Sunscreen Burnout?

You’ve been told to wear SPF, oh, about a billion times. But then you hear that the FDA is rethinking sunscreen regulations and some states are banning ingredients, and everyone seems afraid of chemicals. So, what’s the truth? We got answers from experts who are above the politicking and hype.

- Kiera Carter

How does sunscreen actually work?

There are 14 common sunscreen ingredients available in the United States, and they fall into two groups. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, often referred to as “natural,” “mineral,” or “physical” sunscreens, are the ones that sit on the surface of your skin and reflect UV light. The other 12, including oxybenzone, avobenzone, and octisalate, are typically called “chemical” sunscreens, and they sink into your skin’s top layer and absorb the sun’s rays before they can cause damage.

“If you put 10 dermatologists in a room and gave us a choice, we’d all pick the physical blocker,” says Dr. Dendy Engelman, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Albert Einstein School of Medicine– Montefiore Hospital in New York City. “They’re more effective, safer for everyone—including babies—and work instantly, whereas you need to wait 15 to 30 minutes for chemical sunscreens to start protecting your skin.” The problem? Some products with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide “can feel chalky and leave a white cast on the skin,” says Engelman. In general, chemical sunscreens tend to be more translucent and feel better on skin. Test the options and decide for yourself.

Chemical sunscreens wouldn’t be available if they weren’t safe… right?

The better question: Chemical sunscreens wouldn’t be available if they weren’t believed to be safe, right? Then the easy answer would be: Right. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates which sunscreen ingredients are legal to use in this country, and if research points to a problem with a previously approved sunscreen and the ingredient in question is proven unsafe, the FDA will ban it. But that process of finding proof takes time and, often, more research.