SKIN ACADEMY
The concern with chemical sunscreens
It’s a match up for the ages: Mineral vs. chemical sunscreens. Is one better than the other? How do they work?
Most importantly, what is the difference? Well, you're about to find out.
Sunscreens can be separated into two categories; physical (or mineral) and chemical. Mineral sunscreens are safer, better for the skin and also help to protect against blue light (or high-energy visible light) which is emitted from electronic devices.
Problem is, the high-street brands you know and love may be promoting more problems than protection
Mineral vs. chemical sunscreens – which is better for your skin & WHY?
What is a mineral sunscreen?
Put simply, sunscreen is the most important part of your skincare routine. In fact ~ every other skincare ingredient is used to reverse the effects of ageing, but there are a few ingredients that can prevent this damage in the first place (ohh, and they're usually found in an SPF)! Mineral sunscreens tend to have increased photo-stability, meaning they retain their integrity when exposed to light. These medical-grade SPF's contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, small particles that sit on the skin’s surface and physically prevent UV rays from penetrating the skin
FIND YOUR NEW MINERAL SPFHow high-street sunscreens are damaging your skin (and body)
Aunscreen products are intended to be applied to the body every day, for a lifetime. The companies that make and sell sunscreen ingredients and products should test them thoroughly for potential short-term and long-term health effects. This includes toxicity testing for irritation and skin allergies, as well as testing for skin absorption and the potential to cause cancer, disrupt the hormone system and cause harm during reproduction and development.
The ingredients oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and avobenzone (all found in high-street sunscreens) are all systemically absorbed into the body after one use, according to studies published by the FDA, which also found that they could be detected on the skin and in the blood weeks after no longer being used. Previous studies detected many sunscreen ingredients in breast milk and urine samples. In addition, it’s possible for sunscreen users to inhale ingredients in sunscreen sprays and ingest some of the ingredients they apply to their lips, so the ingredients must not be harmful to the lungs or internal organs. This constant exposure to sunscreen chemicals raises concerns, especially because there is not enough safety data for most ingredients. We have even more concerns about ingredients such as oxybenzone, which have been linked to hormone disruption by numerous studies.
Active Ingredient Toxicity
This table outlines human exposure and hazard information for eight common FDA-approved sunscreen chemicals, often referred to as active ingredients because they provide ultraviolet, or UV, protection. Sunscreen products typically include a combination of active ingredients, except for those formulated with zinc oxide.
The science on ingredient toxicity
Oxybenzone ~ CHEMICAL
The most worrisome sunscreen active ingredient is oxybenzone, according to publicly available scientific research. It is readily absorbed through the skin and the 'Centers for Disease Control and Prevention' found it in nearly all Americans, with higher levels in those who report applying sunscreen. Oxybenzone causes allergic skin reactions (Rodriguez 2006), behaves like an endocrine disruptor in many studies and is potentially of greater harm to children
In an evaluation of CDC-collected exposure data for American children, researchers found that adolescent boys with higher oxybenzone measurements had significantly lower total testosterone levels. Three other studies reported statistically significant associations between oxybenzone exposure during pregnancy and birth outcomes. One reported shorter pregnancy in women carrying male fetuses, two reported higher birth weights for baby boys and one found lower birth weights for baby girls.
Female exposures to oxybenzone and related chemicals have been linked to an increased risk of endometriosis. According to the latest proposed FDA sunscreens monograph, the agency needs further data to determine whether oxybenzone can be considered safe and effective, since available literature indicates that oxybenzone is absorbed through the skin to a greater extent than previously understood and can lead to significant systemic exposure. The significant systemic availability of oxybenzone is a concern, among other reasons, because of questions raised in the published literature regarding the potential for endocrine activity.
Four studies published in 2020, after the FDA released its draft proposal, support previous findings that oxybenzone can act as an endocrine disruptor and may increase the risk of breast cancer and endometriosis. In addition, the National Toxicology Program found equivocal evidence of carcinogenicity in rats after observing increases in thyroid tumors and uterine hyperplasia in females with high exposure to oxybenzone. Investigators at the University of California at Berkeley reported a dramatic drop in teen girls’ exposure to oxybenzone in cosmetics when they switched from their usual products to replacements that did not contain this chemical. Several countries ban the sale of sunscreens that contain this ingredient, because it may be harmful to aquatic life.
Titanium Dioxide & Zinc Oxide ~ MINERAL
Mineral sunscreens are made with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, usually in the form of nanoparticles. The FDA proposed that both titanium dioxide and zinc oxide be classified as safe and effective. Evidence suggests that few if any zinc or titanium particles penetrate the skin to reach living tissues. It is important that manufacturers use forms of minerals coated with inert chemicals to reduce photoactivity. To minimize the risks to sunscreen users and maximize these products’ sun protection, EWG supports stronger guidelines and restrictions on the types of used zinc and titanium in sunscreens.
Sun Damage & Sun Protection
Short-term sun damage presents as a sunburn. Long-term, unprotected exposure causes gradual damage to skin known as sun damage or photoaging, and accounts for about 90% of the signs of skin aging. The two main types of damaging rays are UVB and UVA. They damage skin cells and their DNA, leading to fine lines, wrinkles, irregular pigmentation, visible vessels, thinned skin, loss of elasticity and skin cancer (including melanoma).
This damage occurs directly by the incoming UV photons and indirectly by free radicals that are generated by these rays.
UVA rays (320-400nm) can pass through glass and clouds and are present every day of the year at equal intensity during all daylight hours. They account for 95% of UV rays that reach the earth. Since UVA rays are longer in wavelength than UVB, they are able to penetrate into the deeper skin layers (dermis) affecting collagen, elastin and blood vessels. UVA plays a major role in photoaging. It can also damage skin cells in the basal layer of the epidermis where most skin cancers arise (e.g. basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma). UVA light is used in tanning booths, causing the same skin and eye damage as natural sunlight.
UVB rays (290-320nm) are the main cause of tan and sunburn because they damage the skin’s more superficial epidermal layers. UVB rays play a big part in the development of skin cancer, and a contributory role in photoaging and tanning. UVB rays account for 5% of the sun’s rays and vary according to season and weather conditions; they are more intense in the summer and at high altitudes. Over the last 25 years, more UVB rays have been penetrating the atmosphere because of the thinning ozone layer, increasing the risk for UBV-related sun damage. The SPF number shows the level of protection from UVB rays.More focus has been placed on IR rays in the last few years. These rays are absorbed by the skin, converted into heat and contribute to photoaging along with UVA and UVB.
The most important item to look for on a sunscreen label is the term “broad spectrum”, signifying coverage against both UVA and UVB rays. The SPF should be 30 or higher. An SPF of 30 blocks 96.7% of UV rays so that only 3.3% will get through, compared with an SPF of 15 which blocks 93.3% of UV rays and lets through 6.7% – twice as much.
Sunscreen is also a must for protecting the skin from free radicals. However, sunscreens only protect up to 55%, not 100%, of free radicals. Topical antioxidants have been shown to protect skin from damaging free radicals caused by UV rays. Different antioxidants work via different mechanisms to neutralize damage. Therefore, AlumierMD sunscreens are packed with different types of antioxidants for a full range of protection.
A tan results from injury to the skin’s DNA. The skin darkens into a tan as a flawed attempt to protect itself and prevent further DNA damage. However, these flaws or mutations can lead to skin cancer over time. Remember: There is no such thing as a safe tan because a tan equals sun damage.