Women who use sunscreens that contain the benzophenone (BP)-type ingredient 2,4OH-BP may be at an increased risk for endometriosis, according to the results of a new study.
When incorporated into sunscreens, BP ingredients have the potential to pass through the skin, where they mimic estrogen, which is necessary for the development of endometriosis. Despite this, no studies had been done to determine if there was a link between the use of BP-containing sunscreens and endometriosis, according to lead researcher Kurunthachalam Kannan, of the New York State Department of Health, the State University of New York at Albany and Harbin Institute of Technology, China, and colleagues.
To examine whether such a link exists, the researchers analyzed BP levels in the urine of 625 women who underwent surgery for endometriosis. Increased levels of 2,4OH-BP were associated with an increased risk of a diagnosis of endometriosis. Increased levels of BP were more common during the summer months and in women living in California, which, according to the researchers, further suggests a link with sunscreens.
Results of the study were also published in Environmental Science and Technology. In that article, the researchers conclude: “Given that 2,4OH-BP possesses an estrogenic activity higher than that of 2OH-4MeO-BP, our results invite the speculation that exposure to elevated 2,4OH-BP levels may be associated with endometriosis.”
