How Hard On Our Skin Is Zinc Oxide?

There’s a lot of talk about Zinc Oxide as an ingredient in sunscreens – it’s a physical barrier, meaning that it actually blocks the sun’s UVA and UVB rays from causing damage. It’s also famous for that white looking film it leaves on skin – well that was in the 80s. Today’s Zinc Oxide, is far superior having been milled down to nanoparticles… so fine that it won’t leave a heavy white mask on the skin.

But is it good to use on sensitive skin?

Dr Pier Marzinotto from the Skin Institute says: ‘Zinc oxide provides superior protection against UVB, long wave UVA and short wave UVA radiation. It is an essential element for healthy skin, since aside from its sunblock properties it is used by the skin as a co-factor in wound healing and anti-inflammatory processes, making it an acne-friendly product.

It is less likely to cause skin irritation and is therefore ideal for sensitive skin. The excipient (carrier for the active ingredient) in any specific sun block preparation is generally acountable for hypersensitvity reactions’.