Last week, our Founder Marie Veronique highlighted
how sunscreens can potentially damage the skin, with straight talk about
nanoparticles, exploring the latest news and research showing cause for concern. "
It is ironic that sunscreens meant to protect skin from damage occasioned by free radicals from UV exposure are also generating free radicals of their own." Among the many points discussed, the
most pressing in sunscreen safety included:
The evidence is accumulating that nanoparticles may be more dangerous than sunscreen manufacturers would have us believe. The argument that nanoparticles do not pass the epidermal barrier has been refuted in at least two instances: one, when the epidermis is damaged (by sunburn or other trauma), and two, particles in the 250 nm size range (considered large in the nano world) have been shown to cross the placental barrier. (Environmental Health Perspectives 118(3): 432-436)
Nanoparticles in the News
These same concerns are now being raised in mainstream media, most recently Andrew Schneider Senior Public Health Correspondent for AOL News has highlighted the
serious health risks of nano-particles in suncreen.
The latest target of concern is the use by sunscreen manufacturers of nanosized particles of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. A new report based on several preliminary studies says these atom-sized additives have the potential to cause serious harm.
Also at issue is the fact that recent reports are shedding light on the
FDA's decade old knowledge that some sunscreens are actually speeding up the growth of skin cancer cells:
That follows last week's report that the Food and Drug Administration has known for a decade that almost half of the most popular sunscreens contain an ingredient that may actually accelerate the growth of skin cancer cells.
We Believe...
Even if existing studies do not convince us that nanoparticles pose a danger, we do know that they can contribute to accelerated aging, which is the primary reason most of us are using sunscreen to begin with. The answer?
Non-chemical AND non-nano organic sunscreens remain your best bet for safe, effective and anti-aging sun protection.
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