Over one million people are diagnosed per year in North America with skin cancer!
By Dr. Samantha Ristimaki, BSc, ND
Although being in the sun can be great for vitamin D production, too much sun can be problematic over time. Soaking up the sun exposes the skin to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, some of which is naturally reflected by the skin but the rest is absorbed by living cells. The absorbed UV damages cells causing sunburn, premature aging and skin cancer.
Most people slather on sunscreen or sunblock with good intentions to help protect the skin from the sun’s harmful rays. The problem is not all sun protection products are created equally. There are a lot more things to consider besides sun protection factor (SPF) when choosing a sunscreen.
- Does it protect from both UVA & UVB radiation?
- Is it actually chemically stable in sunlight?
- Do its ingredients have any known or suspected health hazards?
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) in Washington DC recognized the need for scientific analysis of sun protection products. They analysed 1,085 products on the market with information compiled from studies, toxicity information and product formulations to rank them for safety and effectiveness.
Only 15% of 1,085 products analyzed met criteria for safety and effectiveness!
Some of the worst offenders were Coppertone, Banana Boat and Neutrogena.
What they found….
Products lacked UVA protection
7% of products did not contain ingredients that would help shield the body from UVA. Long term exposure to this type of long wave radiation is linked with skin cancer.
They couldn’t stand up to the sun
44% of products contained ingredients that may be unstable in the sun making it questionable as to whether they will actually last as long as they claim.
Ingredients may be linked with skin cancer
Most commercial sunscreens contain oxybenzone. It absorbs UVA & UVB rays. The problem is that oxybenzone is now actually thought to cause some forms of skin cancer!
Dr. Samantha’s top pick:
Kiss My Face 100% Paraben Free Sunscreen with Oat Protein, SPF 30
To find out how your sunscreen ranks, check out the EWG’s list of best sunscreens at www.cosmeticdatabase.com
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What a fabulously helpful post! I checked the cosmeticdatabase.com for the sunscreens in my bathroom cupboard.
Out of 3, only my Hawaiian Tropic was considered a low “moderate hazard”.
Now what to do with the other two??
Thanks again!
Steph
Head Health Nut
Live Lighter
Shocking! Thank you for this very relevant topic. I had no idea. In fact, there is so much harmful information that is not made public about so many of our daily products. As a mom, I especially appreciate this knowledge.
Thanks!
Michelle
Owner/Curator Shopgirls Gallery Boutique
http://www.shopgirls.ca
Excellent article. It is very important to stress that many sunscreens do not protect against UVA AND UVB, so it gives a false sense of security. Ultimately, sun, like everything else in life, is good in moderation. Certainly stay away from sun-tanning booths that claim to provide you with a healthy dose of Vitamin D!!!! Frankly, in my opinion, that is deceptive marketing and puts its clients at a major risk of skin cancer.
Here’s a little experiment for all the readers: Look at your grandmother’s stomach and face. Compare the quality of the skin between those two sites and then try to guess which one had more sun exposure over the span of her lifetime.
Dr. Martin Jugenburg
http://www.plastica.ca