Do you have to worry about the presence of sunscreens in your bloodstream?

A recent study found that some chemicals found in sunscreens were in your blood after only a day of generous application, but do not panic for the moment. Sunscreens are always considered safe and their use is not even necessary. change of brand.

Is it bad that sunscreen is absorbed through the skin?

Not necessarily. We have known for a long time that it can be absorbed, so this is not news. The FDA rules assume that some absorption may occur, but that if concentrations are greater than 0.5 ng / ml, additional safety studies must be performed. The new study has established that, yes, levels can reach this level if you apply a ton of sunscreen.

How much sunscreen are we talking about?

The people in the study used a lot more sunscreen than any of us in real life. The researchers followed the instructions that we are all "supposed to" follow: apply two milligrams of sunscreen per square centimeter of skin, then apply that same amount several times a day throughout the day. Realistically, most of us apply a quarter to half that amount at a time, and reapply less, if at all.

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Should I stop using chemical sunscreens?

You absolutely must continue to use sunscreen because its benefits are well established and nothing in this study indicates that the sunscreen is dangerous, but that it is not as well understood as we thought.

If you are concerned, one option is to use titanium oxide or zinc oxide sunscreens, the components of which are not absorbed by the skin. They do, however, have their own drawbacks: a thick layer of these sunscreens can give the skin a white appearance, and they may not protect as well against the entire UV spectrum.

Dr. Anjali Mahto, dermatologist and author of The Skincare BibleShe summed up the situation when she wrote on Instagram: "Personally, I will not change my usage or product model based on the results above. Although the study is interesting, it certainly does not reflect the way I use my sunscreen life. "