The hunt for more natural sunscreens is on Amparo Garcia/Shutterstock Sunscreens enhanced with lignin, a component of wood, can have sun protection factors (SPFs) that exceed 180. They also seem to last longer and penetrate less into the skin than existing products, potentially making them safer. Sunscreens are an important defence against skin cancer, but, in recent years, there has been growing unease and confusion regarding their safety. A recent US survey found that 14 per cent of young adults think that daily sunscreen use is more harmful than direct sun exposure. This has arisen since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published research showing that several common sunscreen ingredients can get through the skin into the bloodstream. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are harmful, and long-term studies haven’t found risks associated with daily sunscreen use, but the FDA has called for more research to investigate. In the meantime, scientists are searching for natural alternatives to existing sunscreen chemicals that may be safer for human health, while also being less harmful to coral and …