A rising number of Americans are concerned about the safety and efficacy of sunscreens manufactured in the United States, and they have good cause to be.
Why it matters:
Skin cancer is the most often diagnosed malignancy in the country, thus sun protection is still essential.
The larger picture:
European countries have more authorized active sunscreen chemicals than the United States, according to Henry Lim, a dermatologist at Henry Ford Health in Detroit and former president of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Sunscreens should provide wide spectrum protection, which means they protect against both UVA radiation (typically associated with skin cancer and ageing) and UVB exposure (which causes sunburn).
Zoom In: Sunscreens in Europe presently provide higher UVA radiation protection than those in the United States, according to Lim, due to improved testing methodologies.
The United States Food and Drug Administration has suggested new sunscreen regulations.
What they’re saying:
“Based on currently available data, it’s safe to continue to use organic [chemical] sunscreen and mineral sunscreen” that is FDA-approved, Lim adds.
Yes, but a new FDA study demonstrates that some active chemicals in US sunscreens are absorbed into the bloodstream.
“But does that really indicate it’s harmful? “That data is very controversial right now,” Lim adds.
Between the lines:
Sunscreen is treated as a cosmetic in Europe, Australia, and much of Asia, but the FDA controls it as an over-the-counter medicine, which takes longer to examine.
The FDA has not authorized a new UV filter for sunscreen in over 20 years.
Newer sunscreen ingredients available elsewhere include bemotrizinol, bisoctrizole, DHHB, and octyl triazone — filters that are more effective at absorbing UV rays and less likely to penetrate skin or cause allergic reactions than those approved in the United States, according to cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong of Australia.
What we’re watching: American sunscreens may be catching up. The FDA might “hopefully” approve bemotrizinol this year, according to Lim.
FDA spokesperson Cherie Duvall-Jones said, “While one manufacturer is working with the FDA to generate the requested data for bemotrizinol,” the agency is unable to disclose the drug’s current status.
There has been no data submitted for the study of additional active sunscreen components.
