Don’t take our word for it. Here’s every fact on this site, with its evidence grade, its caveats, and a link to the source, so you can check us.
We start you on the strong ones: findings that have been replicated or come from one large, well-controlled study. Moderate and weak facts are here too, labeled for what they are. Use “Link to this fact” to share a single card.
Children and pregnancy / Other evidence
FDA asks whether oxybenzone sunscreens should be contraindicated for children under 2 years old, because children under 2 may not fully have the enzymes that metabolize oxybenzone and have a higher body-surface-to-weight ratio.
Weak evidence: The enzyme point is a theoretical argument from a 2006 report; FDA says it is seeking existing pediatric data and public comment, and has not made a finding.
Source: FDA proposed order OTC000008 (2021) Link to this fact
Children and pregnancy / Measured in people or real products
The only paraben signal was methyl-paraben (log MC 0.042, 95% CI 0.013 to 0.071) with attention variability; ethyl-, propyl- and butyl-paraben, BPA, triclosan and oxybenzone showed no clear association with attention in the same children.
Weak evidence: Single cohort, uncorrected for multiple testing; parabens are personal-care preservatives, not fragrance ingredients.
Source: Fabbri 2025 (HELIX), Environmental Research Link to this fact
Skin allergy / Other evidence
In the manufacturer's own pooled patch tests, the rate of skin reactions to sunscreens with 1-6% oxybenzone did not rise with the oxybenzone concentration, and photoallergy tests and standard repeat patch tests gave the same low rate (about 0.27% vs 0.26%).
Weak evidence: Sponsor-held data from healthy adults; per-formula averages, not pooled individual data; the null concentration trend spans only 1-6% with most formulas at 6%.
Source: Agin 2008 (oxybenzone HRIPT), Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine Industry-funded Link to this fact
Skin allergy / Other evidence
Few sunscreen shoppers raised ingredient worries: among 325 top-voted reviews, nanoparticles were named in 7 comments (2%) and oxybenzone, avobenzone, parabens, homosalate and retinyl palmitate in about 3 each (1%).
Weak evidence: Top-voted comments only; absence of mention is not absence of concern, and many shoppers may not know which filters are in the product.
Information, not medical advice. See also: myths we won’t tell you.