Chemical Sunscreen Safety Questioned by FDA

Chemical Sunscreen Safety Questioned by FDA

chemical sunscreens

Research was published recently by the FDA that revealed chemicals in sunscreen (oxybenzone, avobenzone, ecamsule and octocrylene) were found in the bloodstream within 24 hours of lathering up.

Testing for these ingredients has never been done because those chemicals were approved decades ago before anyone tested if they could be absorbed into the body. The FDA is currently questioning and re-reviewing their safety. In fact, they are questioning all 12 uses active ingredients other than zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

With all of the scientific studies around oxybenzone’s negative health effects, many sunscreens stopped including it but are using other chemicals that the FDA is questioning all of the others as well. One of the few companies which still includes oxybenzone is Coppertone which is owned by Bayer who recently merged with Monsanto.

In 2015, studies have linked chemical sunscreens with a digestive birth defect called Hirschsprung’s Disease, in which nerve cells are missing at the end of a child’s bowel. High concentrations of oxybenzone can potentially cause these toxic cellular changes, and give rise to Hirschsprung’s Disease. Surgery is required to correct the problem. A review of 169 sunscreen products labeled as safe for use on babies and children found unsafe levels of six common chemical UV absorbers, revealing the dangers of applying chemical sunscreens to children under the age of 5. 

This all begs the question why do we put things on to our bodies we wouldn’t want to eat?

Well, it started because people didn’t want to see sunscreen on their bodies so chemicals that would appear invisible were used instead. The irony is after decades of being on the market, the only active ingredients that aren’t being questioned by the FDA (minerals zinc and titanium dioxide) are ones you need to see for them to work. As the months roll on it is becoming clearer how important it is for us to choose and educate loved ones that we need to choose physical sunscreens that have ingredients we feel comfortable eating.

MANDA provides for long-lasting, 50 SPF sun protection featuring food-grade and organic ingredients.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/new_genetic_clues_emerge_on_origin_of_hirschsprungs_disease

https://www.wired.com/story/sunscreen-chemicals-soak-all-the-way-into-your-bloodstream/

https://cdhc.noaa.gov/_docs/Site%20Bulletin_Sunscreen_final.pdf

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00244-015-0227-7

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00338-018-01759-4

https://www.ewg.org/research/cdc-americans-carry-body-burden-toxic-sunscreen-chemical

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-advances-new-proposed-regulation-make-sure-sunscreens-are-safe-and-effective

Image: https://time.com/5279096/does-sunscreen-expire/