Sunscreens Safe and Needed, Experts Say

People should not let reports about the safety of certain chemicals deter them from using sunscreen, experts say. HealthDay News wrote about the topic July 26. The Environmental Working Group has raised questions about two chemicals. The group said that retinyl palmitate, which is related to vitamin A, increases the risk of skin cancer. Oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) disrupts hormones, the group said. Both chemicals are used in many sunscreens. But these concerns are unproven, dermatology experts told HealthDay News. Doubts are based mainly on studies of laboratory animals, they said. They emphasized that the threat of skin cancer from the sun is proven. People should use sunscreen and limit sun exposure, they said. The National Institutes of Health is reviewing data on retinyl palmitate. Results are due in January, HealthDay said.