The scary and toxic side of applying sunscreen every day

Sunscreen, meant to be applied every day, protects the skin from free radicals which reverse ageing and wrinkles. It is also believed to protect the skin from cancer.

The dangers of using sunscreen

However, concerns have been raised about the ingredients used to make sunscreen. This is because certain risks come from some ingredients used to make sunscreen. These risks include skin allergies, irritation, the potential to cause cancer, mess with the hormone system, and harm to reproduction and child development in the womb.

12 ingredients in sunscreen were discovered to be harmful—avobenzone, cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, homosalate, meradimate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, oxybenzone, padimate O, and sulisobenzone. Next time you are shopping for sunscreen, check if it has these ingredients.

Studies demonstrate that these substances can be absorbed into the body through the skin. Three components, however—homosalate, avobenzone, and oxybenzone—have also been linked to endocrine disruption, which causes developmental, reproductive, brain, immune, and other problems.

According to other investigations, sunscreen components have been discovered in blood plasma, urine, and breast milk samples weeks after use.

Sunscreen has many harmful effects [Byrdie Pulse Nigeria

When using sunscreen, the ingredients used in the product must not be toxic when ingested or inhaled. This is important because people may accidentally swallow some of the product when applying it to their lips or inhale some of the sprays. These substances must be safe for our internal organs and lungs.

After analyzing the information available, it was concluded that only two components, namely zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, can be considered both effective and safe in sunscreens.