Skin cancer clinic claims an ingredient used in popular sunscreens is unsafe

Australia
By William

Skin Cancer Clinic Claims An Ingredient Used In Popular Sunscreen Is Unsafe: Here’s What You Need To Know

  • Clinic claims potentially harmful ingredient used in sunscreen
  • Octocrylene is ‘safe at approved levels’ and strictly regulated by TGA

By Carina Stathis for Daily Mail Australia

published: | Updated:

A skin cancer clinic has issued a stern warning about a potentially harmful ingredient used in countless sunscreen products, but experts disagree.

The New South Wales clinic distributed leaflets to customers claiming that a number of products contained the ingredient octocrylene or benzophenones – which ‘could be harmful to your skin and general health’.

“You are advised to buy new sunscreens every year and avoid the products mentioned. Sunscreens that contain zinc or titanium dioxide are okay,” the flyer reads.

However, a Cancer Council skin expert rejected the claims, saying that FEMAIL sunscreen is highly regulated by Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to ensure that such ingredients are used safely and properly.

An Australian skin cancer clinic claims that a number of sunscreen products contain a harmful ingredient. However, the Cancer Council dismissed this comment, confirming to FEMAIL that sunscreen is strictly regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)

The ingredient octocrylene is considered 'safe at approved levels'

The ingredient octocrylene is considered ‘safe at approved levels’

Chair of the Cancer Council’s National Skin Cancer Committee and skin cancer expert Anne Cust commented on the matter.

‘Sunscreens sold in Australia are strictly regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which determines which ingredients are safe and to what limits,’ Ms Cust told FEMAIL.

“The TGA requires products to meet some of the strictest criteria to ensure they are safe and effective. This includes octocrylene.

“There is overwhelming evidence that sunscreens approved by the TGA for use in Australia are safe to use and effective in preventing skin cancer.”

Having said this, octocrylene is considered ‘safe at approved levels’.

Sunscreen should be applied daily, and ideally every two hours, to protect the skin from sun damage.

Cancer Council indicates that if the UV level exceeds three, extra caution is required. Sunscreen should also be applied 20 minutes before sun exposure and reapplied after swimming.

The Cancer Council advises against the use of sunscreen in babies younger than six months.

Top tips for using sunscreen:

* Apply it to clean, dry skin 15 to 30 minutes before going out into the sun, so that it has time to act on your skin. Reapply it just before going out – you’ll increase the amount applied and be more likely to get the stated SPF benefit.

* Cover all parts of the body that are not protected by clothing (don’t forget your ears, the back of your neck, the backs of your hands and the tops of your feet).

* Apply evenly and don’t rub in too much – most sunscreens will be absorbed through the outer layer of the skin and don’t need to be rubbed in vigorously.

* Reapply at least every two hours and after swimming or exercising.

* Think beyond the beach and the pool – use sunscreen whenever you go outside for extended periods of time, such as going to the park, a lunchtime walk to the shops, exercising or gardening.

* Store your sunscreen at a temperature below 30 degrees Celsius. Leaving it in the glove compartment of your car or in the sun can cause it to lose its effectiveness. Keep it in the air with the drinks, in the shade or wrapped in a towel.

* Do not use sunscreens that have passed their expiration date as they may have lost their effectiveness.

Source: Choice

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