Safe Sun Care
edited from an article by Anastasia Stephens, daily Mail
Many commercial sun creams damage your skin AND your health! use of PABA and other chemicals have even been shown to alter the DNA structure of the skin and lead to a host of health problems.
After a rise in allergic reactions, sunscreen makers were urged to remove a chemical called methyl dibromo glutaronitrile. Used in leading brands of sunscreen, it can cause rashes and swelling, say European Commission scientists.
So what are the common ingredients - which should be listed on the bottle? How safe are they and what are the alternatives?
UVB FILTERS
UVB filters, or cinnamates, such as cinoxate, octocrylene and octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) work by absorbing UVB light, deflecting harmful radiation from the skin.
However, they are common skin irritants and a study published in the New Scientist found cinnamates can cause some cells to die prematurely.
The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority tested mouse skin and found that half the cells died after contact with a weak dose of OMC, while shining a lamp on the impregnated cells, to simulate sunshine, made the chemical twice as toxic.
No tests have been undertaken on human skin, but these results imply OMC could be toxic, especially if left on the skin for long periods of time.
UVA FILTERS
UVA filters, or benzophenones, are a family of chemicals including oxybenzone, dioxybenzone and butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane which are commonly used in suncreams to absorb UVA light.
They can sensitise the skin, making it prone to inflammation, rashes and allergic reactions. Some experts believe that, when exposed to UV rays, sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone can break down into chemicals which destroy or inhibit the skin's natural defences against sunlight.
This leaves it vulnerable to the free radical damage produced by sun exposure, which, far from protecting you from the sun, could exacerbate the risk of skin cancer and premature aging.
SUNBLOCKS
Zinc and titanium oxide are mineral-derived sun blocks which reflect light, bouncing it away from the skin.
Mineral sunscreens were traditionally very messy, but the new high-tech formulations contain fine micro-pigments which make them smoother, light and easy to blend. They are less irritating than most chemicals and thought to be fairly safe.
SUNBURN PREVENTERS
Many suncreams contain salicylates - aspirin-like chemicals which help prevent sunburn and act as antiseptics.
'These chemicals are found naturally in almonds, apples, and apricots and won't harm most people,' says Charlotte Vohtz, who formulates suncreams for Greenpeople, a natural cosmetics company.
'However, those who are sensitive to aspirin may find they are also allergic to suncreams containing similar chemicals.' They may experience similar allergic reactions such as rashes and irritation.
Commonly used salicylates are ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl salicylate, isotridecyl salicylate and neohomosalate.
SKIN PROTECTORS
Skin protectors such as PABAS, including p-aminobenzoic acid, ethyl dihydropropyl PABA, padimate-O, padimate A and glyceryl PABA, are used in suncreams to help prevent skin damage. They also act as a local anaesthetic in sunburn products.
However they can irritate skin and form formaldehyde and other carcinogenic substances when combined with chemical ingredients such as DEA and TEA.
'They can cause skin irritation, allergic eczema and a sensitivity to light experienced as a rash or swelling,' says Charlotte Vohtz.
PRESERVATIVES
Parabens are among the most widely used preservatives. Derived from plant and petroleum sources, they may trigger irritation on sensitive skins.
More worryingly, there is now research suggesting they are xenoestrogens, or hormonedisruptors, substances which, when absorbed through the body, mimic the female hormone oestrogen, disrupting the hormone balance.
Such chemicals, which have a cumulative effect, are thought to be linked to increases in cases of breast cancer and a fall in male sperm counts. Some parabens are suspected carcinogens.
Trisodium Edta is another preservative used in suncreams to prevent titanium or zinc oxide from breaking down and not working properly. But it can irritate the skin.
SCENT
Fragrances added to suncreams are normally listed as 'parfum' and frequently contain artificial musks. These can cause watery
eyes, reddened skin, and allergic reactions.
Asthmatics, in particular, should choose scentfree suncreams.
Many artificial scents contain hormone disrupters which accumulate in the body's fat and may enter a woman's milk when she breastfeeds.
SO, SHOULD I STILL USE SUNSCREEN?
Questions over the safety of chemicals and research showing that sunscreens encourage people to overexpose their skin to the sun implies that the sunscreen-only strategy isn't the best way to protect your skin.
Research in the British Medical Journal found that people who use sunscreen most are more prone to skin cancer - because it gave them a false confidence which encouraged them to sunbathe for longer and in the heat of the day.
