Incidences of skin cancer and sunscreen sales have risen simultaneously over the last 20 years.
In the UK skin cancer has risen threefold and so have the sales of sunscreen! Some argue that more of us get skin cancer because of the growing ozone hole but that doesn’t explain the UK figures where there has never been a problem with thinning ozone. Others suspect the chemicals used in the screens themselves are playing a part in this rise.
Some scientists have long been claiming that the chemicals commonly used in sunscreens maybe more trouble than they’re worth. These chemicals are either physical reflective screens that work by reflecting UV away from the skin, or chemical absorbing screens that absorb UV rays and reduce their energy.
Chemicals that absorb UV energy from the sun cannot destroy that energy and the concern is that when it is released it causes DNA damage to the skin. Common UV absorbing chemicals include: para-amino benzoic acid (PABA), cinnamates, oxybenzone & benzophenones. The bad news for these chemicals doesn’t end there, some of them are also known as “gender-benders” because of their ability to mimic female hormones.
Physical UV reflecting chemicals include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Titanium dioxide has been shown to promote the formation of highly damaging free radicals which damage skin DNA. Zinc oxide is the UV screen chosen for most natural sunscreens, as there are no known adverse reactions.
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