I was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma on my face a couple of months ago. No family history, I have Mediterranean olive skin, no tanning beds, healthy, and never even thought I was at risk for a skin cancer. Wore a hat working in the garden, at the beach, hiking etc. I always had a sunscreen on at the beach or in the mountains, but not everyday. My mantra now is wear your sunscreen every single day.
Maybe some people don't properly remove the sunscreen at night causing an accumulation of titanium dioxide that can lead in time to inflammation of the hair follicle, scarring and hair loss. Some sunscreens containing titanium dioxide are very difficult to remove and I highly doubt the majority of people double cleanse every night. It might not be the sunscreen per se, but the failure to remove all of it every night.
I would like to know if the studies took into account how well products were removed from hairline and eyebrows. Inadequate removal would lead to a build up of products, possibly only removed when hair was washed - not every washes their hair daily. Wearing a head band while removing makeup etc might protect the products in the hairline. Some people only remove products with wipes, which could also lead to build up. So many questions and factors to take into account when doing research.
Going to keep using sunscreen. Am losing my hair and am certain it has nothing to do with sunscreen. Looking forward to wigs. Live in Australia, a country with a skin cancer problem.
Using sunscreens with titanium dioxide for decades on my face certainly has not lessoned my needing to shave my face at all. My hairline is also not bad and I'm over 45, so it seems like it may not really be much of an issue if at all.
If it really was a causal correlation it would be seen across products containing the ingredients. Self-reported studies are usually garbage and only create sensationalist reporting.
Oh boy. What timing. I just had stumbled across a website called Lab Muffin, which was just mind-boggling when it comes to the amount of information about sunscreens. Every single day there is just more and more and more to think about when it comes to sunscreens and it is just overwhelming and exhausting. But I actually do have a very serious preoccupation with the hair loss that's been happening up around my temples it's just driving me crazy. I already have a high hairline/big forehead, but in the past year or 2, it's like my bones are protruding up around my temples, so I am now even more self-conscious. I've been learning about hair transplants, hair thickening products, hair growth supplements, even been applying eyeshadow to my scalp, so I guess I'm happy to see this video, but on the other hand, now even more confused and overwhelmed.
It's so stressing! A dermatologist mentioned i might have a beginning of FFA. I use tones of sunscreen because I have rosacea and melasma. I feel at lost regarding this. Thank you for your video, it's informative and appreciated,
I would just switch to zinic oxide sunscreen only just to be safe since all the studies (so far) point to just titanium dioxide being the possible problematic ingredient
I can’t thank you enough for this video! I just started using Minoxidil because I’ve noticed thinning of my already fine hair at my hairline and it’s caused me some anxiety. I have hypothyroidism for which I take NDT and my levels have been okay but I’m also just hitting menopause at 50yrs old. I was sad to think I’d just have to deal with this but perhaps my daily use of TD sunscreen has also been contributing if not entirely caused the issue. I’ll purchase one of your alternatives today and will check all of my hair and cosmetic products going forward. You are an angel! 😇
Same here! I have Hashimotos but just the last 2 years have started having bad hair loss. I’m super diligent about daily sunscreen and mine has only 2 active ingredients, 1 being titanium dioxide. Hoping both our hair grows back!
I would like to know, in those studies, if there was anything about those people who developed FFA that can predetermine a risk factor? Like skin colour, age, location etc
that is a VERY INSIGHTFUL question! and being able to answer that would be extremely helpful for individualizing our recommendations on sun protection! these studies did not go into detail on that, we need better studies.
Exactly! I have FFA and am getting laser hair removal on my face for much more than peach fuzz (which is called vellus hair vs. terminal hair like in your scalp and brows). Apparently, my mineral makeup only goes after certain, dark hair. :/ I'm not buying it as FFA causes the loss of terminal hair, as well as vellus hair around the hairline. I'm not a scientific researcher, but why would it cause the loss of terminal and vellus hair in and around the hairline, and terminal eyebrow hairs in most, but not affect the hair on the rest of the face and body if it were caused by an ingredient in sunscreen? This makes no sense to me, so I'm sticking with my routine. My dermatologist didn't mention anything about sunscreen, either, and she diagnosed me on the spot.
Anyone else frustrated by how expensive GOOD sunscreens are?? It's unattainable to keep up with considering how much you have to use to be protected. Also a little bummed the Australian Gold is not eligible for the Updated Recommendations list :(
OMG since I started using Sunscreen. 8 months ago In the last 3 months I noticed my hair thinning. Even now I spoke to my sister today and told her i find strands of my hair all over the place...what a coincidence I see you episode today. Thank you, thank you.
