| Recently, some members of various | | | | oxide and titanium dioxide-based products are |
| environmental and toxicology communities have | | | | among the safest and most effective sunscreens |
| expressed concern about nanoparticles. | | | | available in the U.S. today. An excerpt of the |
| Nanotechnology is commonly defined as the | | | | report states: "Although we expected to reach a |
| creation and manipulation of materials at the | | | | different conclusion at the outset of our |
| atomic and molecular level. The issue is whether | | | | sunscreen investigation, when we balanced all |
| the tiny particles can penetrate the skin thereby | | | | factors important in sunscreen safety, we found |
| posing health risks to humans. This is a legitimate | | | | many zinc and titanium-based sunscreens that our |
| concern. | | | | analysis shows are among the safest and most |
| However, when considering zinc oxide and | | | | effective sunscreens on the market." |
| titanium dioxide, the two compounds commonly | | | | Some leading manufacturers of sun protection |
| found in broad-spectrum sunscreens, and at the | | | | clothing are creating fabrics embedded with zinc |
| zinc oxide nanoparticles used in sun protective | | | | oxide. Their studies show that these nanoparticles |
| clothing, the evidence suggests that the health | | | | do not wash out or wear out, and are therefore |
| benefits of using this nano technology clearly | | | | unlikely to rub off on skin. However, even if they |
| outweigh any risk. In fact, most experts give a | | | | did, the studies mentioned above show they |
| resounding "yes" to the issue of whether to apply | | | | would not pose any health risk. |
| and wear products using these compounds. | | | | Zinc is an essential mineral. Zinc oxide has been |
| The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a | | | | used and continues to be used to help heal |
| not-for-profit scientific organization, reviewed the | | | | damaged skin like diaper rash or burns. Contrary |
| literature and found that "In 15 peer-reviewed | | | | to posing a health risk, nanoparticles of zinc oxide |
| studies, nanosize zinc and titanium were shown | | | | in sunscreen and sun protective clothing offers |
| not to penetrate through unbroken skin at | | | | the highest protection against UVR while providing |
| concentrations exceeding 1.5%." | | | | the healthy soothing/healing properties associated |
| EWG actually indicated some surprise by their | | | | with this compound. |
| findings and then went further to say that zinc | | | | |