Zinc oxide

[empericalbeauty]

as a sunscreen? i am currently using it for this purpose..I dont want to get some sort of skin disease so..should i stop?

 

[xkatiex]

Are you using it on its own or something? Zinc Oxide is supposed to be good for your skin helping to heal it and protect it from the sun. I'm not totally sure though x

 

[empericalbeauty]

yeah..i plan to use it at night though cus it has this horrible thing it does that makes my skin appear white.

 

[goddess13]

I've never heard of people using Zinc Oxide at night for skin benefits, but I've used sunscreens with Zinc Oxide during the day and my skin is okay with it.

 

[jessica9]

yeah...i am curious...why are you using it at night? zinc oxide used correctly for sun protection will leave a white cast on almost anyone, and judging by your skin tone, i think you might want to try a different form of sun protection. i don't know if you can avoid the white cast. because if you apply it at night it won't protect your skin during the day...it is probably being rubbed off when you sleep. zinc oxide works by sitting on top of the skin. here is an article about application that i found really helpful.http://www.aptf.com.au/sunscreen_application.asp hope it helps!

sorry! i tried editing it cos the link got connected to what i said, but here is the link!Sunscreen Information Australia - Australian Photobiology Testing Facility - (APTF)

 

[sheil2009]

that is kind of missing the entire point of "sunscreen." try avobenzone, it is clear and non-greasy

Avobenzone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[selene]

In step with the avobenzone recommendation, I would like to suggest a few sunscreens that will be stable:

Kiehl's Vital Sun SPF 15

Cetaphil SPF 15

Coppertone Oil Free Faces SPF 30

 

[sheil2009]

Oh, this link also has a link of various sunscreens and some other good stuff to know. very helpful

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunscre...tection_factor

 

[jessica9]

i recently read that avobenzone degrades to only 45% of its potency in 2 hours or less, depending on the product. avobenzone is not very photostable on its own, though it is a great uva filter. there are now more photostable forms of avobenzone that you can wear about four hours in direct sunlight before a need to reapply. neutrogena and aveeno both use more photostable avobenzone. the avobenzone in cetaphil's moisturizer is pretty photostable, but it will not last a full day - no sunscreen will because they degrade in direct sunlight. mexoryl and the newer more photostable forms of avobenzone. you still need to reapply these as well. physical blockers do not need to be reapplied as sunscreens because they do not degrade in sunlight, but they will rub off.

 

[lisaveta]

I think there are less chemicals in the zinc oxide sunscreens, too. some people think the chemicals cause cancer.

 

[jessica9]

Actually zinc oxide is a mineral; iit is NOT a chemical!

Some sunscreen formulations include zinc oxide as an ingredient along with a sunscreen. Alone, zinc oxide is just a physical blocker of UVB and UVA rays and a mineral, organic compound. Natural elements can cause cancer too.

Zinc oxide is believed to be safe, but this is mainly because it does not penetrate the skin and sits on top of it. That is how it works - by "blocking" rays. Sunscreens work by absorbing rays and releasing the energy ater they are filtered. Because sunscreens are absorbed into the skin, there is some controversy of them causing cancer. But usually these studies involve testing if they are able to reach the blood supply - most cannot. A few can. Mexoryl, Avobenzone and I forget the other name (starts with an O, but there are many) are believed to be safe. These are mainly UVA filters used in a sunscreen mainly. In combination with a physical blocker such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, they offer more full range protection and photostability.

Sunscreens are not inherently "bad" because of the cancer claims. They offer better protection than pure physical blockers in general. Chances are if you are using a product that is more or less cosmetically appealing, it contains a sunscreen. This also means that you will need to reapply after two hours in direct sunlight to maintain the protection. Zinc Oxide is a better physical blocker than Titanium Dioxide in general, but I don't know many people who want to walk around with a white mask on their face.