Sunscreens have received a lot of attention lately, especially regarding their ingredients. There are two main types of sunscreen: chemical sunscreens and mineral sunscreens. Both types help protect your skin from the sun, but they do it in different ways. It’s important to note that the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, does regulate sunscreens to ensure their safety and effectiveness.
Mineral sunscreens, also known as physical sunscreens, contain natural minerals like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. They primarily work like a shield, sitting on top of your skin and reflecting the sun’s rays away. However, new research shows they are also absorbed into the skin. Mineral sunscreens start working as soon as you apply them, and they tend to be safer and less irritating for sensitive skin. However, some can feel chalky and leave a white film on the skin, which some people may not like and can be more visible on darker skin. Tinted and sheer mineral sunscreen options are available, which offer the same protection with a bit of color to blend more naturally with the skin. Many sunscreen manufacturers have also made an effort to create lightweight mineral sunscreens that don’t leave you looking like Casper.
Chemical sunscreens use special ingredients that absorb the sun’s harmful rays before they can damage your skin. When the sun hits your skin, the chemicals soak up the ultraviolet rays and turn them into heat that is released from your skin without harming it. Chemical sunscreen ingredients include ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, homosalate, meradimate, octisalate, octocrylene, padimate O, sulisobenzone, and avobenzone. Chemical sunscreens usually rub more easily into the skin and don’t leave behind a white residue. They are also more sweat-resistant.
However, chemical sunscreens have stirred up controversy regarding their safety and environmental impact, specifically the coral reefs. Plus, just the word chemical is stigmatizing. As you will find, I talk a lot about making chemical a neutral word in your mind so you don’t turn away as soon as you hear it. Remember, not all chemicals are bad—like that water in your Stanley. And zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are chemicals. They are just naturally occurring chemicals. A more accurate way to think about sunscreen ingredients is synthetic versus natural chemicals. Synthetic chemicals include octinoxate or avobenzone, and natural chemicals include zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Typically for children, I recommend using mineral-only sunscreens because kiddos have more sensitive skin, especially young children or those with atopic dermatitis. As a parent, I understand the desire to not expose your children to anything you don’t have to. That’s also why I recommend using sun-protective clothing alongside sunscreen. My kids look like they are in a wetsuit when we go to the beach but it’s worth it. If you want to use chemical sunscreen, these are considered safe for children too. I tell parents, to use what makes you feel most comfortable. The main goal is just to use sunscreen consistently to protect your child’s skin.
Trotter’s Take: Both mineral and chemical sunscreens are considered safe and effective in protecting your child’s skin from the sun’s harmful rays. If chemical sunscreens make you uneasy, opt for a mineral only. The best sunscreen is one that you will actually use for your kids!
Check out Dr. Aaron Farberg, double board certified dermatologist, as he walks us through handling sunscreen questions from parents.
