SUnscreening is an important way to protect people from skin cancer and other harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, certain chemicals in sunscreens, or filters, haverecentlycome under scrutiny for their potential impact on the environment and human health. It concentrates on chemical sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone, avobenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate and octinoxate that absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Physical or mineral sunscreens that contain only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as active ingredients block UV rays by sitting on the skin and deflecting them, making them a safety concern for human health. Less concern.
There is also concern that oxybenzone and other sunscreen chemicals can cause coral bleaching and damage to aquatic life when washed into water. } .
The National Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Engineering and Medicine published his August 9 report that while people should continue to use sunscreen, it is actually more frequent. concluded that sunscreen should be used for Additional research is needed on some safety aspects of the active ingredients.
Here's what the report says about sunscreen and what it means for human and environmental health.
Sunscreen is not used enough
Reports show that only about one-third of Americans use sunscreen regularly. about 70% to 80% of Americans use sunscreen when they're at the beach.However, most sunscreen users don't apply enough. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using 1 oz for full body coverage. In addition, white Americans use sunscreen more frequently than people of color, and although people of color tend to have lower rates of skin cancer than whites,die from the disease. More Likely
Read More: The Safest Sunscreens To Buy, And Ingredients To Avoid
Best available evidence through large randomized controlled trials and longitudinal observational studies—broad-spectrum sunscreens with SPF greater than 30 (protects against both UVA and UVB rays). sunscreen has been shown to reduce the risk of skin cancer, sunburn, and aging from sun exposure. Must be used in combination with other precautions such as avoidance and seeking shade.
Not enough research on safety
Scientists found no toxic effects on humans that outweighed the benefits of using sunscreen. A study by the Drug Administration (FDA) found that many chemical filters sunscreen penetrates the skin and stays there for days. This does not necessarily mean that the chemical is dangerous, but some chemicals have been found in the body at concentrations higher than the upper threshold set by the FDA, above which safety studies Homosalate and oxybenzone, both of which absorb UV radiation, exceeded levels 3 weeks after application in one study. Some animal studies have also raised concerns about UV filters, including changes in hormones and gene expression. The report's authors also noted several gaps in human safety research. For example, safety studies do not follow people over long periods of time. This means that we do not see potential consequences that may emerge over time, such as cardiometabolic risk, cancer risk, and fertility problems.
The weight is firmly on the side of using sunscreen, the authors conclude. The review did not conclude that concentrated levels of UV filters harm male or female fertility, female reproductive hormone levels, fetal growth, or neurodevelopment in children. "To date, no level of toxic effect has been found in humans that outweighs the benefit of these filters in reducing overexposure to [UV radiation]," the authors wrote. We all recognize substantial data gaps.”
Effects on other species deserve further study
Scientists believe that sunscreen chemicals They are looking at how it affects specific species of plants and animals, but data are lacking for many other important species, including corals, the authors say. Say. They argue that there is a need for further testing of the toxicity levels of sunscreen ingredients on a variety of sea creatures, especially those that are more vulnerable to exposure. Includes reefs in shallow water near recreational activities. In slow-moving freshwater environments where there is also plenty of recreation. or locations exposed to wastewater.
How sunscreens work in the real world
For example, some UV filters (such as avobenzone, dioxybenzone, and octocrylene) have been shown to take a long time to biodegrade when tested in the lab, but researchers soil, the author writes.
Another priority is to test how natural stressors such as climate change and pollution interact with sunscreen chemicals that end up in the environment. Scientists are wondering what happens when ecosystems are exposed to multiple types of stress at the same time, and what UV-filtering chemicals do when combined with other threats such as rising temperatures and pollutants. says more research is needed on how
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