The advantages of spray sunscreens over lotion sunscreens are clear: Sprays can be applied more quickly and easily, without having to work as hard to rub them into your skin. Sprays are also great for covering hard-to-reach spots.
But how safe are spray sunscreens? Are they less safe than lotions? The experts have thoughts.
Are spray sunscreens safe for the skin?
Some spray sunscreens are aerosolized and use propellants like propane and butane to create the spray effect. Other sunscreens rely on compressed air to produce the continuous spray. Each of these sunscreens are as safe for the skin as lotion sunscreens, according to Dr. Zaineb Makhzoumi, a dermatologic surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center and an assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
She says that claims that spray sunscreens are unsafe are unfounded. “When my patients bring this up, I say that there’s absolutely no science behind that, and I encourage them and remind them that spray sunscreens are not only safe but effective,” says Makhzoumi.
What effect do spray sunscreens have on marine life?
The chemicals in some sunscreens are toxic to coral reefs and other marine life. However, according to Camille Gaynus, chief science officer at Black in Marine Science, an organization that amplifies Black voices in marine studies, there is no evidence that spray sunscreens are any more harmful to marine life than lotion sunscreens. What’s important, she says, is whether the sunscreen is physical or chemical.
Physical sunscreens, also known as mineral sunscreens, reflect ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and prevent them from coming in contact with the skin. The active ingredients in physical sunscreens are usually zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Mineral sunscreens, whether in lotion or spray form, are generally considered and marketed as reef-safe.
Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, work by absorbing UV rays. The active ingredients in many chemical sunscreens, oxybenzone and octinoxate, known as UV filters, are believed to be harmful to coral reefs, to the point that they have been banned in Hawaii and Key West, Florida.
“The accumulation of all the people who are interacting with the coastal systems swimming in those waters and getting a little bit of sunscreens washing off can be detrimental to not just corals but many coastal organisms,” Gaynus says, noting that oxybenzone is an endocrine disruptor, which means it can interfere with the hormones of marine creatures.
Oxybenzone is also believed to make coral reefs more prone to bleaching, which occurs when corals expel the microscopic algae that lives in their tissues and gives corals their pink color and eventually leads to reef death. While Gaynus says that more research is needed to determine how exactly chemical sunscreens harm corals, “What we do know is that when you have high concentrations of that oxybenzone in the waters, the corals will bleach at lower temperatures.”
So, should you buy spray or lotion sunscreens?
There are a few aspects to consider when choosing a spray sunscreen. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notes that some spray sunscreens contain ingredients like alcohol that are flammable when applied to skin and should not be used near open flames. With spray sunscreens, there is also a risk of inhalation, which can cause mouth, throat, and lung irritation and trigger asthma attacks in individuals with asthma.
In 2022 and 2023, spray sunscreens from various popular brands were recalled because they contain the carcinogen benzene, an ingredient that inadvertently made its way into these products.
But the primary reason Dr. Makhzoumi recommends lotion sunscreens over sprays is because the former can be applied more evenly, which is crucial.
“When people are applying [spray sunscreen] outdoors, it can often be swept away by the wind, which can lead to patchy, uneven applications,” says Makhzoumi. “It gives people a false sense of security because they think that they’ve applied their sunscreen. What I tell people is that they have to be really diligent in their application.”
This disadvantage, however, is easy to overcome. “I encourage people to apply spray sunscreens indoors so that they bypass that effect,” says Makhzoumi.
