The Scoop on Sunscreen

FORTUNATELY, THE DAYS of slathering on baby oil and baking in the sun to get an angry burn—are long over.

- Melissa Greer

Many sunscreens work by filtering the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays to keep them from reaching skin cells and causing the DNA damage that can lead to wrinkles and skin cancer. But in recent years, the safety of some of those filtering chemical ingredients, particularly oxybenzone, has been in question.

A 2019 study published in JAMA found evidence that oxybenzone is absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to concerns about whether it might affect hormone production, puberty, fertility and thyroid function.