A couple of questions

Is oxybenzone bad for the skin?

Oxybenzone is one of the common active ingredients in sunscreens that are sold in the US. The FDA says it is safe. But some environmental and health groups single out oxybenzone as potentially unsafe for some people and the environment. This is because some studies have shown oxybenzone can cause skin allergies.Aug 9, 2018

What does oxybenzone do to the skin?

Oxybenzone Uses Sunscreen lotions are used to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun. They help in preventing sunburn and premature ageing i.e. wrinkles and leathery skin. Oxybenzone helps in decreasing the risk of skin cancer and also sunburn reactions caused by various medications.

Is oxybenzone in sunscreen harmful?

Oxybenzone is linked to endocrine disruption, organ system toxicity, contact allergies, and photoallergies, meaning exposure to light is required to generate an allergic response. This ingredient, sometimes called benzophenone-3, is not to be confused with benzophenone, another common sunscreen ingredient.

Should I avoid oxybenzone?

EWG recommends that consumers avoid sunscreens with oxybenzone. Octinoxate is an organic UV filter. It is readily absorbed into the skin and continues to be absorbed after the sunscreen has been applied. It has been found in blood 16 times above the proposed FDA safety threshold (Matta 2019, 2020).

Is oxybenzone bad for acne?

Stay away from ingredients like oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate, present in most chemical sunscreens as these are harmful to the skin. These don't just irritate acne-prone skin, but most of them disrupt hormonal balance.

Does oxybenzone make skin darker?

Secondly, if you use sunscreen that has hormonally-active ingredients (like oxybenzone), it can cause hormonal skin darkening.

Does oxybenzone cause acne?

Avoid Oxybenzone and Other Chemicals Oxybenzone and many other chemical listed in typical sunscreens can cause irritation to the skin tissue which paves the way for bacteria to multiply on your face. Acne prone skin already has a weakened barrier against bacterial growth.

Where is oxybenzone found?

Oxybenzone is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant – it is found in streams, rivers, lakes, and in marine environments from the Arctic Circle (Barrow, Alaska) to the beaches and coral reefs along the equator 1,2,3,4.