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Woman applying sunscreen
Common ingredients used in sunscreen have already been banned in Hawaii and a number of other states and countries. Australia is not one of them.
SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA, November 17, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — It’s time for skincare businesses to act more responsibly and remove potentially harmful ingredients from their formulations. That’s according to Hexaderm CEO Mani Semsar.
We should all be concerned that certain harmful ingredients are still being used,” says Mr Semsar. “These chemicals impact our health, endanger our children and damage the environment.”
Mr Semsar points to the use of oxybenzone (Also known as benzophenone-3) and octinoxate in sunscreens as particularly problematic. Over the last few years a number of countries and territories have moved to ban the sale and use of products containing these ingredients.
“They’re already banned in Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands because they bleach coral. It’s mystifying that in Australia, home to the Great Barrier Reef where we have significant coral bleaching issues, we’re allowing this to continue.”
The reason these ingredients are used? It’s good for business, says Mr Semsar.
“It costs a fortune for large manufacturers to change formulations. Adjustments are complicated and expensive, requiring the formula to be created from scratch. There are also often contractual obligations with laboratories and manufacturers. “
A recent recall of products by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) due to trace amounts of benzene, a cancer-causing chemical, has put the spotlight on the industry. Benzene, a similar sounding but different chemical to oxybenzone, is used in manufacturing some sunscreens and leeched into products accidentally.
“Hopefully, this will encourage the TGA to look more closely at the industry as a whole,” says Mr Semsar. “The issue with any skincare product is that it’s not only the ingredients that should be evaluated but also what happens when they are combined, how the formula is impacted by external factors and indeed, how the manufacturing process is managed.
Mr Semsar says that the bleaching of the reef isn’t the only concern Australians should have.
“Oxybenzone and octinoxate are potential hormonal and endocrine disruptors,” says Mr Semsar. “Studies are ongoing, but I’m sure the average Australian would rather make an educated decision than find out in a few years that they had been putting their children and themselves in danger.”
What can the average Australian do to protect themselves?
“At Hexaderm we say that we’re passionate about reading the ingredients, but that’s not enough. As a parent, I ensure I understand the ingredients by researching the pros and cons using reputable sources. It doesn’t matter if it’s sunscreen or cleanser or moisturiser or whatever; if you’re going to put it on your skin or your child’s skin, make the effort to understand the impact first.”
Rhys Knight
Hexaderm
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