Make Your Pick: Cancer or Cancer?

 In The Washington Post article "Why the FDA Is Looking at the Chemicals in Sunscreens: QuickTake", author Anna Edney introduces the idea that sunscreens could actually be leading to forms of cancer. 

Although the FDA has not mandated any official recalls yet, Johnson & Johnson has recalled some well-known brands of sunscreen, including sunscreen products from Neutrogena and Aveeno. In addition to sunscreen, some after-sun products have also been found to contain the carcinogen of concern, which has led to some companies, such as CVS Health, halting the sale of these products.

Figure 1: The 78 sunscreens found by Valisure to contain benzene.

Now what is this carcinogen behind all this sunscreen concern? The chemical that has been found in many sunscreen products, including some that are still on the shelves, is called benzene. This chemical has been reported by the CDC as a connection to leukemia, a cancer of the blood. So how is this chemical used in sunscreens? It actually is not an ingredient in the sunscreen itself, but rather a product from octocrylene, which can degrade into benzophenone, a reactant in the product of benzene. Benzophenone is currently being studied and the FDA has emphasized that only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are supported as safe sun protection products.

    

Figure 2: The generation of benzophenone from octocrylene.

Figure 3: The production of benzene from benzophenone.

Earlier this year, Hawaii banned sunscreens containing the chemical oxybenzone, as they caused death to the coral reef. Now, the state is considering banning all sun products that are not backed by the FDA (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide).

    

Figure 4: One of the FDA recommended forms of UV protection, zinc oxide.

Currently, the FDA is studying the sunscreens and will determine whether these products are safe for use. 

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/why-the-fda-is-looking-at-the-chemicals-in-sunscreens-quicktake/2021/08/29/c5910e10-092f-11ec-a7c8-61bb7b3bf628_story.html

https://chembites.org/2021/03/17/more-than-spf-some-common-sunscreen-ingredients-to-avoid/

https://tardigrade.in/question/benzophenone-can-be-converted-into-benzene-using-qx7es3we

https://www.valisure.com/blog/valisure-news/valisure-detects-benzene-in-sunscreen/

https://www.riteaid.com/shop/rite-aid-pharmacy-zinc-oxide-ointment-2-oz-57-g-0031387