If you don’t want to wear long clothes on the beach in summer and want to enjoy intense sunshine, there’s no getting around sunscreens. Sunburn caused by excessive UV radiation is one of the most dangerous skin inflammations and can significantly increase the risk of skin cancer in addition to accelerated skin ageing and pain. However, despite their very beneficial properties, sunscreens can also have negative effects on our organism and the ecosystem.
Different mechanisms of action in sunscreens
A distinction is made between mineral and chemical sunscreens. In the case of mineral products, UV protection is usually achieved with titanium oxide or zinc oxide. These oxidized minerals form a protective layer on the skin when the sunscreen is applied. As a result, UV radiation is largely converted into heat and slightly reflected. A characteristic feature of mineral sunscreens is the partial mineral layer that remains on the skin, the so-called “whitening”.
In chemical products, a variety of substances are used which, once absorbed, convert UV radiation into heat and thus protect the skin from sunburn. The most common active ingredients are oxybenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, homosalate, octocrylene, avobenzone or sulisobenzone. These sunscreens are usually absorbed quickly and are barely visible afterwards.
Criticism of active ingredients in sunscreens
Several substances in chemical sunscreens have been suspected of endangering health and polluting the environment for years. On contact with water, substances in sunscreens dissolve from the skin and end up in the sea.
Octinoxate, oxybenzone and homosalate are no longer found in sunscreens in several countries due to their potentially harmful and environmentally damaging properties. In rare cases, the substance diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate (DHHB) may be contaminated with the banned plasticizer DnHexP. Due to its effectiveness against UVA radiation and its proven low risk, the active ingredient is used in many sunscreens today. Parabens are often used as chemical preservatives in sunscreens. They are suspected of being hormonally active and potentially carcinogenic.
However, mineral sunscreens can also have a negative impact on the environment. In some cases, the minerals used are processed into particularly small particles in order to minimize the whitish or yellowish residue on the skin. The resulting nanoparticles are more reactive with the skin and the environment. They are also easier to inhale accidentally when using spray bottles.
Effects of sunscreens on the marine ecosystem
There is a wide range of proven damage that certain UV filters have on the environment. The best known include coral bleaching, feminization of fish due to hormonal changes or deformities and delayed development due to changes in thyroid hormones.
Natural cosmetics as a useful orientation
Choosing the safest sunscreen is a complicated undertaking. Sunscreens with the “natural cosmetics” label can provide good guidance here. They are always mineral-based, are often produced to higher quality standards and usually do not contain nanoparticles. If you find the whitening of the skin unpleasant, you should opt for chemical sunscreens with active ingredients that are as harmless as possible.
In both cases, allow the sunscreen to absorb completely before swimming to reduce negative environmental effects.
Avoiding harmful substances
As a manufacturer of membranes for microplastics and asbestos analysis, we are committed to protecting people and the environment as well as ensuring that consumer goods are as free of harmful substances as possible. While the long-term effects of microplastics continue to be researched, everyone can also avoid other potentially hazardous substances in everyday goods.
Read more about the latest worrying PFAS foundings in marine foam.