Tinosorb and other sunscreens from Europe – are they better or the same?
It’s true that Europe has many more chemical sunscreens that are approved for use in the EU. And all of these, to my knowledge, are chemical sunscreens ………..as opposed to mineral based sunscreens like zinc and titanium.
I really wish our FDA would make the effort to make this easier for consumers, but here’s the bottom line. Also know that these “UVA blockers” fall into two categories – ones that provide a near complete block when used correctly, applied frequently and not washed or sweated off – and the ones that provide “attenuation.” Attenuation just means that the sunscreen ingredient reduces the UVA reaching the skin but doesn’t block it.
Why does this matter??? It’s because companies in the U.S. and Europe do not have to specific clearly which it is to consumers. They can say “broad spectrum” without really blocking UVA.
Zinc is still the best UVA block on the market and it isn’t a chemical – it’s already found in our bodies. In my opinion, it’s a little more expensive but worth it. Zinc based sunscreens.
Hope this helps, Dr. I