We know sunscreen is a must to help prevent skin cancer later in life. And for years researchers and regulators believed there were very few potential risks from sunscreen ingredients?that because these products work at the skin?s surface, only small amounts of the chemicals in them were absorbed into your body.
But a new study by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, published this month in The Journal of the American Medical Association, found some of the chemicals in sunscreens actually do get absorbed into your bloodstream in potentially concerning amounts.
And as an accompanying editorial in JAMA pointed out, kids might be even more susceptible to potential issues from chemicals in sunscreens. That?s because they have more surface area for their body size than adults, and might absorb things differently than we do. So does this mean it?s time to change your family?s summer sunscreen habits" Here?s what you need to know about how safe your sunblock is.
Why is the FDA worried about sunscreen ingredients"
The ingredients in sunscreens found on store shelves were approved decades ago. Since then, we?ve learned a lot about the effects of the sun and sunscreen?s absorption through the skin, according to the FDA. People also use sunscreen more frequently these days, and in larger amounts.
Earlier this year, the FDA introduced a new proposed rule that would require the sunscreen industry to provide more safety data on the chemicals used in...