Lets dispel a few of those myths.
What is the difference between mineral, physical, and chemical sunscreens?
Mineral or physical sunscreens are made with tiny particles of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.
Chemical sunscreens include pretty much everything else: oxybenzone, octisalate, and others.
There are also sunscreens that combine both types of ingredients.
Myth: mineral sunscreens are sunblocks
Wow, no.
Thats not true and was never true.
Sunscreen and sunblock are the same thing, and it comes in both mineral and chemical formulations.
In actuality,bothchemical and physical sunscreens work by absorbing ultraviolet light.
Weve known since 2015 thatmineral oxides mostly absorb UV, and only reflect a tiny bit.
In both cases, the sunscreen starts working right away.
It doesnt need to absorb into your skin to become effective.
Drying also ensures that it wont run off the minute you step into the pool or start sweating.
But chemical sunscreens are often easier to use in a way that achieves the labeled SPF.
He ended up with sunburn on his face.
This is not to say that mineral sunscreens willalwaysperform poorly.
But depending on the formulation, they may have some disadvantages compared to chemical sunscreens.
Pay attention if youre switching products.
Some other sunscreen ingredients have also been found to cause damage.
But that doesnt mean mineral sunscreens are automatically safer.
Researchalsoshows thatzinc oxide sunscreens are bad for corals.
Meanwhile, its unclear whether sunscreen is actually reaching corals in amounts that are significant enough to affect them.
But that doesnt mean that mineral sunscreens are bad or useless.
The American Academy of Dermatologyrecommendsmineral sunscreens for people with sensitive skin and for babies.
