Metal oxide sunscreens protect skin by absorption, not by reflection or scattering

• Published in: Photodermatology, photoimmunology & photomedicine Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 5 - 10
• Main Authors: Cole, Curtis, Shyr, Thomas, Ou-Yang, Hao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2016
• Subjects: absorption; anatase; band gap; barium sulfate; Humans; Metals - chemistry; Oxides - chemistry; protection; reflection; rutile; scattering; Skin; sunscreen; Sunscreening Agents - chemistry; titanium dioxide; ultraviolet radiation; Ultraviolet Rays; zinc oxide; barium sulfate; ultraviolet radiation; sunscreen; reflection; scattering; absorption; titanium dioxide; protection; anatase; band gap; rutile; zinc oxide

Summary Background/Purpose The inorganic metal oxide sunscreens titanium dioxide and zinc oxide have been considered to protect against sunburning ultraviolet radiation by physically reflecting/scattering the incident photons and thus protecting the skin. Earlier publications suggested, however, tha...