Ultraviolet filters in sunscreens and cosmetic products—A market survey

Abstract

Background: As several reports have raised a variety of environmental, health, and safety issues related to ultraviolet (UV) filters, it is crucial to understand the trends in the exposure of the population to UV filters. Objective: To determine the frequency of UV filter usage in sunscreens and other cosmetic products in Thai market. Methods: We surveyed the UV filter labelling on sunscreens and cosmetic products sold in the Thai market. In all, 312 sunscreens and 1350 other cosmetic products were investigated. Results: Titanium dioxide was the most frequently used UV filter in both sunscreens (66.7%) and other cosmetic products (68.4%). Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate was the most common organic UVB filter, whereas butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane was the most common organic UVA filter. In sunscreens aimed at children, bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine was the most commonly used UV filter. The most frequent co-occurrence of UV filters was titanium dioxide and ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate. Conclusions: Titanium dioxide was the most commonly used UV filter, which differs from the findings of previous surveys. Knowing the availability and frequency of each UV filter provides valuable information about consumer exposure levels, facilitates refinements of the allergen series in patch testing, and enhances the monitoring of adverse effects of UV filters.