The Trouble With Ingredients in Sunscreens

https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/#.WsxlHC5uapo

Chemical	EWG Hazard Score	Use in U.S. sunscreens	Skin Penetration	Hormone disruption	Skin Allergy	Other concerns	References
UV filters with higher toxicity concerns
Oxybenzone	8	Widespread	Detected in nearly every American; found in mother’s milk; 1% to 9% skin penetration in lab studies	Weak estrogen, moderate anti-androgen; associated with altered birth weight in human studies	Relatively high rates of skin allergy	N/A	Janjua 2004, Janjua 2008, Sarveiya 2004, Gonzalez 2006, Rodriguez 2006, Krause 2012, Ghazipura 2017
Octinoxate (Octylmethoxycinnamate)	6	Widespread	Found in mothers’ milk; less than 1% skin penetration in human and laboratory studies	Hormone-like activity; reproductive system, thyroid and behavioral alterations in animal studies	Moderate rates of skin allergy	N/A	Krause 2012, Sarveiya 2004, Rodriguez, 2006, Klinubol 2008
UV filters with moderate toxicity concerns
Homosalate	4	Widespread	Found in mothers’ milk; skin penetration less than 1% in human and laboratory studies	Disrupts estrogen, androgen and progesterone	N/A	Toxic breakdown products	Krause 2012, Sarveiya 2004, SCCNFP 2006
Octisalate	4	Widespread; stabilizes avobenzone	Skin penetration in lab studies	N/A	Rarely reported skin allergy	N/A	Walters 1997, Shaw 2006 Singh 2007
Octocrylene	3	Widespread	Found in mothers’ milk; skin penetration in lab studies	N/A	Relatively high rates of skin allergy	N/A	Krause 2012, Bryden 2006, Hayden 2005
UV filters with lower toxicity concerns
Titanium Dioxide	2 (topical use), 6 (powder or spray)	Widespread	No finding of skin penetration	No evidence of hormone disruption	None	Inhalation concerns	Gamer 2006, Nohynek 2007, Wu 2009, Sadrieh 2010, Takeda 2009, Shimizu 2009, Park 2009, IARC 2006b
Zinc Oxide	2 (topical use), 4 (powder or spray)	Widespread; excellent UVA protection	Less than 0.01% skin penetration in human volunteers	No evidence of hormone disruption	None	Inhalation concerns	Gulson 2012, Sayes 2007, Nohynek 2007, SCCS 2012
Avobenzone	2	Widespread; best UVA protection of chemical filters	Very limited skin penetration	No evidence of hormone disruption	Breakdown product causes relatively high rates of skin allergy	Unstable in sunshine, must be mixed with stabilizers	Klinubol 2008, Bryden 2006, Hayden 2005, Montenegro 2008, Nash 2014
Mexoryl SX	2	Uncommon; pending FDA approval; offers good, stable UVA protection	Less than 0.16% skin penetration in human volunteers	No evidence of hormone disruption	Skin allergy is rare	N/A	Benech-Kieffer 2003, Fourtanier2008
Six other ingredients approved in the U.S. are rarely used in sunscreens: benzophenone-4, benzophenone-8, menthyl anthranilate, PABA, Padimate O, and trolamine salicylate