Vitamin A in Sunscreen Linked to Skin Tumors

A press release from the Environmental Working Group says the chemical retinyl palmitate, found in many sunscreens, accelerates the development of skin tumors when it is applied to skin exposed to sunlight, and that this relationship has been confirmed.

“The NTP assessment, confirmed by its advisory board of 11 scientists from leading academic medical and industry research groups, found that when test animals coated with a mix of retinyl palmitate and skin cream are exposed to ultraviolet light, a major component of sunlight, the cream with retinyl palmitate has the perverse effect of stimulating the growth of skin tumors.” (Source: EWG)

The NTP referred to in their quote is the National Toxicology Program and it is made of up of three federal agencies:

* National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

* National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

* National Center for Toxicological Research

Sunscreen is supposed to prevent the development of skin tumors, not stimulate them, so this news is probably shocking to many who have used popular brands such as Banana Boat, Coppertone, Hawaiian Tropic, and Panama Jack which sell products containing retinyl palmitate. Actually the Environmental Working Group conducted a survey of sunscreens and found over 200 contain the chemical.

If you want to see their guide to the best sunscreens, visit their site. They also have a list of the worst sunscreens, and say about one out of every eight do not block UVA rays which can cause skin damage and skin cancer.

Critics of the research using mice and retinyl palmitate combined with ultraviolet exposure say the results of the animal study can’t yet be generalized to humans. They also say the study used retinyl palmitate only, but in sunscreen it is blended with other chemicals so the effects are different.

If you want to read the whole study, it is in PDF format on the National Institutes of Health website. The title is “NTP Technical Report On The Photococarcinogenesis Study of Retinoic Acid and Retinyl Palmitate.”

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Danuta W.

12:34AM PDT on May 10, 2012

thank you for sharing this article

send a green star

Past Member .

11:10PM PDT on May 22, 2011

Only use my own natural homemade sunscreen which does not contain retinyl palmitate :)

Chaos L.

11:12AM PDT on May 15, 2011

Scary read!

Kari E.

3:28PM PST on Feb 24, 2011

thank you..I use sunscreen everyday and I didn't have a clue about this...

Gordana R.

2:39AM PST on Feb 17, 2011

I don't use sunscreen at all...it makes my fried chicken...Ointment of Marigold (lat. Calendula officinalis) is quite well...

2:37AM PST on Feb 17, 2011

8:37AM PST on Feb 13, 2011

Thank you :-)

Diane W.

12:01AM PST on Feb 12, 2011

I've got to throw abway three big tubes of Banana Boat Sunscreen. I bought it because I have sensative skin, and it's for children! America is freaking me out how they are hell bent on destroying it's populations. I'm glad I live in the EU. These kinds of things are banned overhere. But I sign petitions to help those in the USA.

Natalie Away J.

7:37AM PST on Feb 11, 2011

Not good if it has chemicals in it.

Keith W.

11:45AM PST on Feb 10, 2011

I learnt about sun-screen causing cancer around this time last year. It goes together with all of the other pharma products that supposedly cure conditions. Records show that during the 2 world wars, due to rationing and unavailability of so called luxury items, People were in general more healthy.