Abstract
In recent years, the safety of sunscreens has been challenged based on the reports of their adverse effect on users; dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis and photo allergic contact dermatitis. The unscientific idea that higher SPF sunsreen is good for health mealeads many users to tend to prefer higher SPF sunscreen. In the toxicological aspect, the need to investigate the safety of sunscreens is steadily increasing. However, there were few studies on the correlation between sun protection factor (SPF) and the safety of sunscreens. The objective of this study was to assess whether there was a correlation between SPF and the safety of sunscreens. We measured in vitro SPF index using homosalate as a standard and examined the toxicity tests such as primary skin irritation tests, ocular irritation test and skin sensitization test. Homosalate (HS), octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), octyl salicylate (OS), octocrylene (OC) as UVB organic filter and benzophenone-3 (BP3), butyl methoxy dibenzoil methane (BMDM) as UVA organic filter, and titanium dioxide (TD), zinc oxide (ZO) as inorganic filters were used. The skin irritation indexes in rabbits treated with HS, OMC, OS, BP3, and BMDM were significantly increased as SPF indices were increased. Neither ocular irritation in rabbits nor skin sensitization in guinea pigs were increased. It suggests that there might be a good correlation between SPF and the skin irritation indices of organic UV filters and skin irritation might be one of most sensitive index to assess the safety of sunscreens.
