Why your sunscreen is finally getting a major upgrade
6/12/202610 min
Until this week, the United States hadn’t approved a new sunscreen ingredient in over 20 years. That changed Tuesday, when the FDA approved a new chemical for U.S. sunscreens. It’s called bemotrizinol, and NPR science correspondent Maria Godoy joins us to tell us all about it — including the soonest it’s expected to hit shelves.
Interested in more science news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsIra Glass0:00
This is Ira Glass. On This American Life, one thing we like is a good mystery. Sometimes about really big things, but most times the little mysteries are the best.
Speaker 20:10
Our lost and found is currently filled with pants. I don't know w- I, I, I've never seen this happen.
Heather Rogers· Soundbite0:15
Wait, this is true?
Speaker 20:16
This is true.
Ira Glass0:17
Mysteries of every size, each week, This American Life, wherever you get your podcasts.
Regina Barber· Host0:23
[upbeat music] You're listening to Short Wave from NPR. Until this week, the United States hadn't approved a new sunscreen ingredient in almost 30 years. That changed when the FDA approved a new chemical UV filter for US sunscreens on Tuesday. NPR health correspondent Maria Godoy is here to tell us all about it. Hey, Maria.
Maria Godoy· Guest0:46
Hi, Gina.
Regina Barber· Host0:47
So what is this ingredient that just got approved?
Maria Godoy· Guest0:50
Yeah, it's called Bematrizanol, and it's a chemical UV filter that's been used in sunscreens in Europe and Asia for a long time. Often it's also sold under the name Tinosorb S. Um, here you will see it as Parsol Shield. That's the trademark name for it from the company that got it approved for sale in the US. I talked about this with Dr. Heather Rogers. She's a dermatologist in Seattle and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology, and she says she is psyched about this new ingredient.
Heather Rogers· Soundbite1:19
It hits, like, really every box for us that we have been waiting for as dermatologists and consumers.
Regina Barber· Host1:25
I love sunscreen, so I'm really excited about this. We actually did an episode