Here's what I can say. Pre-2012, I was fine and had a remarkable hairline. After purchasing my home in 2013, I noticed a minor hair loss. Gradually, my beard and mustache area started to go first and the outside of my eyebrows. Then the sides of my head. I know for a fact. Pre 2012, I never used sunscreen. After 2012, I did because I worked in the oilfield. Not saying that it was the sunscreen. Heck, I could have picked it up in the oilfield. I also looked at old family photos and saw that one aunt seemed as though she had FFA. There is a limited amount of research on FFA, but the cases are growing.
A late comment. Titanium dioxide is widely used in cosmetics and toothpaste. It is a brilliantly white powder valued for making products look white and for helping with color in cosmetics. So if you are worried about titanium dioxide you need to find out what else you are using that contains that ingredient.
Thank you for this video. I appreciate your very well balanced thoughts on this topic. Unfortunately there are some extremely hyped but also very radical derms here on RU-vid, that almost propagate cave living if you're not wearing 10 layers of any sunscreen you could grab. I wear sunscreen everyday. But I think, as you said, it's not one fits all. And I don't think we have to really reapply SPF every 2 to 3 hours while staying indoors just because of the windows. So we can minimise the amount of SPF we wear depending of our day.
Maren, The Elta MD UV Glow has a tinted and untinted version. Untinted still says Iron Oxides. Will this still work? The Budget Dermatologist lady croft great question! I would think so but it truly depends on the amount of iron oxides for how much protection you get!
Thank so much Dr. for a fantastic breakdown and approach to interpreting research studies so that the average consumer can be best informed about which products to use!
I’ve been battling significant hair loss for the last 2 years and have tried everything to figure out why, to no avail. SOOO grateful I stumbled onto this as I’m religious about applying my sunscreen daily and sure enough, it contains this ingredient as half of its active ingredients! I’m immediately cutting it out and hope this will help my hair regrowth. I also just watched your collagen video and ordered. My sister-in-law’s hair was suffering kinda like mine and since starting collagen (Vital Protein’s brand and others) her skin and hair have completely turned around since. Thank you so much!, this will be life changing if this works for me! 😭😭😭😭
@@NarminSultanova-ds5yt Doing the collagen helped and dropping the sunscreen, and yes my hair did begin growing better again, but not all the way. I have Hashimotos and that effects my hair, hormones, the foods a person eats, stress, so many factors. Finding a sunscreen that I like that doesn’t have the titanium dioxide in it hasn’t been too successful so far and it’s in lots of my makeup which has been really hard to replace.
OMG this looks exactly like my hair loss. It's a place I used to part my hair and apply sunscreen. I've been parting on the other side but continuing to apply sunscreen to that area because the hair was too thin there to be protective. Thanks for this video!!! It definitely gives me a better starting point for troubleshooting than I've had before.
I tried looking for any of your videos that would cover hair growth. It seems to me that a Dermatologist would be the medical expert on hair as opposed to a hair dresser. But unfortunately, I don't see ANY videos - not even just 1 - on hair care and growth or related. Is there any chance you would be including hair related videos in the future?
Is it possible that hats are a factor? I’ve often heard military personnel comment on this. People often wear hats with sunscreen (I definitely do). I know that certain hair dyes can have titanium dioxide as well.
Yikes, I like to use bar soaps for my face and body. Just checked ingredients for Cerave and Vanicream bar soap I use, and they contain titanium dioxide. 😬
What can you do to reverse FFA? Of course, I have been focusing my sunscreen into my hairline for protection! I have noticed hair loss and blamed it on being 65! Help!
You need to see a dermatologist and get on medications to stop the progression ASAP if you do have FFA. You may need to try several meds to see what works best for you. It is unlikely the hair lost will grow back as FFA is a scarring-form of alopecia, but some people have had success. I do not believe there is any connection between FFA and sunscreen as I have lost a lot of hair in my eyebrows and hairline over the last 6 months and was just diagnosed with FFA, but I've lost no hair in the areas of my face where I don't want it. These are not good studies and a cause can't be determined from them. FFA is most common is post-menopausal, Caucasian women, so if that fits you, I would suspect that more than anything. I am not post-menopausal, so this is an odd diagnosis for me. I do have rosacea which suddenly worsened around the time that the FFA started, and am wondering if there is a link between the two somehow as it was under control for years with meds. Best wishes.
Thank you so much for this awesome video. For the first time in my life I have problem with thinnig hair mostly close to and around the face area. I have been using Sunscreens from Eucerin. I will surely check the ingredients. Thank you so much for your warning ❤
Im confused. You just did a video about suncreens telling people to make sure it had titanium dioxide in it. Now your saying dont use titanium do to hair loss?? Can you clarify which one it is?
