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Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used in a variety of personal care products, including sunscreens, pressed powders, and loose powders, as a UV filter or whitening agent. In lotions and creams (dermal exposure), it is not a risk for adverse health effects. However, when titanium dioxide is inhalable—as it may be when in powder form—it is considered a possible carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.Titanium dioxide nanoparticles do not appear to confer any unique health hazards.

The FDA is reviewing the safety of titanium dioxide in response to an April petition from EWG and other environmental and public health groups. This is the FDA’s first comprehensive review of titanium dioxide since 1973.

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Fig. 9. Selected images of damaged skin treated with P25TiO₂NPs 10% (left) and healthy skin treated with VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs 10% (right).

Titanium dioxide can be both safe and unsafe, depending on its use. When inhaled, titanium dioxide is considered possibly carcinogenic to humans. This means that in products that contain powdered titanium dioxide like loose powders, pressed powders, eyeshadows, and blushes in which the makeup is in powder form, titanium dioxide can be inhaled. Titanium dioxide is also an occupational chemical of concern, as workers might inhale titanium dioxide when manufacturing products.