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Question:Is it true that titanium dioxide and octyl methoxycinnamate can become toxic and possibly carcinogenic when exposed to UV rays?Answer:Titanium dioxide and octylmethoxycinnamate are two very different types of sunscreen protectors. Titanium dioxide is called a physical sunscreen, which makes it unique and superior to octylmethoxycinnamate that is a chemical sunscreen. Physical sunscreens (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the only two in the marketplace at present) are able to protect against harmful sunrays by reflecting them away from the skin. Titanium dioxide sits on top of the skin, reflecting away ALL types of harmful sunrays, similar to an umbrella. It is not absorbed by the skin or the body. This is in contrast to chemical sunscreens like octylmethoxycinnamate, which is absorbed by the skin and protects the skin by absorbing the sunrays as they come into contact with the sunscreen agent. New science is showing that there are two potentially concerning things about chemical sunscreens like octylmethoxycinnamate. First, because they must be absorbed by the skin if they are to work, there is concern about the other effects that they may have in the body after they are absorbed. There have been reports of effects on the hormonal functions of the body. The second concern is that in the process of absorbing harmful sunrays, the chemical sunscreens may actually transform chemically into procarcinogen or cancer-causing agents themselves, leading to more instead of less skin cancer. Quality companies are using this new scientific information to create state of the art sunscreens that contain physical sunscreens only, like PROTECT.
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