Mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide sit on top of your skin and don’t get absorbed into your body, making them safer than chemical sunscreens that can enter your bloodstream.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (3)

Community contributions welcome

Safety evaluation of sunscreen formulations containing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles in UVB sunburned skin: an in vitro and in vivo study.

Systematic Review

2011 Sep

Imaging of zinc oxide nanoparticle penetration in human skin in vitro and in vivo.

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2008 Nov-Dec

Sunscreen Safety and Efficacy for the Prevention of Cutaneous Neoplasm

Narrative Review

2024 Mar

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

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Similar Assertions

Sunscreens with titanium dioxide do a better job of matching their labeled sun protection numbers and blocking harmful UVA rays than those with only zinc oxide, so they’re more reliable in real life.

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