Boca Raton doctors recommend mineral sunscreens amid concerns about carcinogenic chemicals

Boca Raton, Florida — A recent report calls on the Food and Drug Administration to recall certain sunscreens after a carcinogen is found.

Valisure tested and found nearly 300 sunscreens 78 of them contain a chemical called benzene..

“Benzene is known to be harmful to the bone marrow, and prolonged exposure can lead to blood cancers such as leukemia,” said Dr. Michael Kasper.

Kasper, who specializes in radiation oncology at the Institute for Radiation Oncology at the Boca Raton Regional Hospital, said it was unclear how or why benzene was there, but it was alarming.

Miranda Christian / WPTV

“In context, benzene is found in cigarette smoke,” he said.

Casper said those who are worried about applying sunscreen should try to avoid chemical-based ones that are easily absorbed by the skin. Instead, find a mineral sunscreen, he said.

Miranda Christian / WPTV

“Mineral sunscreen is on the skin,” Kasper said. “They don’t get hooked.”

Valisure has sent the report to the FDA to investigate and recall sunscreens found in benzene.

At the top of the 78 sunscreen list were well-known brands such as Neutrogena, CVS and Banana Boat.

Twenty neutrogena sunscreens had traces of benzene. The company told WPTV that it did not use benzene in its products and was investigating the complaint.

CVS’s 14 sunscreens also had traces of benzene. CVS said it is working to ensure the safety of its products.

We found that the nine sunscreens on the banana boat contained benzene. I couldn’t ask the company for comment.

Sandy Chasan, co-owner of the Jamie’s Convenience Store at Delray Beach, said it’s difficult to keep sunscreen on the shelves because it’s so close to the beach.

Miranda Christian / WPTV

“We sell out almost every day,” she said.

Chasan said it was a necessity in the Florida sunshine.

“It’s like people came and said,’I can’t believe I came to Florida without sunscreen,'” she said.

So she wants the FDA and sunscreen companies to take all necessary actions to keep sunscreens safe.

“Of course, we want the quality of the sunscreens we sell to be healthy for people and healthy for the environment,” she said.