Shopping for sunscreen is a complicated business
Even before you get to the big questions like do you go for the spray on stuff
or the slap on cream,
there's the issue with how safe the product is.
And that inevitably leads to the question of whether you go for conventional
sunscreens - the ones that use chemicals like
oxybenzone or avobenzone, or one at the newfangled
nano-particles sunscreens. And if you do go nano,
just how safe are those tiny little particles you're about to spread on
your skin?
Nanoparticle sunscreens use microscopically small particles of zinc
oxide or titanium dioxide.
You can usually tell if a sunscreen uses nanoparticles because it lists one or
both of these materials
on the label. Companies have been using these substances for a decade or so now
claiming that they make for a better sunscreen.
But first some users, there are lingering doubts about
their safety. So what do you need to know when deciding whether to go
nano or not before braving the sun's rays? Here are
five things that may be helpful:
One: Nanoparticles in sunscreen stay on on
top of your skin, and don't past through it
When manufacturers started to use these minuscule particles,
researchers wondered whether they could in fact slip in between your skin cells
or even get into the cells themselves.
Fortunately, after several years of research,
it looks like healthy skin is great at preventing nanoparticles
getting into your body.
Two: Nanoparticles in sunscreen work by reflecting harmful
ultraviolet light away from your skin, while allowing
visible light through. Because of this they create a
barely visible protective barrier, which is great if you'd rather not look like
you've just been whitewashed.
What's more, they protect you as soon as they've been applied,
unlike many of the more conventional sunscreens that need
time to settle into your skin before before they're fully effective.
Three: Uncoated nanoparticles of
titanium dioxide and zinc oxide can produce harmful chemicals called
free radicals when exposed to sunlight. To avoid this,
sunscreen manufacturers coat them with a thin layer of materials like silica
or alumina.
The layer prevents free radical formation, and transforms potentially
harmful particles
into safe ones.
Four: Non nano sunscreens may be more harmful than
nano sunscreens, according to some research. Conventional ingredients like
oxybenzone may lead to allergic reactions with some people. And
small quantities can penetrate through your skin,
and into your body, where there's a chance that they may cause problems by
behaving like
human hormones. In contrast, at this point
there is no evidence that nanoparticles behaved similarly.
Five:
inhaling large quantities of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles
probably isn't a good idea. Research has shown that,
even though these substances are likely to be okay if inhaled in small amounts,
smaller particles definitely do do more damage than larger particles if
they get into your lungs.
So you might just want to watch what you're breathing while using one of those
spray on nano sunscreens.
Finally, whether you end up opting for
nano or non nano sunscreens, or using some other former protection,
remember that exposing unprotected skin to the sun's UV rays
is one option that is definitely not safe here.
If you have any thoughts on nano sunscreens or
sun protection in general, please do join the conversation in the comments.
And remember to check out the additional resources in blurb below.