Are they safe?
In sunscreens to provide SPF, two main group of UV filters are used: Chemical and Mineral. Chemical UV filters provide protection by getting into reaction with the UV radiation and diminishing it’s effect, while Mineral UV filters absorbs and reflect the UV rays. As chemical UV filters are losing their efficacy after reacting with UV rays their affect is diminishing after the application on the surface. But the mineral ingredients work by reflecting and absorbing and do not get into reaction with UV rays their affect is more prolonged.
The chemical UV filters are under scrutiny for the health and marine life. Being chemicals they are easy to penetrate under the skin and can cause irritation and toxic affects. Especially for marine life some of the chemical UV filters are known to affect very adversely especially coral reefs therefore such chemicals are banned to be used at certain regions of the world. Mineral UV filters are safer and the market is going more to the mineral filters. There are two mineral filters in sunscreens: Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. The nan-nano forms of these two is the safest ingredients to be used in sunscreens.
