When we go outdoors or on vacation to the sea, we always take sunscreen with us, because the skin of city dwellers, which is not used to a lot of ultraviolet radiation, needs protection. The modern cosmetics industry offers us a wide range of different creams for both adults and children. But, as the results of a recent experiment have shown, sunscreen can be not only useful but also dangerous. The chemicals it contains can penetrate the skin and circulate through the bloodstream and circulate throughout our body.
How quickly do harmful ingredients in sunscreen enter the bloodstream?
Sunscreen itself is certainly useful. According to doctors, this cosmetic product not only protects the skin from sunburn, but also prevents premature aging and various skin diseases. But while the positive effect on the skin is undeniable, experts have questioned the overall safety of such products for the entire body. And, as American scientists have found out, the suspicions were not at all unfounded: some substances from the cream were detected in the blood of the participants in the experiment.
The research involved 24 people who actively used various means of protection against ultraviolet rays for 4 days. The subjects applied the cream 4 times a day, and on the second day, all the hazardous substances for which the experiment was actually conducted were detected in their blood. The concentrations of substances such as oxybenzone (benzophenone-3 or biphenyl ketone), mexoryl, octocrylene and avobenzone exceeded the safe standards recommended by doctors.
How quickly do hazardous substances from sunscreen penetrate into the bloodstreamThe authors of the study note that the results require additional verification and more detailed study. But one thing is clear: the chemicals that make up the protective products successfully penetrate the body and are fixed in the blood.
It’s worth noting that this is not the first time scientists have warned about the dangers of sunscreen. Russian experts have conducted experiments with products containing avobenzone and found that this substance breaks down into a number of aggressive organic compounds when exposed to ultraviolet light and chlorinated water. Such chemical transformations can occur if you swim in an outdoor pool.
How quickly do dangerous substances from sunscreen enter the bloodstream
As for another common component of sunscreens, oxybenzone, there is already a dossier with evidence of its harm. Studies have shown its association with disorders of the endocrine system, and there is also evidence of its effect on skin diseases.
What to do to avoid sunburn and how to remove burns
These data eloquently indicate that sunscreens and their components are not sufficiently studied and do not have the necessary safety for humans. And given the fact that these products cause significant damage to natural ecosystems when they get into water, it becomes obvious that this area of cosmetics is in dire need of innovative, safe developments.
