EWG recommends that consumers avoid oxybenzone because it can penetrate the skin, cause allergic skin reactions and may disrupt hormones. is oxybenzone, found in 80 percent of chemical sunscreens. The most problematic sunscreen chemical used in the U.S. include a combination of three to six of these active ingredients: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate. Sunscreen’s active ingredient comes in the form of chemical and mineral filters. It’s the chemical sunscreens that are causing the need for concern. The BIG question! While many continue to recommend sunscreen “ whole heatedly,” the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a different opinion. On the other hand, “ problems lie in individuals who use sunscreens to stay out longer in the sun than they otherwise would.” Staying in the sun for more extended periods increases our exposure to harmful UVA rays. So yes, we need sunscreen to protect us from the potentially damaging effects of the sun, but sunscreen alone is not sufficient. Even those that do are just not enough because avobenzone, the primary UVA filter added to almost all chemical sunscreen, breaks down in sunlight. The problem with most sunscreens is that they don’t provide adequate UVA protection. Although there is speculation as to whether or not the sun is the primary cause of this increase, melanoma can be caused by overexposure to UVB and, more specifically, UVA rays. There are a couple of ways to look at this question: while sunscreen can protect us from cancer-causing UV rays, it may also change our behaviour and, therefore, increase our exposure to the sun.įirst, it’s no secret that melanoma is on the rise, and according to the National Cancer Institute, the rate of melanoma cases has tripled in the past 35 years. Theoretically, the SPF number can also help you determine how long you can stay in the sun. If you can generally stay in the sun for 10 minutes before burning, then applying sunscreen with an SPF of 10 will allow you to stay in the sun 10x longer without burning (100 min). So you can see that anything higher than SPF 50 can get pretty unnecessary-it’s usually just more expensive (but potentially more toxic, which I’ll talk more about in a minute.) When thinking about SPF, most people would probably assume SPF 30 is twice as effective as SPF 15, but that’s not the case. However, SPF does not block ultraviolet A (UVA) rays, which penetrate deep into the layers of the skin, causing skin damage, aging, and skin cancer, specifically, squamous cell carcinoma. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and refers to the ability of a sunscreen to block ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which are responsible for burning the surface of the skin. Sunblock uses mineral filters, usually zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which reflect or scatter the rays to prevent them from reaching the skin. Common sun-filtering ingredients in chemical sunscreens are oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate. Sunscreen uses organic and inorganic chemical filters to prevent the sun’s rays from penetrating the deeper layers of the skin. Below are some questions of my own that I wanted to be answered in my search to find the perfect sunscreen. I wanted to feel informed on the subject before choosing the sunscreen brand that was right for me, and the ingredients that I wanted to put into my own, so I’ve looked at various sides of this “sunscreen-story,” and have come to a conclusion that I feel comfortable with.Īs usual, I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned. The whole thing makes my head spin a bit, and it seems everyone has an opinion. Some articles state that certain sunscreens are bad for you (and by bad I mean cancer-causing), while others say they’re completely safe and necessary for preventing skin cancer. From all the research I’ve done, I’ve found that there is a lot to learn about the sun and sunscreen. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been actively experimenting with and researching sunscreens. I need to start being more conscious of my exposure to the sun and protect my skin, my freckly husband’s skin, and my fair and delicate-skinned daughter-so that’s my mom-mission. I also know now that I’ve probably done some damage from “extreme” sun-tanning as a teen, and tanning beds during my University years.Īs I get older (and slightly wiser), I’m realizing that I don’t want to look like a leather face in 20 years. I’ll admit it – I’m a sun-worshiper! I LOVE basking in the sunlight and having a golden tan.
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