2025 Review Links Oxybenzone to Hormone and Reproductive Effects
A 2025 review pulls a decade of human-exposure data on oxybenzone into one place, separating the real hormone signals from the hype.
The 2025 review (covering 2014-2024 studies) reported that higher urinary benzophenone-3 was associated with a 5.6% decrease in total serum testosterone in adolescent males and roughly 12% reductions in adult men, alongside decreased thyroid T3/T4 and a 17% increased hazard of earlier menarche per log-unit increase in girls.
The review's authors frame these as associations drawn largely from observational human studies, cautioning that correlation in exposure data does not establish that sunscreen use itself causes the hormonal changes, while still flagging oxybenzone as a filter worth scrutinizing.
Questions we get a lot
Does oxybenzone actually lower testosterone?
The 2025 review found that higher urinary levels of benzophenone-3 (oxybenzone) were associated with lower total serum testosterone, about 5.6% in adolescent males and roughly 12% in adult men. These are statistical associations from human-exposure studies, not direct proof that applying sunscreen causes the change. The authors call for more research while flagging the signal.
Should I stop using sunscreen with oxybenzone?
The evidence is enough to make oxybenzone a reasonable filter to avoid if you're concerned, but it is not a reason to stop using sunscreen. UV protection prevents skin cancer and photoaging, and many products use mineral filters or other organic filters instead of oxybenzone. Choosing an oxybenzone-free formula lets you keep protecting your skin while sidestepping this specific ingredient.
Are these effects proven to be caused by sunscreen?
No. The 2025 review describes associations from observational studies that measured oxybenzone in urine, which reflects total exposure from all sources, not just sunscreen. Such designs can show a correlation but cannot prove cause and effect. The findings are a reason for caution and further study, not a confirmed causal link.
r/SkincareAddiction: 'I keep seeing that oxybenzone messes with your hormones. Is that actually proven or is it the usual fearmongering?'