on rats in a lab, not on human skin, was never published, and that humans have excellent ways of defusing free radicals: antioxidants. The worry about retinal palmitate comes from a study that showed that, on exposure to UV light, it chemically produces free radicals, which are linked to cancer development. But another study in 2004 found that traces of oxybenzone may be found in urine the day after applying it to the skin, though we're not entirely sure what that means it may just be the body flushing it out. They also noted that oxybenzone doesn't pop up in the blood plasma even if you've done it for days. Topical application, or smearing it onto the skin, in humans is another matter entirely the scientists calculated that you'd need to slather inches of oxybenzone all over your body constantly for 36 years to get anywhere near the same levels of oxybenzone in the rats. A study from 2011 cast a side-eye at the worries about oxybenzone the scientists pointed out that the worries about it actually being harmful stemmed from a study in rats who were given a heap of oxybenzone in their food. Oxybenzone is thought to interact with the hormones of the body in sufficiently high doses. Both are commonly found in sunscreen, though it's pretty easy to find creams for sun protection without them. ![]() (Retinal palmitate is a combination of vitamin A and palmitic acid, while oxybenzone is derived from benzophenone both are used in "absorbing" sunscreens to create chemical creations.) Some advocate avoiding the ingredients until further research is done, but others point to current science that indicates both are, in sunscreen form, pretty low-risk. WebMD probed into the issue, and found that experts have differing opinions of the two main sources of controversy, oxybenzone and retinal palmitate. What does it actually mean? Ingredients in sunscreen may be bad for humans in large amounts, but does applying sunscreen give you enough of a dosage to be a problem? Why Some People Are Worried About Sunscreen Bear in mind, though, that new studies are happening all the time in a month, a new study might declare that we should never put oxybenzone anywhere near us. Barry Resnik to find out some of the facts about the controversial sunscreen ingredients, the positions of scientists and skin cancer research places, and what science has to say about them right now. To get a clear answer, Bustle went hunting and spoke to dermatologist Dr. There's a lot of scientific argument about whether sunscreen of either kind is actually dangerous to humans, and many of the "toxic" worries have been drawn from studies that might not apply to us at all. (To check what kind yours is, you'll likely have to get up close and personal with the ingredients list, but if it mentions zinc in any capacity, like Invisible Zinc, it's scattering.) Both are associated with toxicity concerns because of specific ingredients, but as we'll see, it's not as straightforward as you may think. ![]() One, absorbent, starts a chemical reaction that "absorbs" UVA and UB rays, while the other, scattering, deflects or scatters them. As the sun starts to feature more in our daily lives (hurrah spring!), it's important to read past the hype and delve into the real evidence about the potential evidence for toxicity in sunscreen ingredients.įirst, let's outline the two differing types of sunscreen: absorbent and scattering. But the science behind the panic is more complex than it first appears. ![]() You'll likely be hit with an onslaught of organic blogs raising concerns about chemicals in sunscreens permeating the skin, causing cancer, interacting with your endocrine system, and setting off inflammation throughout your body.
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