Salicylate
Place in Therapy
Place in Therapy
Salicylates (in the forms of homosalate, octyl salicylate, or triethanolamine salicylate) are commonly found ingredients in many commercial sunscreen products. Number of studies indicates the importance of UVA coverage in order to prevent immune system impairment and hypersensitivity response1. Salicylates provide a narrow-spectrum (260-320 nm), UVB-only coverage and thus rarely used as monotherapy. The two commonly used variants; octisalate and homosalate are used in the formulation to improve stability and to reduce photodegradation of other sunscreen ingredients2. Furthermore, salicylates rarely cause any skin irritation3.
One caution to take when using salicylates is its potential to cause Reye’s syndrome4. Reye’s syndrome is a deadly disease of unknown cause and experts speculate that it is linked to the use of salicylate-containing product in the presence of viral infection or recent history of viral infection. There are sunscreen products that do not contain salicylates in the market for this purpose.
In summary, Salicylates are not potent sunscreen ingredient in terms of its spectrum of UV rays they cover. However, it is very safe to use and it provides sustainability of the other products when formulated together. Therefore, it could be considered first-line among the chemical agents as an additive.
Resources
1. Moyal DD, Fourtainer AM. Broad-Spectrum sunscreens provide better protection from the suppression of the elicitation phase of delayed-type hypersensitivity response in humans. J Invest Dermatol. 2001;117(5):1186-1192.
2. Antoniou C, Kosmadaki MG, Stratigos AJ, Katsambas AD. Sunscreens – what’s important to know. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2008;22:1110-1119.
3. Guenther L. Skin Disorders: Sunburn. E-Therapeutics. May 2014. Available at http://www.e-therapeutics.ca. Accessed June 27, 2014.
4. Topical Products that contain aspirin. The National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation. March 10, 2008. Available at http://www.reyessyndrome.org/pdfs/Topical_Products_List_English_Full.pdf. Accessed June 28, 2014.
Salicylates (in the forms of homosalate, octyl salicylate, or triethanolamine salicylate) are commonly found ingredients in many commercial sunscreen products. Number of studies indicates the importance of UVA coverage in order to prevent immune system impairment and hypersensitivity response1. Salicylates provide a narrow-spectrum (260-320 nm), UVB-only coverage and thus rarely used as monotherapy. The two commonly used variants; octisalate and homosalate are used in the formulation to improve stability and to reduce photodegradation of other sunscreen ingredients2. Furthermore, salicylates rarely cause any skin irritation3.
One caution to take when using salicylates is its potential to cause Reye’s syndrome4. Reye’s syndrome is a deadly disease of unknown cause and experts speculate that it is linked to the use of salicylate-containing product in the presence of viral infection or recent history of viral infection. There are sunscreen products that do not contain salicylates in the market for this purpose.
In summary, Salicylates are not potent sunscreen ingredient in terms of its spectrum of UV rays they cover. However, it is very safe to use and it provides sustainability of the other products when formulated together. Therefore, it could be considered first-line among the chemical agents as an additive.
Resources
1. Moyal DD, Fourtainer AM. Broad-Spectrum sunscreens provide better protection from the suppression of the elicitation phase of delayed-type hypersensitivity response in humans. J Invest Dermatol. 2001;117(5):1186-1192.
2. Antoniou C, Kosmadaki MG, Stratigos AJ, Katsambas AD. Sunscreens – what’s important to know. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2008;22:1110-1119.
3. Guenther L. Skin Disorders: Sunburn. E-Therapeutics. May 2014. Available at http://www.e-therapeutics.ca. Accessed June 27, 2014.
4. Topical Products that contain aspirin. The National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation. March 10, 2008. Available at http://www.reyessyndrome.org/pdfs/Topical_Products_List_English_Full.pdf. Accessed June 28, 2014.