Beautypreneur PH | Can You Really Drink Your Sunscreen? The Truth About Oral Sun Protection | The Beauty Edit – Visit any drugstore or skin care aisle and you’re bound to face a dizzying array of sun protection products—essentials in a country that receives a generous but brutal amount of sunshine. From creams, lotions, sticks, sprays, and powders with SPF, the choices are seemingly endless for the uninitiated. But there’s a rising player in the sun-care game promising photoprotective benefits: oral sunscreens.

As the name implies, these products are meant to be taken orally. They’re dietary supplements that commonly come in pill or capsule form, claiming to help make your skin more resilient to the sun’s harmful rays. 

Traditional sunscreens create a physical or chemical barrier on top of your skin to block UV radiation. In particular, mineral sunscreens contain ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to reflect and scatter UV rays. Meanwhile, chemical sunscreens contain active ingredients that absorb UV rays and block them from entering the skin. 

How do oral sunscreens work? Unlike such topical sunscreens that you slather or spritz on your skin, oral sunscreens work from within. This is why they’re also referred to as systemic photoprotectors, because they offer systemic protection to sun damage with their unique chemical composition. Their formulation consists of a concoction of different antioxidants, vitamins, and anti-inflammatory agents that help neutralize free radicals and strengthen the skin against sunburn, redness, and inflammation.

“Think ‘inside-out sunscreen’ with antioxidants doing the heavy lifting in your bloodstream, supposedly helping your skin handle UV stress,” explains Dr. Jennie Francisco-Diaz, Medical Director at Skin 101 Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery Clinics, board-certified dermatologist, and fellow of the Philippine Dermatological Society.

Typically, oral sunscreens should be taken once in the morning, 30 minutes before sun exposure, with effects lasting for a few hours. A second dose can also be taken in the afternoon. In contrast, topical sunscreens require frequent application, often every two hours, to maintain their efficacy.

What the Science Actually Says

There’s a mix of scientific opinion when it comes to the usefulness of oral sunscreens. On one hand, some studies posit that they’re not exactly as effective in reducing erythema, a.k.a. skin reddening due to inflammation; also, an indication of sunburn. 

Moreover, because their effect can’t be assessed using the SPF (sun protection factor) scale, it’s hard to gauge just how much they’re able to protect your skin from sun damage. To provide the SPF rating, the FDA conducts tests on sun protection products to evaluate how much UVA radiation exposure they can tolerate before sunburn happens.

As such, scientists urge that oral sunscreens be reviewed according to parameters such as their antioxidant activity, anti-mutagenic activity, and photoimmunoprotection. Basically, consumers should be able to have an idea of how much oral sunscreens can neutralize free radicals, prevent or repair skin cell mutations caused by UV rays, and protect the skin’s immune system from UV-induced suppression.

Conversely, other studies point out the capability of certain oral sunscreen ingredients to reduce pigmentation, UVA-induced phototoxicity (skin sensitivity to sunlight), and skin damage.

Take, for instance, polypodium leucotomos extract or PLE (Fernblock®), made from leaves of camellia sinensis, a fern native to Central and South America. Rich in polyphenols, or chemical compounds naturally found in plants, PLE acts like antioxidants, offering protection against skin sensitivity to sunlight (chemo-photoprotection). Studies also show that it reduces pigmentation and signs of skin damage.

“They work and are the real deal, but they complement—and are not a substitute—for topical sunscreen.”— Dr. Jennie Francisco-Diaz, board-certified dermatologist

Other oral sunscreen active ingredients include glutathione and lycopene. Glutathione is a naturally-occurring antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals such as those from UV radiation. It’s also a popular component in skin lightening products as it inhibits the enzyme tyrosinase, which plays a key role in melanin production.

Meanwhile, lycopene also offers similar photoprotective benefits. This powerful antioxidant in tomatoes hunts down reactive oxygen species, which contribute to sun damage. Oral consumption triggers its accumulation in the skin, protecting the entire body from UV radiation. Studies also show that frequent intake of lycopene also ups the skin’s minimal erythema dose (MED), minimizing the risk of sunburn.

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