I'm 66 yrs now, and only started using sunscreen last month 😱. The reason I admit to this here is to say that I also started losing hair at my temples TWO YEARS AGO, so for me these are not related. Having said that, the sunscreens I've tried so far may also be of interest on this topic. I bought the "Australian Gold" (4% titanium dioxide) when it came back into stock recently and found it to be drying even on my oily skin, and the color I got (tan) was a little too dark for me. I tried using it with "Coppertone Pure & Simple" (100% zinc oxide & un-tinted) and for me these have turned out to be a perfect combination! I don't mix them together, instead I use them almost as you would a contour and a highlighter! After watching this video this morning I applied the un-tinted zinc Coppertone along my hairline, as well as around my eyes as I had been doing. it worked GREAT and no titanium dioxide near my (already thinning) hair 😉
The problem with the Ilia foundation is it smells absolutely dreadful, and it persists for hours. It has a beautiful finish, but I had to return it, because it was truly nauseating.
I have experienced no thinning of the hair on my head from using sunscreen with titanium dioxide, but I am wondering about the thinning of my eyebrows. That may be just due to age. I am postmenopausal.
Shynes...probably menopause. My eyebrows really thinned out then, and I'm not routinely using sunscreen. I won't use those brow serums though...they can mess up your eyes.
Wow very informative video. It seems quite difficult to find "good", safe and affordable sunscreens. What classifies as good can vary based on the individuals needs and preferences
Thanks for the video. Always nice to get clear explanations and not a lot of hand waving and panic. Speaking of the Ilia and MyChelle, have you checked out Tower 28?
I learned many things from Dr. Dray, but she is very narrow minded, I can save you the wait and tell you that she will say that there's absolutely no problem with it and it is safe... This Dr. is more open minded and seems to genuinely care about her patients and viewers
@@jayedwardsuk5984 ha ha, she just posted a video about this topic! I told you! Take time to look at her comment section, many people are saying that they experienced this hair loss condition after a month. Their hair started growing back when they stopped... I'll stick to my zinc oxide sunscreen :)
I'm 57 years old and recently been diagnosed with FFA. Ive had a pool in the backyard for 10 years and have always used sunscreen (have a 14 year old red headed son). We went on vacation in June of last year (2023) to Florida. I had eyebrows when I got on the plane and 3 days later I had no eyebrows. The eyebrows are the only thing that seems to be effected. Is it possible menopause is a factor? If I use regular sunscreen on the rest of my body does it still effect FFA?
Thanks so much for your thoughtful and informative posts. Your posts are what I have been looking for to educate myself. I was always overwhelmed when standing in front of all the options at the store because I didn't know what I was looking for. You generally select products that have a tint. Why? Do they offer more protection? Thanks in advance for your time.
I still use mine!! Like I mention in the video - I do not think this is enough evidence yet to make people ditch their sunscreens who are at high risk for skin cancer
It looks like Paula's Choice Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 is free of Titanium Dioxide but not sure if the mention of Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate is a concern.
Any recommendations for little ones? I usually use the spray-sunscreen for my son because it's easiest to apply and reapply on a busy 4 year-old! Plus it usually doesn't run into his eyes, which can sting! Neutrogena Beach Defense is my got to, but I would love to hear of more! I am Hispanic and have darker skin, but my son is mixed and my husband is very very fair, so his skin is on the fairer side.
I am concerned because I do have some hair loss. It could be due to being post menopause. However, I just looked at the Cetaphil tinted sunscreen that I use and it has titanium dioxide. Also some makeup that I have has it. Can you recommend non tinted sunscreens for the body that do not have titanium dioxide? Thank you for speaking about this.
So chemical sunscreens are ok? It’s just anything with titanium dioxide that could cause hair loss? Thanks for this info I really like your videos. Honestly it gets super stressful, it seems like everything has a side effect or something bad with it. I can’t live in fear of everything we do. It’s good to be informed but if I took everything super seriously I’d be living in a bunker under ground not using any products , smelling awful and trying to grow my own food! Lol
I think more research is still needed on chemical sunscreens. We may get more data in a decade that shows supergoop sunscreen is linked to something terrible. Just have to make your own decision!
@@dianam8971 yes true! We just have to pick what we’re comfortable with and which choice is the least harmful. It just gets hard because it seems like there is a negative both ways. Like either maybe get sun cancer or maybe loose your hair. Or with antiperspirant maybe get breast cancer or sweat all the time! Lol obviously cancer is the worst. But then you see some people who smoked, drank and ate McDonald’s everyday and never wore sunscreen and they live to be 100! Lol
My first grandbaby (girl) will be here in May. We are an outdoor family and I plan to teach her to swim using Aquatots method. Any recommendations for babies besides hat, rash guard and baby sunglasses?
honestly, I'd be careful about putting a ton of sunscreen on babies. the general recommendation is babies under 6 mo should not wear sunscreen and instead be protected with avoidance and UPF clothing. even for older babies, I like rash guards better than sunscreen. zinc oxide and fragrance free free formulas for face when needed.
