Sandra says: Can you please help me understand about sunscreen. I’ve read so many different opinions on Titanium Dioxide & Zinc Oxide being toxic. Now I hear about nano TiO2 & ZO. So the bottom line is should we use sunscreen or should we not? Or it is choosing the right brand? Is sunscreen really help us to prevent cancer or is it really just something that is being marketed?
The Right Brain Responds:
Sandra, the experts agree that sunscreen is one of the best ways to prevent skin cancer. So YES you should be using sunscreen to protect yourself. However, there is a bit of controversy around nanotechnology and titanium dioxide. Here’s the scoop:
Naughty nano?
It’s well known that TiO2 emits a photoelectron when exposed to UV light. Theoretically these free electrons can create peroxide radicals and other Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) that can cause damage to our precious DNA. DNA damage can lead to a host of problem, including skin cancer. This concern is primarily related to sunscreens that contain super-small Nano Particles of Ti02 because they can penetrate deeper into the skin.
Nice nano?
But according to a study conducted by Kerry Hanson, a research scientist at the University of California, Riverside, it’s not really clear whether or not these particles actually penetrate skin cells. To react with DNA, the TiO2 particles would have to not only penetrate the surface of the skin but also pass through the skin cells’ nuclear membrane. And, even if nano particles do go that deep into cells, we don’t know if UV light would actually reach them there. So the idea of Ti02 in sunscreen being dangerous is really just a theory at this point that hasn’t been studied well enough.
New nano?
The good news is that just in case this DOES turn out to be a serious problem, researchers have already found potential fix. Miriam Rafailovich at Stony Brook University, New York, US, and colleagues have found a way to coat TiO2 particles with a polymer that contains anti-oxidants derived from grape seed extracts. The coating effectively absorbs the photoelectron that is released by TiO2 and this prevents the dangerous Reactive Oxygen Species from forming. Sunscreens made using this technology should be safe beyond a shadow of a doubt. The Beauty Brains will keep you posted if we hear of any new developments. In the meantime, there are plenty of TiO2 sunscreens to chose from.
Source: Science Daily
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Traci Says:
So are you saying that the sun care product Ti02 would be absorbed by the skin if it’s nano sized? I thought you rebuffed that chemicals are absorbed into the skin per all the conversation about “5lbs of chemicals.” And isn’t Ti02 a chemical? And the product to stop the free radical damage is a natural product from grape seeds? So if that’s the case, if nano sized ingredients are delivered in plant based spheres, are they being absorbed by the skin and helping?
Jacqueline Says:
This is interesting - although I would still think that wearing any sunscreen at all is better than nothing, right? (at least I hope so).
I’d be interested to see what the brains behind the Beauty Brains (apparently I’ve never met a pun I didn’t like) think of the sunscreen choices at 3Luxe -
http://www.3luxe.com/category/Health_and_Beauty/Sunscreen
I personally use the Neutrogena one, but I’d be interested to know if it was worth splurging on a more expensive one (My pallor would make Casper jealous and skin cancer runs in my family, so I’m willing to spend more if something is amazing and protects my skin really well - an ounce of prevention and all that).
valerie whyte Says:
I use Rationale Daily Dose sunblock or Rationale Neutralizer concealer both contain nano zinc, both 25 SPF and I find them fantastic, the Daily Dose has antioxidants as well as a moisturizer, while the Neutralizer concealer has a hint of colour to even out skin tones.
I find them very effective and they do not irritate my skin at all plus they are not heavy and greasy like a lot of zinc based sunblocks.