Gwyneth K. Shaw File Photo
(NHI Nanoblog) The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has issued a slew of new rules and guidelines for sunscreens — but none of them involve super-small ingredients that are increasingly common.
Amid a sea of claims in the sunscreen aisle, from ultra-high sun-protection factors to lotions that are “sweatproof,” the agency is stepping in with tougher standards for manufacturers. The FDA also wants to know more about what’s in certain types of sunscreens, especially spray-on versions.
The changes, announced Tuesday, take effect next year. While the news is sure to be welcomed by consumer advocates, who have long pushed the FDA to probe sunscreen effectiveness and safety, the new rules don’t include any specific references to ultra-tiny “nanoparticles.”
Some sunscreens, often sold as “chemical-free” or “mineral-based,” can contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide (sometimes both) that have been shrunk to the nanoscale. (A nanometer is a billionth of a meter.) The label doesn’t say whether the substance in your sunblock is nano-sized, or something bigger, and it’s hard to tell without sophisticated testing.
The FDA’s own testing found that the super-small particles don’t penetrate unbroken skin. But some activists point to other research suggesting that at least some of the substance can get into the bloodstream, albeit at very low levels.
There are also questions about what happens when you wash off sunscreen containing the nanoparticles.
FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess said Tuesday that nanomaterials in sunscreens are “something we’re continuing to look at,” but that they’re not addressed by the new rules.
Nanotechnology leverages super-small particles to create products with amazing properties. These materials can make better batteries or lighter and stronger bike frames, as well as new medical instruments and medicines that can save lives.
These “nanomaterials” are believed to hold great promise for a wide variety of applications. But shrinking these substances can change their properties, and scientists are struggling to figure out whether, how and why that shift can make them dangerous in the process.