Mineral sunscreens for pregnant and lactating women

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One of my readers on Instagram (@happily_fit) recently asked me about mineral sunscreens she could buy in India. Honestly, there are not many suggestions that I can make.

However, there are a ton of very affordable mineral sunscreens that you can buy in the USA. I estimate 10% of the market comprises mineral sunscreens.

What’s a mineral sunscreen?

A mineral sunscreen refers to sunscreens that contain UV filters, Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide, that sit on top of the skin and physically reflect and scattering UVA and UVB rays.

(A chemical sunscreen offers protection against UV radiation by a chemical reaction with the skin. There are likely many chemical sunscreens that pregnant women can use BUT that’s not today’s blog

What’s my criteria for inclusion of sunscreens on today’s blog?

The UV filters have to be Zinc Oxide (ZnO) by itself or in conjunction with Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). To be honest, I don’t see a problem with either ZnO or TiO2 being present in non-nano form in a lotion BUT as this the “mom” cut I’ll aim to stick to non-nano versions. The other conditions are that the product is an SPF 30 product, and it has UVA and UVB filters. Also, it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals that I look for (parabens, Oxybenzone, BHT) and there is no reason to not use this product.

Pros and Cons of using ZnO and TiO2

Both Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide have a long track record of safe use when topically applied. Both are photostable (do not breakdown in UV radiation) and are not absorbed into the skin. Even if de minimis penetration of (e.g.) Zinc Oxide occurs, there are no adverse health effects, given the high levels of endogenous Zinc already present in the body.

While both Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are broadspectrum filters, Titanium Dioxide is the better UVB filter and Zinc Oxide is the better UVA filter.

Cons?

Zinc Oxide at high concentrations smells like chalk, it can be aesthetically unpleasing unless its tinted; its difficult to apply because its thick and a bit like glue to apply. It can be extremely drying (especially Neutrogena and Coppertone sunscreens). Also, you will have to double cleanse because the Zinc Oxide kind of just “sits” on your skin. Finally, if offers inferior protection against UVA radiation compared to other new style sunscreen filter combinations or even Avobenzone.

SPF 30 or SPF 50?

An issue for me is that very similar formulations are treated as SPF 30 or SPF 50 products. My workaround is this: treat 20%-22% Zinc Oxide formulation as SPF 30, offering sensible protection against UVA radiation. (Somewhere between PA++ and PA+++). Its important to note that my scepticism about labelled SPF and PA claims can only be confirmed in a lab. Also in the USA, you are looking for labels displaying the words “BROADSPECTRUM” as a means of ensuring protection against UVA radiation. Do mineral sunscreens offer the best protection against UVA on paper? No – and you should not expect that of ZnO sunscreens – in my view its just not possible. (If you are interested in the explanation, please leave a comment below).

The ingredient label of each does not give me anything to worry about – I can point you in the right direction if you’d like to spend your weekend deciphering them (as I did).