The real reason why oxybenzone is so dangerous

Oxybenzone for UV protection?

Oxybenzone is sometimes found in cosmetics, especially in sunscreens, makeup bases with UV protection, and foundations.

However, some people tend to avoid this ingredient.

Not many people in Japan may care about this, but if you learn more about it, you might want to check the ingredients the next time you choose cosmetics.

This article will explain in detail why you should be careful with oxybenzone.

Oxybenzone is an ultraviolet absorber

Oxybenzone is in a group of substances called "benzophenones."

It is often incorporated into cosmetics such as sunscreens, base makeup, and lip balms to protect against UV rays.

In Japan, it is also known as one of the " ultraviolet absorbers ."

It is one of the ingredients that is banned from beaches in some countries and regions, such as Palau and Hawaii, because it is toxic to coral and other marine life.

It has also been pointed out that it is difficult to break down in nature and accumulates in water. For this reason, its use in sunscreens seems to be declining worldwide .

However, the toxicity of oxybenzone does not just affect marine life.

In fact, it has also been linked to carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption , and organ toxicity, meaning it may be highly toxic to humans as well.

Oxybenzone, also used as a stabilizer

Oxybenzone is sometimes used as an ultraviolet absorbing agent, as well as to stabilize the quality of cosmetics. Therefore, it may be found in the following cosmetics other than sunscreens.

• Moisturizing cream
• Lip balm
• Manicure

It may even be in the cosmetics you use every day.

Oxybenzone Safety

Oxybenzone is used in a variety of cosmetics, but in recent years, an increasing number of papers have shown that it is an endocrine disruptor that disrupts hormone balance.

There is still not enough data to draw any firm conclusions, but there seems to be an increasing number of reports pointing to the following risks:

• Oxybenzone exposure linked to thyroid hormones, testosterone, kidney function and signs of puberty
• Oxybenzone-3 in particular may have adverse effects on cancer cell growth, fertility, and neurodevelopment.
• Oxybenzone may affect estrogenic activity in human breast cancer cell lines
• Oxybenzone penetrates the skin and accumulates in the blood, kidneys, and liver.
• Oxybenzone detected in the urine and blood of pregnant women, fetuses and umbilical cord blood
• Women with moderate to high levels of oxybenzone in their urine are more likely to give birth to babies with Hirschsprung's disease, a rare disease designated in Japan.

summary

Cosmetics are used to make people more beautiful, so beauty ingredients and popular ingredients are appealing.
However, if you're aiming for healthy skin care, it might be a good idea to focus not on what's in it, but on what's not in it.