WHAT IS ORAL SUNSCREEN?

An exploration into the potential breakthrough in sun protection.

- RIA SINGH

There is a part of me, quite an incessant part— which I’m sure most of us share—that wants to cleanse her face in the morning, apply a layer of sunblock, and commit to its diligent

reapplication throughout the day. I attribute this urge to the countless hours spent dead scrolling through Instagram and the internet’s emphasis on the ‘clean girl aesthetic’. But in the midst of our hectic schedules, how often do we truly adhere to this routine?

The concept of oral sunscreen, upon my initial encounter, sparked genuine intrigue. Could it be that we have bid farewell to our good old sunblocks, and instead opted for ingestible pills that promise sustained sun protection?

When we leave our homes, our exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiations (UVA, UVB, and UBC) leads to oxidative damage. To counteract this, we use sunscreens that can be applied externally and ingested internally, to reverse oxidation and shield our skin.

Dr Agni Kumar Bose, a dermatologist and dermatosurgeon based in Mumbai, explains different types of topical sunscreens. He categorises them into three main types: physical sunscreen (uses titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to reflect sunlight); chemical sunscreen (absorbs UV radiation and converts it into infrared wavelengths); and hybrid sunscreen (combines the benefits of both physical and chemical sunscreens).