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Product Liability Attorneys - Class Action Lawsuits

What Ingredient in Sunscreen Causes Cancer?

People wear sunscreen in order to prevent skin damage and cancer. But what happens when it’s the sunscreen that you are wearing is the cause of your cancer? By reading on, you can learn the top FAQ about sunscreen and cancer as well as if you can file a lawsuit for your damages.

Does Sunscreen Cause Cancer?

It seems crazy to think that you are using a product to prevent cancer, but the product can actually also cause cancer. That can sometimes be the case when it comes to the type of sunscreen that you are using. There is evidence that some brands of sunscreen may contain a chemical or ingredient that can potentially cause cancer. Some brands that contain this chemical include:

Neutrogena
Banana Boat
TopCare
Aveeno
Equate
CVS Health

If sunscreen that contains benzene is applied to the skin, the body will absorb it and this leads to the benzene entering into the bloodstream. This can potentially lead to such cancers as multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Which Ingredient or Chemical in Sunscreen That Can Cause Cancer?

Both sunscreen and various types of after-sun care products can contain an ingredient named “benzene”, an industrial chemical that has been linked to a variety of cancers. For over 100 years, the toxicity of this chemical has been very well documented. It was deemed to be “carcinogenic to humans” by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) as well as the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The FDA, the agency responsible for regulating products like sunscreen, classifies this chemical as a “Class 1 Solvent”, which means that it shouldn’t be used to manufacture drug products or substances.

Which Sunscreen Options Do Not Contain Benzene?

Not all sunscreen contains this potentially harmful ingredient. Some popular options that have been tested and shown to not have this chemical in the product includes:

Hawaiian Tropic
Banana Boat
Aveeno
Equate
Revlon
Max Block
Neutrogena

You may notice that some of the sunscreens on this list overlap with the list of sunscreens that do contain this chemical. This is because some batches didn’t test positive for this chemical while some batches do.

Can Oxybenzone Cause Cancer?

A common active ingredient in sunscreen is oxybenzone. This ingredient is considered to be safe by the FDA, but some groups have voiced some serious concerns about this ingredient. This chemical has been linked to issues like skin reactions/skin allergies as well as acting like a hormone disruptor that interferes with the normal hormone function in the body. It can also be potentially hazardous for children. They are still closely looking to see if this is a carcinogen as well.

Should I Contact a Lawyer About a Cancer Lawsuit?

There are serious concerns about how an ingredient like benzene can end up in sunscreen and other products, but the fact is that sunscreen is supposed to be a cancer-prevention tool not a cause. Hiring an experienced team of lawyers at The Injury Firm can help you determine if the sunscreen was the cause of your cancer and help you through the process to get the compensation that you deserve.

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