Titanium Dioxide, also known as Titania or Titanium (IV) Oxide, is the naturally occurring Oxide of Titanium.
Apart from using the Titanium Dioxide as food coloring or in paint making, it is used in some cosmetic products. The only use of Titanium Dioxide I know of is for shielding your skin from the harsh effect of the sunlight.
Too much exposure to the sun is damaging to your skin. You stand a chance of having sunburn and premature aging (leathering skin, wrinkles, fine lines) if you expose your skin to too much of sunlight without applying the proper cover to your skin.
The cover I’m talking about is not your clothes (well, that help as well), but sunscreen. The active ingredients in sunscreens work by either reflecting the songs radiation off your skin or by absorbing the harmful rays and reverting it from reaching your skin’s dermis.
Although wearing sunscreen doesn’t give your skin the total cover from the harmful effect of the sun, it still goes a long way in shielding your skin from sunburns, melanoma, and loss of moisture.
How Titanium Oxide Can Shield Your Skin
- Recommended usage is between 2 to 25%. The higher the concentration, the longer your skin would be covered from the harmful sun rays
- Reapply your sunscreen after bathing, swimming, sweating, or staying longer in the sun
Precaution When Using Titanium Dioxide Sunscreen
- When applying to the face area, you should avoid the eye as much as possible. If it gets into your eyes, rinse with water immediately
- If you choose to apply a sunscreen spray, do ensure you stay away from fire and don’t smoke when spraying as it is highly flammable
- Don’t use sunscreen on infants younger than 5 Instead, wear them a protective clothing
Side Effects of Titanium Dioxide
- Although a natural mineral sunscreen, Titanium Dioxide may still leave some skin with irritations and allergies (redness, bumps, swellings, ). If you experience any of these, you should stop the use of Titanium Dioxide and instead choose a substitute.
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