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Sunscreen from the previous year: If it contains a substance, it should rather be thrown away

2022-05-25T04:17:27.395Z


Sunscreen from the previous year: If it contains a substance, it should rather be thrown away Created: 05/25/2022, 06:03 By: Ines Baur Applying lotion is considered good sun protection. If the cream contains certain ingredients, it can do more harm than protection (symbol image) © Sina Schuldt/dpa Sunscreen is supposed to protect us from skin damage caused by UV radiation. However, the cream f


Sunscreen from the previous year: If it contains a substance, it should rather be thrown away

Created: 05/25/2022, 06:03

By: Ines Baur

Applying lotion is considered good sun protection.

If the cream contains certain ingredients, it can do more harm than protection (symbol image) © Sina Schuldt/dpa

Sunscreen is supposed to protect us from skin damage caused by UV radiation.

However, the cream from the previous year may have developed dangerous substances.

Scientists found this out in a study.

Munich – After two years of the corona pandemic, we can hardly wait to finally have a normal summer again.

In order not to lose any time, you pack the sunscreen from the previous year in the bathing bag and then get out.

But be careful, leftover sunscreen from last year is not always safe to use.

If you want to use up the old cream, you should check the expiration date and check the label to see if it contains a specific ingredient.

Because over time it can turn into a carcinogenic substance.

Old sunscreen: more harm than protection?

Specifically, it is the chemical UV filter octocrylene.

Sun protection preparations with the ingredient should not be used for more than one season.

If stored for a long time, the carcinogenic substance benzophenone can form.

Scientists from the Sorbonne University came to this conclusion after a study, writes aponet.de.

The researchers tested nine sunscreen products from the EU and eight from the US.

All preparations had sun protection factor 50 (SPF 50) and were tested for the amounts of octocrylene and benzophenone they contained immediately after purchase and six weeks later.

Immediately after purchase, the average value in 16 creams was 39 mg/kg benzophenone.

After about six weeks, the concentration rose to an average of 75 mg/kg.

Only the sunscreen product without the chemical UV filter octocrylene did not contain benzophenone at any time.

At least there is good news: According to the Öko-Test, children's sunscreens tend not to contain any questionable UV filters.

Scientists are in favor of banning the additive in cosmetics

From the scientists' point of view, octocrylene in cosmetics should be banned as a precaution.

Benzophenone and octocrylene are suspected of being carcinogenic.

The Ökotest Foundation also considers octocrylene to be only advisable to a limited extent.

Certain ingredients could be deposited in the human body and have a hormonal effect.

The substance is said to be harmful not only for humans, but also for the environment.

Numerous biologists warn of damage to the environment with regard to octocrylene and other UV filters.

The substances damage corals, among other things.

The US island state of Hawaii has banned any products that contain chemical UV filters since 2021, writes

kosmetik.org

.

If you want to be on the safe side, you can take a look at the expiry date and check the label before making a purchase.

You can find out whether a sunscreen contains octocrylene by stating the ingredients on the back of the product.

Sunscreen that has passed its expiry date should no longer be used by consumers anyway.

It has been known for a long time that the protective effect decreases.

Alternatives to sunscreen with octocrylene

As an alternative to cosmetics with chemical UV filters such as octocrylene, health experts recommend products with mineral sun protection substances, writes kosmetik.org.

These would be products with the mineral UV filters zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which are considered harmless to health.


Source: merkur

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