He started off quietly listening to whatever I had to say and then casually mentioned that sunscreens with a high SPF are carcinogenic. I was flabbergasted! I actually went to the extent of confirming him as a clone of Sheldon (Big Bang Theory!!) but I still went ahead and googled it and what he said was true!
Here is what I understood from what I read. Although sunscreens with higher SPF provide better protection than ones with lower SPF (marginally), there are a few risks involved.
Oxybenzone which is used in sunscreens is a hormone disrupting chemical and when used, it penetrates in the skin and enters the blood stream.
Vitamin A and its various forms such as retinol and retinyl palmitate which are used in sunscreens are said to speed up skin cancer when exposed to light. Now Vitamin A is believed to slow the process of ageing of skin but when used in sunscreens it seems to a concern. According to research, when sunscreens are used and Vitamin A is exposed to lighting, it speeds up the cancer.
There are various articles online explaining all this in detail but this is what I’ve understood and of course, as a blogger wanted to share it with you all. 🙂
What are your thoughts on this?
