Some people are worried about some of the ingredients in commercial sunscreens. Some dermatologists are concerned with these chemicals in the sunscreens, but the majority of dermatologists think that the FDA approved ingredients are perfectly safe. Most professionals believe that the risks of going out into the sun’s harmful UV rays far outweighs the controversy surrounding sunscreen products. In this podcast, Kira and Bill Van Ittersum cover fears of some of the chemicals in sunscreen, such as, retinyl palmitate and oxybenzone, as well as nanoparticles of ground zinc oxide and titanium dioxide used as mineral blocking agents in sunscreens. There is also a thorough discussion of the SPF ratings, how to properly apply sunscreen, and what dermatologists feel are the most important reasons to use sunscreens. Links Retinyl Palmitate by Paula’s Choice Skin Care http://www.paulaschoice.com/cosmetic-ingredient-dictionary/definition/retinyl-palmitate Sunscreen Safety: What to Know by Sonya Collins Reviewed by Laura J Martin, M.D. http://www.webmd.com/beauty/sun/sunscreen-safety-labels-ingredients Is Sunscreen Safe and Do I Need It Daily? http://time.com/3056125/you-asked-is-sunscreen-safe-and-do-i-really-need-it-daily/ Sunscreens: Safe and Effective? by Warwick L. Morison, MD, MB, and Steve Q. Wang, MD http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/sun-protection/sunscreens-safe-and-effective Making Sense of Sunscreen Controversies by Mary Walla, MD Medscape Multispecialty http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/764184 transcript