Calvin Jestin
2 years ago

Are 'old school' UV sunscreen filters safe? Please explain.

I've come across testimonies and scholary articles that link the use of sunscreen filters like oxybenzone, avobenzone, octixonate, octocrylene, octisalate and homosalate to endocrine and hormone disruption. I even discovered articles that link the inhalation of titanium dioxide with lung cancer development.

The article below from the Environmental Working Group pushed me to share my inquiry here:

https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/

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The key word is "link". These studies do not show that any of these ingredients actually can or do cause cancer or interfere with hormonal balance in actual humans in the amounts absorbed by our bodies from using sunscreen. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that the levels of these chemicals found in sunscreens are safe for use and do not pose a risk to human health. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has not classified any of these ingredients as carcinogenic to humans. Some of these filters - oxybenzone and octinoxate - are more often irritating than other UV filters, so it makes sense to avoid them especially if you have sensitive skin or it is a sunscreen for a young child.

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