For the first time in 20 years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new sunscreen ingredient, one that has been used safely and effectively for many years in other countries: bemotrizinol, or BEMT. It’s the first active ingredient to be approved for use in sunscreens since the 1990s.
So, what does this new ingredient mean for the stash of sunscreen in your pool bag right now, and is it safe for kids? Scary Mommy spoke with an expert to ask how this changes the sun protection game for American families.
This approval comes after the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement’s push to “promote innovation in the sunscreen market, and improve regulatory processes for over-the-counter sunscreen, which has fallen behind other countries.”
In a news release about BEMT’s approval, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated BEMT “has been used safely in Europe for decades, and FDA’s action will increase competition and consumer confidence in sunscreen products.”
The American Academy of Dermatology also praised the decision, saying manufacturers can begin using BEMT in their formulas in early August.
What is BEMT?
This is not some new, “research-shows-promising-results” ingredient, says Dr. Danny Guo, double board-certified dermatologist and medical director of Rejuvenation Dermatology.
“It’s been in markets like Korea and some parts of Europe for more than 10 years now. This is a tried-and-true molecule that we have very good data and market experience with. We know that it works well in terms of providing better UVA coverage than the existing, old school actives that we have for sunscreens in the United States and in Canada.”
BEMT provides better protection from UVA rays that many of the active ingredients sunscreen manufacturers in the U.S. currently have access to. UVA exposure contributes to skin aging and risk of skin cancer. It’s also very photostable, Guo says, meaning it doesn’t break down in the sun like some chemical sunscreen actives we use today.
And because of its chemical makeup, bemotrizinol can be used to formulate sunscreens with lighter, more “elegant” textures, says Guo. As K beauty and French skincare take the American market by storm, we will finally have access to sunscreens that feel as good to wear as theirs.
So, why the lag to bring BEMT to the American market?
In Europe and Korea, sunscreens are categorized as cosmetics, meaning they’re regulated for safety the same way a lipstick would be, Guo explains. In the U.S., sunscreen actives are regulated as an over-the-counter medication — yep, as strictly as Tylenol or Advil — so it requires a lot more safety and efficacy data to be approved, and those studies take time.
“I hope that this new approval for this new active is not the last time we will see this happen, because a lot of great sunscreens can’t enter the United States in their original form because of this. And we know that one of the major reasons that people don’t use sunscreen is because they don’t like the way it feels, the way it smells, or the way it looks, and this is going to improve that significantly,” says Guo.
Now that BEMT is approved, it shouldn’t be too long before we see sunscreens using it hit shelves. Brands have been keeping tabs on this approval and some already have their formulas locked in, aiming to release new SPFs as early as September, Allure reports.
Is BEMT safe for kids and pregnant women?
BEMT is a chemical active ingredient. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using mineral sunscreens on babies and toddlers with sensitive skin. “Most pediatricians and some dermatologists will recommend that you use only mineral sunscreen [for kids under 2],” adds Guo.
While the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists specifically says to avoid the chemical SPF ingredient oxybenzone during pregnancy, there’s not much definitive information about BEMT and pregnancy. BEMT is known to absorb into the body much less than other chemical actives, Guo says, so in theory it should be safer. Anyone worried about it should opt for mineral formula while pregnant, he suggests.
“If you're truly really worried about the absorption, then probably a mineral sunscreen is better. But if you don’t want the white cast — because inevitably mineral sunscreens will have a cast — then this would be a good one to try.”
What about reef safe?
It’s unclear whether BEMT is harmful to coral reefs, though generally speaking, the term “reef safe” is not regulated in any way and can be thrown around as a marketing term. The state of Hawai’i, which has strong reef-safe sunscreen laws, has banned numerous chemical active ingredients and instead recommends using non-nano zinc oxide or non-nano titanium dioxide SPFs. If you want to ensure you’re being reef safe, opt for mineral over chemical actives.
Is sunscreen made with BEMT better than others?
Guo cautions consumers not to fall for misinformation from brands and influencers saying BEMT is the new gold standard and other sunscreens are suddenly unsafe — you do not need to throw away the SPFs you already own. There will still be pros and cons to every product, and some people may be perfectly happy with the texture, smell, and appearance of the SPFs they currently use. Even in markets where BEMT sunscreens are available, people still opt for zinc oxide, avobenzone, and other actives, he says.
“They still use those because those are still good ingredients. We have lots of studies showing that they are very efficacious in protecting the skin from UVA and UVB,” he says.
For example, because BEMT is a chemical active ingredient, folks who prefer mineral sunscreens will likely stick with those. Families with young children might prefer to keep using mineral SPFs too so the same tube is safe for everyone. However, if you don’t wear sunscreen daily but might if it was lighter or smelled better, Guo says a BEMT-based product might be worth a try.
source https://www.scarymommy.com/lifestyle/new-fda-approved-sunscreen-bemt
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