What Dermatologists Need to Know About the First New Sunscreen Ingredient in Decades

Last week’s FDA approval of bemotrizinol, a new sunscreen active ingredient, marks the first major advancement in US sunscreen ingredients in more than 2 decades. Darrell Rigel, MD, MS, clinical professor at New York University, adjunct clinical professor at UT Southwestern, and consultant dermatologist at Cooper Clinic in Dallas, met with Dermatology Times to discuss this important step forward for dermatologists and patients seeking expanded options for effective, cosmetically acceptable photoprotection.

Rigel explained that bemotrizinol has been available in other countries for years, where it has undergone extensive use and evaluation. The ingredient’s approval in the US follows rigorous testing demonstrating its ability to provide broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection while maintaining favorable characteristics for sunscreen formulation.

One of the key advantages of bemotrizinol is its photostability, allowing it to maintain effectiveness longer after exposure to sunlight compared with some existing sunscreen filters. Rigel also highlighted its cosmetic benefits, noting that the ingredient can be incorporated into formulations with improved feel and patient acceptability—an important factor in encouraging consistent sunscreen use.

Bemotrizinol is also notable because it is the first non-mineral sunscreen filter, outside of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, to receive FDA recognition as generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE). Rigel emphasized that its minimal systemic absorption contributed to the approval and may help address ongoing discussions surrounding sunscreen ingredient safety.

The approval was supported by recent legislative efforts, including the Sunscreen Standards Act, which was designed to streamline and accelerate FDA review of sunscreen ingredients that have long been available internationally. Rigel credited Congressman John Joyce, MD, a dermatologist serving in Congress, for advocating for the legislation and advancing issues important to the dermatology community.

While bemotrizinol represents a significant milestone, Rigel noted that additional sunscreen ingredients currently used in countries such as those in Europe and Japan may also offer potential benefits. The new regulatory pathway could help bring additional options to US consumers in the future.

For dermatologists, understanding emerging sunscreen technologies will be increasingly important as patients begin asking about new products containing bemotrizinol. Rigel emphasized that clinicians should be prepared to discuss the ingredient’s benefits, safety profile, and role in improving sunscreen choices.

As manufacturers begin incorporating bemotrizinol into new formulations, the ingredient may help reshape the sunscreen landscape by providing patients with more effective and cosmetically appealing options to support lifelong skin cancer prevention and photoprotection.

Click here for more expert insights on the approval of bemotrizinol.