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Consultation - Sunscreen Use

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(@deborah)
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Despite the scary-sounding news, experts say we shouldn’t disregard the sunscreen advice doctors have been giving for years.

By Maggie O'Neill 

Updated: May 07, 2019

We know you’ve been told all your life to slather on the sunscreen before a day spent outside. We’re not disputing that advice, but a new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association has given us some food for thought: There’s a chance that sunscreen could potentially be dangerous.

Here’s how: Sunscreen ingredients can travel through the skin and build up in the bloodstream, the new report suggests. This finding has raised concerns about how sunscreen might affect reproductive and developmental health and whether it can cause cancer, according to an editorial accompanying the new report.

For the new study, scientists from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) studied the effects of sunscreen on 24 healthy people. They tested four different sunscreens—two sprays, one lotion, and one cream—each applied four times a day, to 75% of the body surface, for four days.

Blood samples were then taken from the participants to determine how much of four specific sunscreen ingredients—avobenzone, oxybenzone, ecamsule, and octocrylene—ended up in their bloodstreams. And it turns out, it was a significant amount.

A bit of background: The FDA recommends that any active ingredients in sunscreen with “systemic absorption greater than 0.5 ng/mL” should undergo toxicology studies, including research on developmental, reproductive, and cancer-related health issues. And sure enough, all four of those ingredients were found at levels greater than that FDA benchmark—some at levels six or even eight times higher.

That certainly sounds concerning. But before we freak out about how much sunscreen we’ve been putting on for the last 10 years, let’s consider a few key aspects of this new research. First, the number of participants evaluated—24—is quite low, and the results only showed blood levels of these chemicals over the course of one week.

 

Second, the report isn’t claiming that these chemicals are actually unsafe, or that sunscreen should be pulled from supermarket shelves. In fact, it doesn’t even recommend throwing your sunscreen out. “These results do not indicate that individuals should refrain from the use of sunscreen,” it says.

What the report does say is that we need to know more. “The systemic absorption of sunscreen ingredients supports the need for further studies to determine the clinical significance of these findings,” the authors wrote. The accompanying editorial points out that further testing could be especially important for babies, “whose skin may absorb substances at differential rates.”

RELATED: 7 Reef-Safe, Biodegradable Sunscreens We're Buying for Summer

The editorial also calls for sunscreen manufacturers to commit to more safety tests, claiming that industry leaders have been hesitant to do so in the past. “Despite multiple efforts by the FDA to persuade sunscreen manufacturers to conduct key safety studies, the manufacturers have failed to produce such data, forcing the FDA to conduct its own studies,” the editorial states.

Those FDA studies haven’t been super promising, either: In 2014, an advisory panel concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to state unequivocally that certain sunscreen ingredients are safe.

Dermatologists, however, still say that lathering up before spending time outdoors is a must—despite these new concerns. “Sunscreen is one of the major components of sun protection,” Noelani González, MD, an instructor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York City, tells Health. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, daily use of a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher reduces the risk of developing melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer—by 50%.

Plus, says Dr. González, no clinical studies have actually linked sunscreen use to any of the potential dangers mentioned in this new study. “At this point we don’t necessarily know that [the ingredients analyzed in the new report] are worrisome,” she says. “It’s a very good starting point for us as physicians to investigate, but it’s early on.”

 
 

So what does this mean for you when you’re packing your beach bag? You should definitely still throw in the sunscreen. If you’re concerned about ingredients like oxybenzone, you might want to consider products with physical or mineral blockers(rather than chemical blockers) like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which aren’t absorbed by the skin and are considered safe by the FDA.

But until we know more, says Dr. González, any sunscreen is still better than none at all. The authors of the editorial agree, saying that avoidance of sunscreen as a result of this study “could have significant health implications.” They also point out that wearing sunscreen should be just one part of a larger sun-protection plan—one that also includes wearing protective clothing, hats, and sunglasses when spending time outside, and seeking shade when the sun is strongest.


   
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(@rosariakenneyiectskin-com)
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I was reading about this recently. I switched  few years back to mineral sunscreen and after reading about this study i dont think i will ever go back to chemical sunscreen. My skin would always break out after the use of chemical sunscreen and i could not stand the smell no wonder why those ingredients are not safe to be absorded by our bodies.


