Can Sunscreen Cause Skin Cancer?
For years, sunscreen has been recommended by dermatologists to prevent skin aging and skin cancer. However, a recent evaluation of sunscreens brings disturbing news: a large number of sunscreens may actually increase the rate of development of skin cancer. Many sunscreen formulas contain the antioxidant vitamin A or its derivatives, retinol and retinyl palmitate, because it slows skin aging. However, vitamin A can in fact speed up the rate at which cancerous lesions and tumors develop on skin exposed to sunlight. While preparing its yearly sunscreen report, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found the results of a ten-year-old FDA study on sunscreens containing vitamin A. The study found that lab animals coated with creams containing vitamin A developed skin tumors and lesions up to 20% faster than animals coated with other creams. The EWG analysis of the study was released last fall by the National Toxicology Program and the FDA. Many in the EWG could not understand why the FDA had
