Y ou have likely heard the directive to wear sunscreen daily . Sunscreen prevents burns and DNA damage from ultraviolet light exposure. It also “lowers your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by about 40%, and your melanoma risk by 50%”, according to Dr Hadley King, a New York-based dermatologist.
Sunscreen use has aesthetic benefits too, like preventing wrinkles and age spots; researchers have found that those who wear sunscreen daily, regardless of the weather or how much time they spend outside, have more youthful skin than those who only apply sunscreen on sunny days. While all sunscreen provides some amount of UV protection (broad-spectrum products provide the most) only two active sunscreen ingredients have been classified as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Agency in the US: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Should this affect your choice of sunscreen? Here’s what you need to know about sunscreen ingredients and safety.
Why has the FDA only approved two sunscreen ingredients? In the US, sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs, which are subject to rigorous safety requirements and animal testing, as well as a notoriously slow-moving approval process. In 2019, the FDA announced a sunscreen reassessment proposal , asking companies to thoroughly test the chemicals in their products and submit their data for safety assessment. However, for companies, retesting formulas can be time-consuming and come with the risk of rejection, negative publici.