"Scientific evidence supports the benefits of sunscreen usage to
minimize short- and long-term damage to the skin from UV
radiation and outweighs any unproven claims of toxicity or human
health hazard," said Daniel M. Siegel, president of the Academy.
Sunscreen products contain one or more active drug ingredients
(compounds that absorb, scatter or reflect UV light) and are
regulated as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs by the US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has several safety and
effectiveness regulations in place that govern the manufacture
and marketing of all sunscreen products, including safety data
on its ingredients. Despite numerous tests proving the
effectiveness of nanotechnology in sunscreens, there have been
reports questioning the health risks of some ingredients.
Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles are the most
commonly used in sunscreen formulations as they appear to vanish
on the skin, do not leave a residue, and retain and enhance
their ability to block UVA and UVB light. "