Summertime means vacationers could explore a little “fun in the sun” in Louisiana and around the country. Others may be unable to stay out of the sun’s rays due to their job requirements. Worrying about sun exposure seems understandable. Suffering from a severe sunburn could be uncomfortable, and long-term exposure may result in skin cancer. Retail shoppers might order sunscreen to protect them, but the product may not always be as safe and effective as assumed.
The troubles with sunscreen products
Not very many people likely know what octocrylene is, an ingredient found in numerous sunscreen products. The Food and Drug Administration knows about it, and the federal agency has pulled products containing octocrylene because it is a carcinogen. There’s another suspected and probable carcinogen called benzophenone that might cause harm as well.
Octocrylene serves as a sunscreen filter, and some sources suggest it could contribute to premature aging and skin cancer. Octocrylene is found in benzophenone, and benzophenone is banned from use in food.
Some representatives from the sunscreen product industry refute the FDA’s claims. Suggestions that the FDA’s findings come from misinformation appear in some of their responses.
Manufacturers being held liable
When a manufacturer releases an unsafe product to the market, it may face liability claims. Product liability lawsuits might also name third-party sellers that offer dangerous items.
A manufacturer or distributor that knowingly sells a dangerous product could face serious financial penalties in a civil lawsuit. The discovery process might reveal a company knew about a product’s dangers but sold the item anyway.
Customers that suffered harm from sunscreen products could explore their legal options. The same might be true with consumers dealing with the ill effects of any dangerous product sold on the market.