The One Sunscreen You Should Avoid Using Because It Causes Dark Spots

This post has been updated since it was originally published on March 17, 2020.

I am prone to hyperpigmentation, aka those dreaded dark spots, so I typically try to slather on the sunscreen when I go on vacation. (Even though it makes me break out—ugh!)

But when I recently booked a facial after a trip to the Bahamas (this was pre COVID-19, folks), my facialist turned my world upside down by revealing that my chemical sunscreen might actually be making those spots worse!

Guru Rhea Souhleris Grous, Aesthetics Director of Union Square Laser Dermatology and founder of La Suite Skincare, explained it this way:

“The way a chemical sunscreen works is that it absorbs into the skin (you need to wait 15 mins to take effect). The chemical presence absorbs the sun ray and then transfers it into heat (which is parked on the surface of the skin) to prevent a burn. Although it protects from sun damage, that heat, for people who have rosacea, melasma, sensitive, and hyperpigmented skin, can increase irritation.”

As Rhea put it, melasma flares with the presence of heat, so a chemical SPF is not an ideal choice for people like myself. Additionally, she noticed a rosacea flare-up on my skin. I never even realized I had rosacea!

But that’s not all–chemical sunscreens have also been banned in many parts of the world for damaging coral reefs, and “There have been studies that are pointing in the direction that the chemical sunscreen is absorbing into the bloodstream.” Yikes!

So—what should you use instead? Physical sunscreen (e.g. micronized zinc and titanium), Rhea says.

“These are applied onto the skin and lay physically on the surface like a makeup would. The sun ray bounces off the product without any absorption into the bloodstream or irritation to the skin.” Amazing.

But don’t don’t forget Rhea’s rule about wearing sunscreen: “As I told my own daughter, wearing sunscreen does not really mean you’re bullet proof.”

“If you put a bullet proof vest on, would you still go stand in front of the firing line?” The answer is of course–no! Treat sunscreen the same way, Rhea advises. Reapply every 2 hours and avoid direct sun exposure (ie. sun bathing).

Rhea recommends these “broad spectrum, extremely efficacious” options to use instead of chemical sunscreen: