How Sunscreen Became Controversial

Wearing sunscreen every day sounds like a no-brainer piece of health advice. Research suggests regular sunscreen use reduces the risk of potentially deadly skin cancers like melanoma, as well as visible signs of skin aging. The American Academy of Dermatology states its position in no uncertain terms: Everyone should wear sunscreen every day they’ll be outside. But there’s been mounting pushback to that idea in recent years, mainly due to concerns about the health risks associated with chemicals in many popular sunscreens. These days, it’s not hard to find sources—including influencers, marketers, consumer-protection groups, and scientists—raising questions about the safety and necessity of sunscreen. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Here’s how sunscreen became controversial—and how to interpret safety concerns. Why is there skepticism about sunscreen? There are two main types of sunscreens: chemical and mineral formulas. The former use organic filters to absorb potentially harmful UV rays. About a dozen of these filters are commonly used in the U.S., including oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone, homosalate, and octocrylene. Meanwhile, mineral formulas create a physical barrier against the sun’s rays using inorganic filters like zinc and titanium dioxide. Much of the concern about sunscreen centers on the chemical formulas. In 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested additional safety data from sun...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthscienceclimate Wellbeing Source Type: news