Please give me some direction on a good retinol/anti dark spot chest and hand cream drug store? Size 6 to 8 oz a couple of choices. Thank you I am a subscriber.
Before sunscreen woman work makeup especially those heavyspansticks and this was not noted,personally I think possibly wearing sunscreen could be cquse issues within the body and the hair always suffers the most if any health problems as last to be fed nutrients (I do wear sunscreen daily)but I do wonder am I causing other issues to
Can you please make a video for Laser treatment for Rosacea. I am a male dealing with rosacea red spots on my beard and mustache area. I had a biopsy and it came back as Rosacea. But the dermatologist said It would be better not to use laser because I could loose the facial hair. But In other reviews and other web pages It says Vbeam laser does not affect the hair follicle. Could you please make a video explaining how this works. Is it safe to use on face with facial hair???
okay but i feel like if it’s causing head hair loss then it would cause all other hair loss on the body as well, and idk i’ve never seen anyone lose leg hair bc of sunscreen so why would it cause head hair loss? so maybe i won’t stress to much about this and i’m young so i hope this isn’t true….
The studies, given that they rely on self reporting from memory, are largely useless. Your attempt to be unbiased is really just adding to the alarmist echo chamber.
what about the australian gold "tinted face" sunscreen you had recommended in preovious videos? does it have the titanium ? I don't see it in the ingredient list
I never used sunscreens ever due to the many backlash it’s getting and in todays video is the icing on the cake which it confirms why I would never use sunscreen ever
Remember that not all sunscreen is created equal. Protecting your skin against UV-rays is important to prevent skin cancer. You can of course use protective clothing and stay out of the sun (including through windows)
Well this is alarming. Only time will tell with more studies what is actually going on. Seems like a condition that happens over a long period of time cause it’s gonna take awhile to tell. Personally I’m just switch to non titanium dioxide sunscreens, better safe then sorry. Just purely zinc. Some chemical sunscreens I have I do like cause they’re good for sensitive skin.
Unfortunately, zinc oxide makes the skin on the back of my neck become discolored and itch and peel (I've tried several zinc oxide-based sunscreens with the same result). Does this happen with anyone else? I've not heard of this before. It's a shame because it eliminates so many sunscreen options for me.
I don't believe this is the cause at all and I was just diagnosed with FFA last week. I also have facial papules which showed up at the same time and those have been found to occur in a subset of FFA patients. While they are mainly on my face, I have noticed some in and around my armpits and on my upper traps which makes no sense. Furthermore, I have been getting laser hair removal (finally) since the hair loss and itching started due to the hair on my face that I don't want. How would my mineral powder, which contains titanium dioxide, only cause hair loss in my eyebrows and hairline and not my entire face? I could save some money on the laser treatments if that were the case. I also noticed my legs feel less hairy when I shave them and I am possibly losing hair in my armpits, but don't care to grow out the hair there to know for sure (I just see less dark dots there and I do shave daily). I don't use sunscreen on those areas as they never see the light of day, and when I do use a sunscreen lotion on exposed body parts in the warmer months, like my arms, neck, and chest, it doesn't cause hair loss at all as I'm still shaving my arms weekly. I've always been on the hairy side due to my ethnicity, so I can't blame this on my peri-menopausal hormones, either, and I'm still on a 1/35 birth control pill to suppress my periods so I get plenty of estrogen. I think we need more and larger studies to figure out why this diagnosis is becoming more common, not that I've ever met anyone who has FFA and I only learned of it once getting diagnosed.
What about dimethicone with this TD because it clogs pores just a thought. I know I'm going through my make up collection and skincare and decluttering anything that has dimethicone because I've learned it causes millia on my face. I had worned no make just sunscreen and skincare for 5 wks and that's how I figured it out along with research. Hope your weekend goes well !!
I just discovered using high up on the list Dimethicone product's clogged my pores terribly I looked really congested using the Aveeno calm restore gel cream UK formula Dimethicone is 3rd on the ingredient list
@@l.dollens8173 Frustrating right!! I only opted for it as I started Differin gel Adapelene so wanted something no thrills soothing gel cream also think the "calming fever few" in the Aveeno made me red. I dont think I'll use that again, I'm going to either look for silicone free or at least look for product's with it way further down to the bottom of the ingredients list. Also putting on La Roche Posay Invisible Fluid SPF over it made them look 3D Haha. I think that is also too emollient as an SPF for my Oily SKin unless used " without" moisturising before.
