New seaweed sunscreen is ecological and skin friendly

Scientists say a new sunscreen made from seaweed could be on sale within two years. Seaweed sunscreen would not affect marine life negatively, unlike current lotions and seaweed contains an agent that absorbs damaging ultraviolet and harmful sun rays.

Palythine – the seaweed chemical can reduce acne and wrinkles and aid healing of scars plus sun damage as well as toning thighs. Professor Antony Young who carried out the research through Kings University London with Karl Lawrence, said, “This is a potential game-changer and I am excited about this”. He intimated that the product would have a better performance than those now on the market.

Prof Young noted that all species from bacteria to elephants have evolved ways of dealing with sunlight over millions of years, especially plants highly exposed to the sun’s rays.

BP-3 which is in some current sunscreens is harmful to coral reefs and zinc oxide stunts the growth of phytoplankton at the base of the marine food chain. More than 14,000 tons of sunscreen go into the sea each year including through showers and sinks as waste water treatment miss a lot of them.

8 of the 16 most commonly used active ingredients in sunscreens have been identified as a potential threat to the environment by The European Chemicals Agency.

Penny Nair Price