What the Hell is Oxybenzone?

In my last post, I mentioned that the FDA has not updated the safety standards for U.S. sunscreens in just about 40 years. In the meantime, Europe, Canada, Japan and Australia have access to innovative sunscreen formulations that do a better job of protecting the skin. Think about it this way, in the U.S. we’re still on mainframe computers using punch cards and everyone else is using the latest Macbook.

Why is that? In the U.S. we have strict approval processes that basically bring sunscreen innovation to a standstill. Unlike the European Union that considers sunscreen a cosmetic, the United States has classified sunscreen as an OTC (over-the-counter) medication. And in theory, that would provide a better degree of protection from toxic chemicals, right?

Short answer – no. In 2017, Dr. Steve Wang, director of dermatology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge, discovered that nearly half of U.S. sunscreens he tested didn’t offer enough UVA protection to meet European Union standards. So while U.S. sunscreens protect against UVB (the type of ultraviolet rays that cause sunburn), they aren’t as good at blocking UVA, said Wang. Why is that an issue? UVA penetrates deeper into the skin and can accelerate aging and cause genetic changes that lead to cancer – you know, cancer like melanoma, the incidence of which has doubled since 1985 (per the National Cancer Institute).

According to the article referenced above, many European sunscreen formulas contain filters that provide better protection against UVA while also protecting against UVB. And they’re less oily, which make them more appealing to use, said Parand Salmassinia, a vice president at Dutch cosmetics company DSM Personal Care.

In the U.S., the only two UVA filters broadly permitted are oxybenzone and zinc oxide. No new sunscreen filters have been approved in the U.S. since the late 1990s because of the whole “sunscreen as an OTC medication” and the inherent delays in safety testing. Ironically, newer UVA filters are permitted in cosmetic items as long as they don’t label themselves as a sunscreen because cosmetics aren’t regulated in the U.S. Even more interesting, cosmetics in the U.S. aren’t required to undergo safety testing before selling them. As a point of reference, the European Union has banned over 1,300 ingredients from use in cosmetics. Meanwhile, the U.S. has only banned 11. So consumers have basically no safety net when it comes to cosmetics in the U.S. and have no innovation in the sunscreen.

So in the U.S. we have oxybenzone to protect us from UVA. And it’s in every sunscreen I have in my cabinet (except for two which are mostly zinc oxide-based mineral sunscreens for my face). Sunscreens that I’m going to have to throw out now. Why?

I mentioned that my dad is not doing well. And while I was researching the weird ailment he came down with, I nerded out on a bunch of science. My mom came home with a few bottles of sunscreen (because I’m there and everyone is hyperaware of the need for sun protection when me and my scar are lounging around) and asked me if the ingredients in them are good for him. Since the first ingredient in every one was oxybenzone, I started my research there and let me tell you, what I found scared the crap out of me.

Oxybenzone is known to be an allergen and a hormone disruptor that soaks through skin and poses a hazard to human health and the environment. Hawaii banned sunscreens with this ingredient due to its link to coral bleaching and coral death (Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2015). The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has labeled oxybenzone as a “hormone disruptor”. Meaning that this ingredient is linked to fertility issues and obesity as well as a host of other issues. While the American Dermatologist Association has said that the ingredient is safe (although allergic reactions can cause eczema), it’s not what it does to the skin that worries me so much. Because this ingredient penetrates the skin and remains in your body days after you apply it. In a study published in 2008, the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention found the chemical compound to be present in 96.8% of the human urine samples surveyed. So it’s not something you can just wash off and not worry about the cumulative effect within your body.

Researchers have discovered that oxybenzone negatively affects the reproductive organs in mice (and to blunt the criticism, yes mice are an appropriate stand-in for humans. That should be one of my next blog posts: Why Mice Are Suitable Stand-ins for Humans in Experiments…) The authors of that study sum up their research paper with the following statement: Our findings indicate that UV screens should be tested for endocrine activity, in view of possible long-term effects in humans and wildlife. So other researchers have done just that.

A study in 2005 found that oxybenzone displays additive hormonal effects when tested with other sunscreen chemicals, meaning that when combined with other sunscreen chemicals, oxybenzone makes the effects of those chemicals more pronounced. Researchers showed that oxybenzone may affect the adrenal hormone system in experiments published in 2006. And another study that same year linked the chemical with feminizing male fish. And finally, study by the CDC published in 2007 noted that this chemical is linked to low birth weight in baby girls whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy. (As an aside, BP3 or benzophenone-3 (BP3) is the technical name for oxybenzone as it appears in the scientific research publications, in case you want to read these and come to your own conclusions – as I highly recommend anyone to do. I’m not a scientist and while I playact like one on this blog, the best advocate for your health is always you.)

The EU has guidelines that any product that contains more than 0.5% of this needs to be clearly labeled so consumers can avoid it if they wish. In addition to Hawaii, Sweden has banned the use of this ingredient. So what’s a melanoma-growing girl to do? Well, I’m reassessing my use of chemical sunscreen. While I usually use zinc oxide for my face only, I think I’m going to start using it for the rest of my body as well as recommend my dad get on the bandwagon. I don’t want to wait for the FDA and the manufacturers of sunscreen in the U.S. to develop solutions to this issue. Obviously, while there is enough evidence for me to be concerned about this chemical for a variety of other reasons, I always suggest that you become informed about what matters most to you.

In the meantime, I think the next time I travel out of the country, I’m going to make sure that I have enough room in a checked bag to bring back some “modern” sunscreen formulations!