Firstly, if you don’t already know why sunscreen is THE most important skincare product you can use for your skin, please see my blog on this exact topic, because it really, really is.
There are two main types of sunscreens available for us to purchase and apply to our skin. Chemical sunscreens and physical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens are usually the ones found in shops and online, but if you are unsure about what you are using then have a read of this blog and check the ingredients of your current sunscreen. Education is power after all.
Most chemical sunscreens are made up of small particles that are absorbed into the skin. Examples include oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-MBC, octocrylene and homosalate.
Because these chemicals are absorbed into the skin, some of these particles have even been found in plasma and urine. By contrast, physical sunscreen ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide contain large particles that safely remain within the stratum corneum (outer dead layers of skin).
Dozens of studies in the last decade have examined the potential health hazards of these chemical sunscreen ingredients, including skin irritation, allergy, hormone system disruption and skin damage that occurs when sunlight interacts with sunscreen chemicals. Many of these chemicals are known or suspected to be hormone system disruptors, allergens and carcinogens. Oxybenzone penetrates the skin and has been found in mother’s milk. It has been associated with skin allergies and is known to be a hormone disruptor. Oxybenzone is also an emerging marine contaminant that poses a hazard to coral reef conservation. So much so that from 2021, Australia banned sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate due to concerns about the damage these two chemical were causing to the ocean, sea life and in particular the Great Barrier Reef.
Octinoxate, also known as octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), is another small molecule chemical UV filter.
Octinoxate can be absorbed quickly through the skin and has been detected in urine, blood and breast milk. It is a hormone system disruptor that mimics estrogen and can disrupt thyroid function. Lifetime estrogen exposure is a risk factor for developing certain types of cancers in women, including breast cancer. Octinoxate may also have thyroid disrupting properties. The thyroid gland is part of the body’s metabolism system. A reduction of sperm count has also been shown in offspring of those who were exposed to octinoxate.
Photostability is a term that describes how slowly (or quickly) the UV protection of a sunscreen filter or product will break down due to exposure to UV rays. Physical sunscreen ingredients (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) are the most stable and maintain their ability to filter UV rays even when they are exposed to these rays. Physical filters sit on top of the skin and reflect and scatter most UV radiation rather than absorbing it, thereby remaining intact and stable even when exposed to UV rays.
Chemical filters are changed by UV rays. Not only does the UV protection they provide decrease but their chemical composition also changes, releasing free radicals as a result. This is one of the reasons for the suggestion that some chemical sunscreens may cause cancer. Free radicals cause premature ageing. Therefore, it is possible that the free radicals released by the degradation of chemical filters could also contribute to the ageing process. Since chemical filters erode so quickly, it is recommend that these sunscreens be reapplied every 2 hours. However, physical sunscreens might not erode at all in 2 hours, provide much longer lasting protection and have to be reapplied less often. Even though frequent reapplication is necessary for chemical filters, unfortunately, it will also lead to increased exposure to chemical filters, many of which are hormone disruptors. There will also be increased free radicals in the skin.
At Ultimate Bodyworks I offer AlumierMD physical sunscreens only.
There is a wide range to choose from for different skin conditions and skin types. It is vital that you find a sunscreen you are happy with, but more importantly, that is safe. We should be protecting our skin from UV rays every single day of the year, no matter what the weather and even when we are inside as UVA rays penetrate glass. If you would like some guidance on the best sunscreen for you, please get it touch.
I will be more than happy to help you.