While all suncreams contain filters to cut out UVB radiation - the type that causes sunburn - they don't all contain adequately strong filters for UVA radiation, which doesn't burn skin, but is equally carcinogenic and ages the skin.
In other words, relying on suncreams only could be dangerous if your cream isn't cutting out sufficient amounts of UVA.
Children's skin is particularly susceptible to sun damage as well as the potentially toxic or irritating effects of sunscreen ingredients - the skin absorbs up to 60 per cent of what is put on it and because many children's sun lotions have a high SPF, they also contain higher quantities of irritating chemicals.
Nonetheless, there is virtually no doubt that sunscreen provides extremely valuable protection against UV radiation.
The key to sun safety is to use natural suncreams, but don't rely on them alone. Covering up your body with clothes which block UV rays will reduce reliance on suncreams and any irritating ingredients in them.
If you're on the beach, wear a shirt and sarong after a few hours and protect your face by wearing a hat and sunglasses.
Avoid direct sunlight between 11am and 3pm when the sun is at its strongest - special protective tents or umbrellas on the beach will ensure you have somewhere to sit out of the sun
Even if it's cloudy, you should beware as high levels of UV radiation can pass though clouds. Remember, you are not protected from UV radiation when you are in a car, because the sun's rays can pass directly through glass.
You should use an SPF15 suncream as the minimum protection - there is no point using products below this. An SPF15 blocks out most of the sun's rays, although it does allow the skin, over time, to tan.
IS THERE A SAFER ALTERNATIVE?
Health-conscious and organic cosmetic companies now have suncream ranges which keep irritating or potentially toxic suncream ingredients to a minimum but are still effective at blocking out UV rays.
For any product to quote an SPF, it must have a listed protection ingredient that is Government-approved.
The safest suncreams will use the least irritating ingredients from this list, such as titanium oxide or cinnamates derived from cinnamon oil.
You should also look out for natural formulations that are rich in vitamin or herbal antioxidants as these protect the skin from free-radical damage caused by exposure to UV light.
Be aware that the list of ingredients in any suncream should not be too long - say, up to 15 ingredients.The more ingredients, the more likely you are to have a sensitive reaction.
Many commercial sun creams damage your skin AND your health! use of PABA and other chemicals have even been shown to alter the DNA structure of the skin and lead to a host of health problems.
After a rise in allergic reactions, sunscreen makers were urged to remove a chemical called methyl dibromo glutaronitrile. Used in leading brands of sunscreen, it can cause rashes and swelling, say European Commission scientists.
So what are the common ingredients - which should be listed on the bottle? How safe are they and what are the alternatives?
UVB FILTERS
UVB filters, or cinnamates, such as cinoxate, octocrylene and octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) work by absorbing UVB light, deflecting harmful radiation from the skin.
However, they are common skin irritants and a study published in the New Scientist found cinnamates can cause some cells to die prematurely.
The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority tested mouse skin and found that half the cells died after contact with a weak dose of OMC, while shining a lamp on the impregnated cells, to simulate sunshine, made the chemical twice as toxic.
No tests have been undertaken on human skin, but these results imply OMC could be toxic, especially if left on the skin for long periods of time.
UVA FILTERS
UVA filters, or benzophenones, are a family of chemicals including oxybenzone, dioxybenzone and butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane which are commonly used in suncreams to absorb UVA light.
They can sensitise the skin, making it prone to inflammation, rashes and allergic reactions. Some experts believe that, when exposed to UV rays, sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone can break down into chemicals which destroy or inhibit the skin's natural defences against sunlight.
This leaves it vulnerable to the free radical damage produced by sun exposure, which, far from protecting you from the sun, could exacerbate the risk of skin cancer and premature aging.
SUNBLOCKS
Zinc and titanium oxide are mineral-derived sun blocks which reflect light, bouncing it away from the skin.
Mineral sunscreens were traditionally very messy, but the new high-tech formulations contain fine micro-pigments which make them smoother, light and easy to blend. They are less irritating than most chemicals and thought to be fairly safe.
SUNBURN PREVENTERS
Many suncreams contain salicylates - aspirin-like chemicals which help prevent sunburn and act as antiseptics.
'These chemicals are found naturally in almonds, apples, and apricots and won't harm most people,' says Charlotte Vohtz, who formulates suncreams for Greenpeople, a natural cosmetics company.
