Sunscreen is a body care product that you apply directly to the skin. The goal of using this product is to block ultraviolet light – the harmful rays of the sun.
When sunscreens first made an entry to the market, they were full of pasty zinc oxide, and no one could use them at that time. So scientists went back to the lab and created sunscreens that contain clear chemicals that can absorb UV light. Don’t get too excited yet as they might have missed the point, according to the FDA.
There are several assertions out there about sunscreen. They include everything from statements that the product us ineffective to cautions that it is outright dangerous. There are even some sites that go as far as to state that sunscreen causes skin cancer. All these assertions are as a result of the purported harmful cocktail of toxic components present in this body care product. That’s enough to darken your entire day.
Sunscreen use has risen in the past decades, mainly because of its benefits for protecting one against sunburn, UV rays, and skin cancer. The main problem with this body product is that not all of them are created equally.
New reports also suggest that there might be a connection between the use of sunscreen and skin cancer rates. Before going to that, let’s look at ways in which sunscreen protects your skin from sun damage.
Mineral Sunscreens
These type of sunscreens include ingredients like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. These ingredients create a physical barrier that protects your skin from the sun. They mainly work by creating a physical layer of protection on your skin. The physical layer formed by these mineral sunscreens provides water-resistant protection from both UVB and UVA rays.
Chemicals Sunscreens
They base their protection on chemicals, which include avobenzone, oxybenzone, octisalate, homosalate, octinoxate, and octocrylene. These chemicals are harmful as they are concerns of these chemicals crossing into the skin and other body tissues.
Why are sunscreens considered harmful?
There is new research out that reveals that the chemicals used in sunscreens may be estrogenic and endocrine disruptors that may interfere with thyroid and other hormone processes in the body.
Oxybenzone is the most common chemical found in about 96% of sunscreen brands. That was research done by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. That value is alarming because oxybenzone is an endocrine disruptor. That chemical is harmful as it can contribute to endometriosis in women and can reduce sperm count in men.
On top of that, oxybenzone disrupts normal hormone patterns. It’s because they easily get absorbed through the skin. Nonetheless, they block the body’s ability to manufacture vitamin D. With vitamin D deficiency; there is a high risk of heart and cancer disease.
Final Thoughts
The topic of whether sunscreen is harmful is quite loaded. However, just to be clear, we don’t mean that you should not exercise caution in exposure to the sun. With that said, be careful with the sunscreens that you use. Read the ingredients found in that sunscreen before applying the product. All in all, try to use protective clothing for you to avoid overexposure to these harmful ultraviolet rays.
