Sunscreen is a product that helps protect the skin from the damaging effects of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. It contains active ingredients that absorb and neutralize the heat generated by these rays, preventing skin damage and reducing the risk of skin cancer
. There are two main types of sunscreen: chemical and physical. Chemical sunscreens use active ingredients like avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene, while physical sunscreens use minerals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide
. Some common ingredients in sunscreens include:
- Avobenzone : An oil-soluble ingredient that absorbs the full spectrum of UVA rays
- Homosalate : An organic compound used as a chemical UV filter
- Octisalate : An organic compound that absorbs UVB rays
- Octocrylene : An organic compound that absorbs UVA and UVB rays
- Octinoxate : A UV filter
- Oxybenzone : A UVA and UVB II filter
Sunscreen ingredients are classified into three categories by the FDA:
- Generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE) : These include sunscreens containing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide
- Not GRASE : Sunscreens containing aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and trolamine salicylate are in this category
- Insufficient data to determine GRASE : Sunscreens containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, homosalate, meradimate, octisalate, octocrylene, padimate O, sulisobenzone, and avobenzone are in this category
Sunscreen is an essential part of a complete sun protection strategy, along with wearing protective clothing, seeking shade, and reapplying sunscreen every two hours or after swimming or sweating
. It is important to choose a sunscreen that is broad-spectrum, with an SPF of at least 15, and reapply it as needed to ensure effective protection
