Titanium dioxide is a chemical compound formed from two molecules of oxygen and one molecule of the element titanium. In its raw form, titanium is a strong metal with a silvery white color and is used for a variety of purposes, including as a setting for jewelry and as a material for crafting parts in airplanes, spacecraft and missiles. When titanium combines with oxygen to create titanium dioxide, it forms a white powder, which like the metal, has a number of uses, including serving as an important ingredient in skin care products.
The scientist William Gregor first discovered titanium in 1781 in a mineral that he called menachanite. In 1785, another scientist, Martin H. Klaproth, isolated titanium from menachanite and recognized it as a chemical element. The material that Klaproth was able to derive from the mineral was actually not raw titanium, but titanium dioxide, making him responsible for the discovery of this important compound.
Although the compound can be found in nature, titanium dioxide is generally manufactured in a laboratory for use in skin care products. One common method of creating the compound is to expose a mineral that contains titanium known as ilmenite to sulfuric acid. The chemical reaction produces a salt that is further processed into pure titanium dioxide.
Titanium dioxide is widely used as a dye or coloring agent in all types of skin care products as well as in toothpastes, soaps and foods. The compound has a very bright, vivid white color and is one of the most commonly utilized materials for making products appear whiter. When used as a pigment, titanium dioxide may be listed in ingredients by other names, including titanium white, Pigment White 6 and CI 77891.
In addition to its usefulness as a coloring additive in skin care products, titanium dioxide is also beneficial as an active ingredient in some formulations. Over the years, scientific research established that titanium dioxide has the ability to absorb ultraviolet light. This high-energy light is found in sunshine and can cause serious problems for the skin tissue due to its intensity.
Exposure to ultraviolet light is responsible for causing painful sunburns and plays a role in the development of signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. When skin cells become exposed to ultraviolet light, they may begin to overproduce the skin pigment melanin, which leads to the formation of age spots, freckles and other types of skin discoloration. Ultraviolet energy can also cause some forms of skin cancer.
To protect against the damaging effects of UV energy, titanium dioxide is frequently used as an active ingredients in sunscreens, where the compound absorbs ultraviolet light before it can reach the skin. The compound is especially beneficial in sunscreen products because it does not discolor or degrade when exposed to ultraviolet light, allowing it to remain more potent than other ingredients that also absorb ultraviolet energy. In addition to its use in sunscreens, titanium dioxide is sometimes found in moisturizers and cosmetics that offer small amounts of sun protection.
The natural origins of titanium dioxide make it less irritating to the skin tissue than many other sun protective ingredients. As a result, people with sensitive skin are often able to use titanium dioxide-based products, even when they are unable to safely apply other sunscreen formulas. Titanium dioxide is a common ingredient in sunscreen products designed for babies and children due to its gentleness. Clinical studies have found that titanium dioxide poses no risk for cancer or other serious health complications with repeated, frequent usage. The compound is also not known to cause mutations or defects when used during pregnancy, so many doctors recommend products that contain titanium dioxide for use by pregnant and nursing women.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved titanium dioxide as an ingredient for use in sunscreens. The compound is listed as "Generally Regarded as Safe" in the FDA's ingredient classification system.
Some people do complain that titanium dioxide sunscreen feels too heavy on their skin or that the white residue it leaves on their complexions is unappealing. Some skin care companies have begun to use nano-molecules of titanium dioxide that are smaller in size in their formulas as a way to make their products more comfortable and less noticeable once applied. Some products are also tinted in order to minimize the white color.