In my quest for searching for the safest sunscreen, I came across with alarming findings that you must be weary!

Many commercial sunscreen products contain ingredients which latest research reveals may cause serious problems….

Please check your sunscreen and watch out for the following ingredients!

• Octyl-methoxycinnamate – produces free radicals (singlet molecular oxygen) known to be toxic to cells (1)

• Titanium dioxide – causes DNA damage (the cells genetic material) due to superoxide radicals, active oxygen radicals and hydroxyl radicals when exposed to light (2) (3) (4)

• Oxybenzone – is rapidly oxidised in the presence of light and inactivates important antioxidant systems in the skin (the skin’s natural protection system) (5)

• PABA – produces free radicals in the presence of light (1)

• Cinoxate – causes DNA damage (sister chromatid exchanges) (6)

• Padimate-O – produces free radicals in presence of light (singlet molecular oxygen) and substantially increase indirect damage (strand breaks in DNA) when in contact with cells (1) (7)

• Dibenzoylmethane and Parsol 1789 – produces free radicals responsible for direct DNA damage (strand breaks) (8)

• Methyl sinapate – causes DNA damage (chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges) (9)

• Phenylbenzimidazole sulphonic acid and 2-phenylbenzimidazole – acts as photosensitisers of DNA damage when exposed to sunlight or UV- B radiation (10)

I understand that this is frightening to know that your trusted sunscreen “two-faced”. What should you do? Obviously, if you sunscreen contain any of the above ingredients, throw then away and replace them with a safer sunscreen (e.g. Organic sunscreens with Zinc Oxide).

Don’t know which sunscreen to buy? Stay tuned to my following post as I will disclose a better and safer alternatives!

Medical Research Papers
1. Chem Res Toxicol 1996 Apr-May; 9(3):605-9
2. Mutat Res 2000 Mar 3; 466(1):1-7
3. Free Radic Biol Med 1999 Aug; 27 (3-4);294-300
4. FEBS Lett 1997 Nov 24; 418(1-2):87-90
5. J Invest Dermatol, 1996 Mar 106(3):583-6
6. Mutat Res 1989 Jun 21;2(2): 213-21
7. Mutat Res 1999 Jul 21;444(1): 49-60
8. Free Rad Biol Med 1999 Apr; 26(7-8):809-16
9. Mutat Res 1989 Jun; 212(2):213-21
10. Chem Res Toxichol 1999 Jan; 12(1):38-45