Titanium dioxide in cosmetics and sunscreen safety
What it found
Most studies in people and animals found that tiny particles of titanium dioxide in sunscreens and creams stay on the skin's surface and do not reach living cells or the bloodstream.
The authors say this means it is unlikely to cause harm when applied to the skin, but they advise against spray products that could be breathed in.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Breathing in particles
In animals, breathing in titanium dioxide particles caused lung inflammation. Human data are sparse and inconsistent, and no clear link to health effects could be established in workers exposed by breathing.
Cell damage in lab tests
In lab tests on human skin cells, titanium dioxide particles sometimes reduced cell viability and increased oxidative stress, especially when exposed to UVA or UVB light. However, no such damage was seen in a 3D human skin model, and coating the particles reduces this effect.
Studies in people and animals
Skin penetration
Most studies in people and animals found that tiny titanium dioxide particles stay on the outer layer of skin and do not reach living cells or the bloodstream, even on damaged or sunburnt skin. One study in two people found particles deeper in the skin, but the authors say this should be treated with caution.
Swallowing particles
After swallowing, very little titanium dioxide is absorbed through the gut in rats and humans. A study in nine people found only negligible absorption. In rodents, some particles reached organs like the liver and spleen, but mostly at very high doses not typical of human exposure.
Skin irritation and allergy
Titanium dioxide particles are considered non-sensitizing and mild or non-irritant to skin in studies with guinea pigs, rabbits and human skin models.
Cancer risk
The authors say there is no evidence that titanium dioxide particles cause cancer after skin exposure. In animals, breathing in high doses caused lung tumours in rats but not mice, and the doses were much higher than human exposure.
What the authors conclude
“nano-TiO2 from sunscreens does not appear to present any health risks when applied on the skin at a concentration up to 25%.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that titanium dioxide particles from sunscreens do not appear to present any health risks when applied on the skin at a concentration up to 25%.
- They advise against using titanium dioxide particles in sprayable products and powders that could lead to exposure of the lungs by breathing in.
- They say that after swallowing, absorption and toxicity seem to be limited, so incidental swallowing from lip balms is not expected to cause adverse health effects.
How it was done
Titanium dioxide in its tiny particle form is now the only UV filter used in sunscreens, and some people worried that its small size might let it pass through the skin, lungs or gut and build up in the body.
The authors looked at safety opinions from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and the French agency ANSES, plus scientific papers published between January 2014 and January 2019. They focused on studies of skin penetration, breathing in, swallowing, and toxicity in people, animals and cells.
What it can’t tell you
- Most of the safety data come from animal studies or lab tests, which cannot show exactly what happens in people.
- Human studies on breathing in titanium dioxide particles are sparse and inconsistent, so no clear link to health effects can be established.
- The long-term effects of daily use over many years are not known from the studies reviewed.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Cosmetique Active International (from the PubMed record).
- Authors work at
- University Nantes, France; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA; University of Milan, Italy
The paper
- Title
- Safety of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in cosmetics
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Dréno B, Alexis A, Chuberre B, Marinovich M (2019). Safety of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in cosmetics. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. doi:10.1111/jdv.15943Free full textPubMed 31588611DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error