With all the speculation surrounding sunscreen, should we be rethinking our sunscreen habits?
The answer is YES! Did you know the last time the Food and Drug Administration approved any new active ingredients for sunscreen that helped to protect our skin from ultraviolet radiation was 1999?
Clearly, after two decades, we should be rethinking our sun protection efforts. Maybe it is not as black and white as applying sunscreen or not. Maybe it is a more comprehensive approach to diet and lifestyle and how we incorporate sun safe practices into our daily lives.
So where exactly are we with sunscreen regulation and why do we need to be concerned?
In the past few years, some new laws have sought to expedite the regulatory process for sunscreen, but many consumers, industry leaders and dermatologists are frustrated by their slow pace and lack of priority.
In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration, which oversees sunscreen safety (no comment), proposed its latest update on regulations for these products. The agency reviewed 16 ingredients and reported that only TWO, Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, are “generally recognized as safe and effective,” or GRASE. (A GRASE designation means the ingredient is widely recognized as safe and effective by experts).
Citing safety concerns, the FDA has proposed that two seldom used sunscreen ingredients, Aminobenzoic acid and Trolamine Salicylate, are NOT Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective (GRASE).
Additionally, the FDA has identified 12 other sunscreen ingredients as NOT meeting the GRASE standards due to insufficient data. These ingredients include avobenzone, cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, homosalate, meradimate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, oxybenzone, padimate O, and sulisobenzone. Despite this determination, these ingredients will continue to be permitted in products on the U.S. market until the FDA finalizes its proposal (3 years later we are still waiting with no end in sight). Recent studies have highlighted the respected concern for the endocrine-disrupting effects of homosalate, avobenzone, and oxybenzone.
This is where the frustration lies: knowing that these chemical actives are harmful and pose risks to both adults and children, the FDA continues to do studies, when there is ample evidence pointing to health risks, including the harmful environmental effects we are observing in our oceans and reefs. Simply banning these 'concerning' ingredients altogether would be the prudent way forward for the health and safety of users.
Whats the rest of the world doing?
Sunscreen in the United States is classified as an over-the-counter drug, a regulation that has been in place since 1978. In contrast, Europe regulates sunscreens as cosmetics and does not require human clinical data for approval. However, European standards for UVA filter approval are more stringent than those in the United States in regards to the safety concerns when it comes to chemical actives.
Europe has approved 29 UV filters for use in sunscreens, while the United States has only approved 16; however, 14 of the 16 are chemical actives. The only two safe options are good old Zinc oxide and Titanium dioxide. However, it is advised to avoid using these physical barrier methods in aerosol packaging, as studies are inconclusive regarding the safety of both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide inhalation. When it comes to UVA protection specifically, which is responsible for skin aging, Europe has nine approved UV filters compared to just four in the United States.
The Good News
While we may have limited options compared to our counterparts across the globe, Zinc Oxide is unanimously the gold standard in non chemical, physical sun protection methods worldwide. These pure mineral products work by blocking the sun’s rays, reflecting them directly off the top of the skin, acting like a barrier between the sun and our skin. Unlike ingredients found in chemical sunscreens, the iron oxide found in mineral sunscreens can also provide additional protection against visible light coming from our electronic devices, which we know, causes further skin damage. Those concerned about the aforementioned studies regarding safety profiles and the limited options currently approved in the US, should also take comfort in knowing that, to date, Zinc Oxide is the largest studied sun screen barrier method, (with excellent safety profiles and efficacy in blocking up to 98 percent of broad spectrum UV rays) in the world. Although the innovation across the globe is promising, they don’t have studies confirming or denying safety on most of these new actives. While we would like the opportunity to begin using, testing and working with these new actives, we should also feel confident in the innovation of our chemical free micronized non nano zinc technologies.