Sunscreens May Enter Bloodstream, But Effects Unknown: Study

Several active ingredients in popular sunscreens don't jus sit on the top of the skin, they are absorbed into the bloodstream, according to a new study from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, NBC News reported.

Researchers determined that far higher levels of these ingredients are absorbed into people’s systems than the amount considered benign enough to avoid safety testing — in some cases, as much as 40 times higher than the threshold amount, according to the study published Monday in the peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA.

• BMW Profit Hit by Anti-Trust Case, Spending on Technology

Researchers noted it is not clear whether the chemicals tested by the FDA are harmful when there is systemic exposure and said further testing and additional data is needed. 

“These products are used to prevent skin cancer,” said study coauthor Dr. Theresa Michele, director of the division of nonprescription drug products at the FDA noted. “It’s very important from a public health perspective that people use them, especially as skin cancer rates are increasing. Right now, we know that there are benefits from these products and we don’t know if there are any harms.

• All Directly Involved in Sri Lanka Attacks Dead or Arrested, Police Say

The four ingredients in question are avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene and ecamsule.

Photo Credit: Kaspars Grinvalds/Adobe Stock

from NBC New York - Top Stories http://bit.ly/2LtDvoi