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Oxybenzone is't safe?
  • marzenkak
    Hello, another question about sun protection. I know that using sunscreen is the most important thing, but what about oxybenzone is it really so dangerous? Please help me because I’m starting having headache from reading all the research. Thank you for all work that you do.
  • mo
    I'm sure that you've read this, but here it goes:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunscreen_controversy

    Kinda sums it up nicely.
  • marzenkak
    Thank you, I’ve read that. My question is particularly about ingredient Oxybenzone. I know that there are controversies about sunscreens, but most research shows beneficial effect of using them. Many “natural brands” claims that oxbenzone is dangerous, and can increase risk of melanoma, what about legitimate research about that?
  • mo
    Early this year, unanswered questions about the safety of oxybenzone, the principal ingredient in most sunscreens, generated a flurry of letters to the editor of the British journal, The Lancet. It is typically assumed that there is little or no absorption of a product applied to the skin. But Cameron Hayden and colleagues at the University of Queensland, Australia, found that significant amounts of oxybenzone is absorbed by the human skin and subsequently excreted in the urine. They published their finding last year in The Lancet (9/20/97), noting that this result is consistent with earlier lab experiments and animal studies. Dr. Hayden and colleagues concluded, It would be prudent not to apply oxybenzone to large surface areas of skin for extended and repeated periods of time, unless no alternative protection is available. There may be additional concern for young children who have less well-developed processes of elimination and have a larger [skin] surface area per body weight than adults, with respect to systemic availability of a topically applied dose.

    http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0815/is_n7_v23/ai_20963314
  • marzenkak
    Thank you. This helps a lot. I guess, I will use my package of Neutrogena, in meanwhile try to find something good with Meroxyl or Tinosorb with high SPF.
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