Do some sunscreen ingredients really carry health risks?
Experts disagree, with some thinking they do and others saying the link is unproven. Sutton thinks some ingredients are definitely hazardous, including oxybenzone. “We have animal studies that indicate we should be concerned about hormone disruption,” she says. “Oxybenzone is found to have weak estrogenic effects in fish.” What some experts suspect happens is that the body interprets the presence of the chemical as some sort of hormone. “It could be turning on or off certain functions,” she says. “The hormonal balance is becoming disrupted.” In laboratory studies, some sunscreen ingredients, including Padimate-O and Ensulizole, have been linked to cell mutations that can be linked to cancer, Sutton says. But the official stance of the Skin Cancer Foundation is that oxybenzone is a “safe and effective UV filter,” according to a spokesperson. The American Academy of Dermatology has no official position on the use of oxybenzone sunscreens, a spokesperson says.
