Organic (chemical) vs Inorganic (mineral) Sunscreen

What really is the difference & why does it matter?

The sun is your biggest enemy when it comes to aging. I know this is a harsh reality for many who love the ultimate summer feeling of being tan, pink cheeks, and soaking up all of the Vitamin D you can get. Trust me, it hurts me too. But, there are many ways to enjoy the sun safely, or safer, which is with sunscreen rather than without. Yes, I know this is a huge area of controversy lately, but I hope this blog helps you understand the different types of sunscreen and why it is important to find what works for you. 

As aesthetic providers of any kind  (physicians, NP’s, RN’s, estheticians…) we are all (at least for the most part) always pushing any of our patients to have a good habit of daily sunscreen use. We are not saying this to make a sale or meet a quota, at least I am not, as we can usually recommend a decent drug store SPF if necessary. Sun exposure will disrupt collagen & elastin composition of the skin. Meaning, if you’re not protected - you’re gonna age way faster.

Now, of course, the products and ingredients in those products MATTERS. And we need to talk about why. To gain a better understanding, let's go over a brief overview of the skin & how sunlight impacts us. 

The skin is composed of 3 layers:

• The epidermis 

• The dermis

• Subcutaneous fat 

When people think of how the sun can impact your skin health, many believe you are only hurting the top layer (epidermis), which results in a possible burn or tan. The thing is, and what more people need to comprehend, is that the sun emits full spectrum light and is capable of penetrating and affecting deeper than just the epidermis. UV light is capable of disrupting DNA (sometimes leading to skin cancer), increasing inflammation (usually after a sunburn), irritating nerve endings, and more. You may not always feel these harsh effects, but they are always happening with sunlight to the skin. 

You may be wondering, or thinking of stopping your reading here, saying to yourself “oh, so she is trying to say all sun exposure is bad?”. No, not necessarily. Early morning or later evening sun exposure, when the sun is low in the sky, is known to have amazing benefits on the body. Remember, the skin is an endocrine organ, so it is appropriate to feed it with vitamins and nutrients that are going to give its properties what it needs. Vitamin D is huge for the endocrine system such as increasing dopamine, increasing testosterone/estrogen, mental health, sleep patterns, immune system, and more. Appropriate dosages of the sun WILL benefit you. So, let's talk about what you can do for the times of the day when the sun is high in the sky & powerful (typically 10am-4pm). 

The number one thing to question is how you currently look at & think about sunscreen. Is it a necessity? Do you only use it if you plan to be out all day? Do you think it’s a waste of time? Well, hopefully I can change your mind on why sunscreen is important and how you can begin to analyze which kind of sunscreen is right for you. 

Before we start talking about the different types of sunscreen, I want to remind you that a PHYSICAL barrier will always be your best option. If you can opt into sitting under an umbrella, wearing a long sleeve built for being in the heat, or whatever else you may have - that’s the fastest, safest,and #1 guarantee that your sun exposure is being reduced. Obviously, this is not possible / ideal at all times. Let’s talk about your secondary options:

• Organic (chemical) Sunscreen 

• Inorganic (mineral-based) Sunscreen

The names definitely make it confusing, at least for me, who would think CHEMICAL sunscreen would be considered INORGANIC. Pay attention here and it will all start to make sense.

Mineral based sunscreens (inorganic) include zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. Both of these are considered safe for use on the skin up to 25%. These minerals act as a reflector to reflect UV light back off of the skin. Zinc is the product you used to see way back when it was common for everyone to have white sunscreen all over their nose/cheeks all day. It is very thick and pasty. This is why mineral sunscreens often include additives other than just zinc to improve their consistency. Mineral based sunscreens are deemed safe for all ages. 

Organic (chemical) based sunscreens exist / were created for everyday common use such as under make up, laying nicely on the face without excess oil or congestion, and so on. They work by having the chemicals within them ABSORB the UV light. Some of the chemicals listed on the side of the bottle sound & look scary - AND have even been banned based on certain studies. Unfortunately, these studies were done by having participants apply a very large amount, like the amount you may use over an entire summer, in less than 24 hours and then have their blood drawn. Not very good for testing to see if these chemicals are actually absorbed into the skin to that extent on a daily basis. 

