"Sunscreen Is Bad for You" "I hear this all the time," says New York dermatologist Debra Jaliman, M.D., author of "Skin Rules." Proponents of the sunscreen-cancer link say that oxybenzone, an active ingredient in chemical sunscreens, creates free radicals, which, in theory, cause melanoma.
Engelman and Jaliman both say there isn't proof that sunscreen causes cancer; on the other hand, there is a lot of evidence that sun protection prevents it.
If certain ingredients make you wary, Engelman recommends physical sunscreen over chemical sunscreen. Physical sunscreen, containing ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, forms a layer of protection over your skin to block sunlight, whereas chemical sunscreen sinks into your skin and absorbs UV light. "There is nothing more organic than zinc and titanium," points out Engelman. "They're on the periodic table."
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