How Does Mexoryl Work?

Mexoryl Ingredients

Mexoryl is a type of sunscreen that has been marketed in Europe and Canada since 1993. It recently was approved by the FDA under the trade name of Anthelios SX. Mexoryl has three primary ingredients. Avobenzone and octocrylene, two ingredients found in many over-the-counter sunscreens, are effective at blocking UV rays from the sun. However, the ingredient that makes Mexoryl unique is what is called a new molecular entity, which means that it is a custom designed molecule. This compound is called ecamsule, and it is what separates Mexoryl from other sunscreens.

Ecamsule

Ecamsule is designed to filter out a certain kind of ultraviolet light wave called UVA. Ecamsule undergoes some structural changes when it is exposed to UVA waves. First it undergoes a process known as photo-isomerization, which means that some of the atoms in the molecule change position when they absorb UVA rays. The ecamsule molecule experiences another chemical process known as photo-excitation, which means that it releases a burst of energy in the form of thermal energy. The net result is that the ecamsule molecule absorbs UVA rays and converts them into heat. Because ecamsule only blocks UVA rays, it needs to be combined with other substances to block the full range of UV sun radiation.

Mexoryl and UVA Protection

UVA rays cause wrinkling of the skin and have also been found to cause skin irritation and damage, especially over time. Although it is not entirely known whether there is a link between UVA rays and skin cancer, the fact that UVA rays causes skin damage suggests that the two could be linked. A study sponsored by the L'Oreal laboratories (L'Oreal owns the patent on ecamsule) found that ecamsule was able to effectively protect the skin from damage caused by UVA radiation. This study found that ecamsule was able to protect human skin from increased pigmentation, skin irritation and other structural changes that UVA rays can cause.