Here is an excerpt from one of the journals following up on two banned common sunscreen ingredients: oxybenzone (BP-3) and octinoxate (OMC).

	“There are 29 studies that address the impact of these ingredients on human health. Studies show that elevated systemic level of BP-3 has no adverse effect on male and female fertility, female reproductive hormone level, adiposity, fetal growth, child's neurodevelopment, and sexual maturation. However, the association of BP-3 level on thyroid hormone, testosterone level, kidney function, and pubertal timing has been reported and prompts further investigations to validate a true association. The systemic absorption of OMC has no reported effect on thyroid and reproductive hormone levels. In conclusion, current evidence is not sufficient to support the causal relationship between the elevated systemic level of BP-3 or OMC and adverse health outcomes. There are either contradictory findings among different studies or an insufficient number of studies to corroborate the observed association. To accurately evaluate the long-term risk of exposure to BP-3 and OMC from sunscreen, a well-designed longitudinal randomized controlled trial needs to be conducted.” (Suh, Susie et al.).

To put in a more simple summary, the studies trying to show why these chemicals are becoming banned have not been properly conducted and do not have good, randomized testing to conclude their thesis. 

Overall, the concerns about certain sunscreens and which one is best typically depends on which country, or possibly state, that you reside in. The best way to look at it, is no matter what you have available to you - applying sunscreen rather than not is the healthier way to go when it comes to protecting the largest organ of your body: the skin. I personally do not think there is a way around trying to justify that skin protection should be a necessity regardless of who you are. Do some people require a lower SPF than others based on how their skin reacts in the sun? Sure! A gold standard is using at least SPF 30 in some form & always knowing the reapplication is necessary throughout the day.

You may also be wondering - well what do you use?

My current favorite sunscreen is actually a combo - hybrid style that includes both chemical and mineral properties to protect against both UVA & UVB rays. 

This SPF 50 is made by VI Derm: VI Derm SPF 50 Daily UV Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen.

• contains : 

• Zinc Oxide 10.8% (mineral filter)

• Octinoxate 7.5% (sheer filter)

• Aloe Vera: softens, hydrates, soothes, protects from trans-epidermal water loss

• Green Tea: antioxidant that stimulates collagen production 

This SPF layes very nicely on the skin for an everyday use style product. I have used it on my skin when I was feeling itchy or irritated & it actually helped calm my skin, rather than increasing that uncomfortable feeling like most other sunscreens I have tried. Another huge advantage of this sunscreen is that it helps reduce any pre-existing sun damage you may already be experiencing with its antioxidant factors. I am not here to say it is the BEST sunscreen you will find when it comes to the healthiest, most pure thing you can put on your skin. But, for me & my acne prone skin type - it works. No breakouts, no irritation, no frustration. So, for now I am going to stick with it. In my field, I am always trying something new to know if it works before recommending it to my patients. So, if I have another suggestion in the future, I will be sure to update this blog and add it! 

VI Derm skin care is available at our practice, Purra MedSpa. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule a skincare consultation at any time please do so using the tools below :) 

I hope this blog helped you on your skincare journey. 

Xoxo, Caitlin Travis, BSN RN

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We are located in Dillsburg, PA.

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Copyright © Caitlin Travis, 2024.

*The information in this blog is not medical advice and may not be factually accurate. It is intended for entertainment purposes only. Consult with a physician before attempting any tips in this blog post and to get the most up to date factual data about any procedure or treatment.

REFERENCES: 

Huberman, Andrew Ph.D., host. “How to Improve Skin Health & Appearance”. Huberman Lab, Scicomm Media, July 1st 2024, https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/how-to-improve-skin-health-appearance.

Suh, Susie, et al. “Wiley Online Library | Scientific Research Articles, Journals, Books, and Reference Works.” Wiley Online Library , 28 Feb. 2020, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/.