Most of the UV ray protection properties of a sunscreen depend on its active ingredients. Amongst all chemicals that are used for sunscreen formulation, only 17 chemicals are approved by the USFDA for being relatively safe for the skin. Primary sunscreen ingredients are the molecules of aromatic substances that are conjugated with other substances of the carbonyl groups. This structure actually allows the sunscreen to absorb or reflect the UV rays and avoid their contact with your skin. Most of these ingredients retain their ultraviolet absorbing potency even after longer exposure to the sunlight. This characteristic is called as photo-degradation.
Here are some of the active sunscreen ingredients that are commonly used in various sunscreens as well as sunblocks – Cinnamates, Ethylhexyl p-Methoxycinnamate, OMC (Octyl Methoxycinnamate), OCS Octyl Salicytate, Homomenthyl Salicylate, PABA (Para Aminobenzoic Acid), Octyl Dimethyl PABA, Triethanolamine, Padimate O, Padimate A, Glyceryl Aminobenzoate, Octocrylene, Titanium Oxide, Zinc Oxide, etc. Amongst all the sunscreen ingredients, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are considered as physical sunblock ingredients because they ‘reflect’ the UV rays; while other active ingredients are called as chemical sunblock ingredients because they ‘absorb’ the UV rays.
Harmful Sunscreen Ingredients
Most of the above mentioned sunscreen ingredients only prevent the UVA sun rays; while ingredients like Benzophenones, Oxybenzone, Dioxybenzone, Avobenzone etc., that are present in the sunblocks, are effective in barring the UVA as well as UVB sun rays. In short, sunscreens can protect you from only the UVA rays, while sunblocks are the most effective to protect you from both UVA as well as UVB rays. Along with the questions about their effectiveness, some sunscreen ingredients can raise a few potential health risk including – dry skin, eczema, acne, skin irritation and increased skin irritability. No matter the sunscreen ingredients, it is very important to select sunscreens that can protect the skin from both the types of UV rays and will cause least amount of damage to the skin. More on sunblock vs sunscreen.
A few recent studies state that more than 84% of the sunscreen ingredients are actually harmful for the health. Hence, picking out their names amongst these sunscreen lotions is a bit of a tedious task. Still some of the ingredients like PABA, Benzophenone, Benzophenone-3, Octy-methoxycinnamate, Homosalate, Padimate-O and Parsol 1789, Butyl-Parabens, Ethyl-Parabens, Propyl-Parabens, Diethanolamine (DEA) and associated compounds like triethanolamine or TEA, titanium oxide, etc. are some of the sunscreen ingredients to avoid problems like skin allergies, hormonal imbalance, skin cancer and DNA damage etc. The synthetic fragrances that are used in the sunscreens can lead to allergies like asthma and other breathing disorders. More on zinc oxide sunblock.
Natural Sunscreen Ingredients
One must opt for the natural sunscreen ingredients to avoid potential health damage. Some of the natural sunscreen ingredients are – black tea gel, green tea polyphenols, broccoli extract, etc. You can also use things like Shea butter as a natural sunscreen and lemon juice as a natural skin tanner. Consuming plenty of antioxidant fruits and vegetables can prevent the damage which can be caused by the UV rays, from within. For that, you need to consume fresh berries and spirulina (blue green algae) on a regular basis. Adequate levels of vitamin D are also said to be effective to combat the irreversible side effects of the sun rays on the body. More on skin care.
Along with the active ingredients; SPF is also the key factor, that determines effectiveness of the sunscreen which you choose. SPF stands for the Sun Protection Factor and the number of SPF that you choose, stands for the minutes for which that sunscreen can be effective. You can generally find the sunscreen formulations like SPF 10, SPF 15, SPF 20, SPF 30 and SPF 40. Effectiveness of the sunscreen also depends on a few other things like the complexion, skin tone and skin composition of a person. Once this timespan is surpassed, you need to reapply the sunscreen. More on SPF sunscreen meaning.
Selecting sunblock products with least harmful sunscreen ingredients, consuming plenty of antioxidants and selecting the correct SPF factor of the sunscreen, are the three cornerstones of a healthy protection from the sun.
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