   
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(@leejenkinsiectskin-com)
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I hear complaints about sunscreen occasionally from clients and co workers. Sunscreens are often found in daily moisturizers now and even in make up.  I like to find out about a persons lifestyle before I recommend a product with sunscreen in it.  If they're only outside a few minutes a day I don't think they need it as much .  And of course if they are going to the beach or on a cruise I would prefer that they protect their skin from the sun and worry more about skin cancer than any products absorbing into the skin..  I predict with science and research that more improvements will be made in the future with chemical sunscreens since more people are cruising and going to the beach and getting skin cancers of all kinds


   
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(@doreengreeniectskin-com)
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Like Rosaria, my skin seems to be sensitive to chemical sunscreens. After several applications, my cheeks feel raw and sting. For my face, I definitely prefer mineral sunscreens. Also, have found chemical sunscreens in cosmetics can cause my skin to break out. 


   
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(@carliecannestroiectskin-com)
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I've had the same reactions with chemical sunscreens making my skin break out especially on my shoulders. I prefer to use the mineral based ones even though they leave  a white film I don't mind. I think there should be more research done about these products on the market. Does anyone know of a mineral based spray sunscreen?


   
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(@deborah)
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Carlie, I have seen a mineral sunscreen spray. Also there are several companies that make a mineral sunscreen that when on the skin is not the white film we are always seeing.


   
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(@deborah)
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Rosaria, I have started using a tinted mineral sunscreen. I really like it as it has a little bit of coverage for my face. I do have to vigilant to wear it everyday as I tanned quite a bit when I was younger. The effects are now showing in the form of some hyperpigmentation areas on the skin.

Some manufactures have had to change labeling and ingredients to meet the standards of the FDA. The FDA is really investigating ingredients, and the risks involved in using them.


   
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(@mikaylaalleniectskin-com)
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(@mikaylaalleniectskin-com)
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I was doing some research and it said people who have previously had skin damage or eczema can have a higher chance of irritation from chemical sunscreens. I have eczema and the past few months my skin has been more red and irritated than usual and It started around the same time I started using the Obagi tinted sunscreen. When I looked it up it does have chemical sunscreen in it, so I am trying mineral only sunscreen to see if that helps. 


   
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(@virginiaduffiectskin-com)
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If you moisturize your skin before you apply the mineral sunscreen (like with a hydrating mist) the sunscreen will spread thinner and not show as much as applying it to dry skin.


   
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(@virginiaduffiectskin-com)
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Sunscreens marketed for babies and small children are all mineral based so there is some concern about people absorbing the chemical ingredients.  I also find that the stinging and swelling is sometimes develop from the use of sunscreen varies from product to product.


   
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(@sydneyhurdleiectskin-com)
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For myself, chemical sunscreen tends to burn and irritate my skin. I also have sensitive skin and using a mineral sunscreen is the best option. 


   
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(@sydneyhurdleiectskin-com)
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@mikaylaalleniectskin-com that makes sense, being eczema/rosacea is already rash-like skin condition, and chemical sunscreens are strong due to the ingredients in the product.


   
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(@sydneyhurdleiectskin-com)
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@deborah my favorite is the unseen sunscreen in the 'supergoop!" brand, it's acne safe and does not leave a white cast


   
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(@madisonmauldiniectskin-com)
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Chemical sunscreens tend to make my skin itch, that is why I made the switch to mineral sunscreen within the past year for my entire body not just my face. it is important to read the ingredients in your sun screens and it can be very beneficial for those with sensitive skin to make the switch. 


   
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(@madisonmauldiniectskin-com)
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@rosariakenneyiectskin-com My face would break out if I used chemical sunscreen as well. I use mineral sunscreen everyday and have noticed a huge difference.


   
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(@madisonmauldiniectskin-com)
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@deborah I love my Australian Gold tinted sunscreen. It gives my face an even color and I feel like I don't have to wear a lot of makeup with it.


   
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(@sydneyhurdleiectskin-com)
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@madisonmauldiniectskin-com I loved Australian Gold myself! too bad the brand does not have my shade. it's a great option especially if you do not like to wear a lot of makeup or if you're going for a minimal makeup look.


   
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(@sydneyhurdleiectskin-com)
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Chemical sunscreens tend to leave my skin irritated and itchy, and it also leaves a  stinging and burning feeling. I have sensitive skin and mineral sunscreen is the better option for myself.


   
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