'However, those who are sensitive to aspirin may find they are also allergic to suncreams containing similar chemicals.' They may experience similar allergic reactions such as rashes and irritation.
Commonly used salicylates are ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl salicylate, isotridecyl salicylate and neohomosalate.
SKIN PROTECTORS
Skin protectors such as PABAS, including p-aminobenzoic acid, ethyl dihydropropyl PABA, padimate-O, padimate A and glyceryl PABA, are used in suncreams to help prevent skin damage. They also act as a local anaesthetic in sunburn products.
However they can irritate skin and form formaldehyde and other carcinogenic substances when combined with chemical ingredients such as DEA and TEA.
'They can cause skin irritation, allergic eczema and a sensitivity to light experienced as a rash or swelling,' says Charlotte Vohtz.
PRESERVATIVES
Parabens are among the most widely used preservatives. Derived from plant and petroleum sources, they may trigger irritation on sensitive skins.
More worryingly, there is now research suggesting they are xenoestrogens, or hormonedisruptors, substances which, when absorbed through the body, mimic the female hormone oestrogen, disrupting the hormone balance.
Such chemicals, which have a cumulative effect, are thought to be linked to increases in cases of breast cancer and a fall in male sperm counts. Some parabens are suspected carcinogens.
Trisodium Edta is another preservative used in suncreams to prevent titanium or zinc oxide from breaking down and not working properly. But it can irritate the skin.
SCENT
Fragrances added to suncreams are normally listed as 'parfum' and frequently contain artificial musks. These can cause watery
eyes, reddened skin, and allergic reactions.
Asthmatics, in particular, should choose scentfree suncreams.
Many artificial scents contain hormone disrupters which accumulate in the body's fat and may enter a woman's milk when she breastfeeds.
SO, SHOULD I STILL USE SUNSCREEN?
Questions over the safety of chemicals and research showing that sunscreens encourage people to overexpose their skin to the sun implies that the sunscreen-only strategy isn't the best way to protect your skin.
Research in the British Medical Journal found that people who use sunscreen most are more prone to skin cancer - because it gave them a false confidence which encouraged them to sunbathe for longer and in the heat of the day.
While all suncreams contain filters to cut out UVB radiation - the type that causes sunburn - they don't all contain adequately strong filters for UVA radiation, which doesn't burn skin, but is equally carcinogenic and ages the skin.
In other words, relying on suncreams only could be dangerous if your cream isn't cutting out sufficient amounts of UVA.
Children's skin is particularly susceptible to sun damage as well as the potentially toxic or irritating effects of sunscreen ingredients - the skin absorbs up to 60 per cent of what is put on it and because many children's sun lotions have a high SPF, they also contain higher quantities of irritating chemicals.
Nonetheless, there is virtually no doubt that sunscreen provides extremely valuable protection against UV radiation.
The key to sun safety is to use natural suncreams, but don't rely on them alone. Covering up your body with clothes which block UV rays will reduce reliance on suncreams and any irritating ingredients in them.
If you're on the beach, wear a shirt and sarong after a few hours and protect your face by wearing a hat and sunglasses.
Avoid direct sunlight between 11am and 3pm when the sun is at its strongest - special protective tents or umbrellas on the beach will ensure you have somewhere to sit out of the sun
Even if it's cloudy, you should beware as high levels of UV radiation can pass though clouds. Remember, you are not protected from UV radiation when you are in a car, because the sun's rays can pass directly through glass.
You should use an SPF15 suncream as the minimum protection - there is no point using products below this. An SPF15 blocks out most of the sun's rays, although it does allow the skin, over time, to tan.
IS THERE A SAFER ALTERNATIVE?
Health-conscious and organic cosmetic companies now have suncream ranges which keep irritating or potentially toxic suncream ingredients to a minimum but are still effective at blocking out UV rays.
For any product to quote an SPF, it must have a listed protection ingredient that is Government-approved.
The safest suncreams will use the least irritating ingredients from this list, such as titanium oxide or cinnamates derived from cinnamon oil.
You should also look out for natural formulations that are rich in vitamin or herbal antioxidants as these protect the skin from free-radical damage caused by exposure to UV light.
Be aware that the list of ingredients in any suncream should not be too long - say, up to 15 ingredients.The more ingredients, the more likely you are to have a sensitive reaction.
posted by Madison at 9:03 AM
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