5 Health Issues to Consider When Picking a Sunscreen
5 Health Issues to Consider When Picking a Sunscreen
1. Sun Blocker
In the United States, one of the active ingredients in many sunscreens is oxybenzone, a moderately effective sun blocker, but one that reacts with sunlight to form possibly allergenic and carcinogenic chemicals. Oxybenzone is popular because it rubs in well, but for safety, we recommend sunscreens with either titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as the active ingredient.
2. Tiny Toxins
Some companies use a nano-particle sized version of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (often referred to on labels as micronized titanium dioxide or micronized zinc oxide), which absorbs better and won't make you look ghostly white. However, nano-scale ingredients are also small enough to be an inhalation risk in powder or spray-on sunscreens, and titanium dioxideis known to be carcinogenic if inhaled.
3. Preserve, Protect?
Sunscreens commonly contain immune system toxicants
DMDM hydantoin (a form of formaldehyde used as a preservative) and triethanolamine (a common pH adjuster), as well as neurotoxins like aluminum starch octenylsuccinate (a heavy metal used as a thickener).
4. Hidden Phthalates Chemical blends added to sunscreen to make it smell good and labeled "fragrance" on the ingredient list can be a strong allergy concerns, and frequently conceal the presence of potentially toxic phthalates.
5.Hormone Disrupter Anti-bacterial chemical and potential hormone disruptor Triclosan also finds its way into some foundations with SPF. And if your sunscreen washes off at the beach or the river, the Triclosan will find its way out into the environment, where it's hazardous to marine life and could break down into carcinogenic compounds.
