Do different types of sunscreen offer different types of protection?
Dr. Lu: Sunscreens are divided into two types: those that use inorganic/physical agents and those that use organic/chemical agents: • Inorganic agents, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, coat your skin with a film of inert metal particles that reflect and scatter ultraviolet and visible radiation. These agents provide full-spectrum protection. • Organic agents, on the other hand, act by absorbing ultraviolet radiation. These chemical agents can be classified as either UVA absorbers, UVB absorbers, or broadband absorbers. Because we need protection from both UVB and UVA rays, you want to look for a sunscreen containing either an inorganic agent or an organic broadband absorber. Read the label to make sure your sunscreen contains one of these four ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, ecamsule (trade name: Mexoryl SX), or avobenzone (trade name: Parsol 1789).
