Toxic Sunscreens & Oxybenzone, Ecobold Blog

Toxic Sunscreens & Oxybenzone

Toxic Sunscreens & Oxybenzone
This is a guest post by: Tricia Trimble, from Suntegrity Skincare. She started her company in memory of her mom and all of those who lost their lives to skin cancer.
Get ready for summer and learn what to avoid and what to look for directly from the experts!

We all know we need to wear sunscreen daily, rain or shine, clouds or no clouds, but what many people don't know is that not all sunscreens are created equal. In fact, some sunscreens might be doing you more harm than good. Now, that doesn't mean you have a "hall pass" to not wear sunscreen, it just means you need to be sure you are wearing the right kind of sunscreen. Below is a list of things you need to "look" for and "look-out" for when making your next sunscreen purchase. (Many of these recommendations were compiled from the EWG's Skin Deep 2011 Sunscreen Guide.)

WHAT TO AVOID:

Sunscreens with Poor UVA protection
According to the EWG report, about 60% of the over 500 beach/sport sunscreens with an SPF of 30 or higher that they evaluated provide inadequate UVA protection. An SPF rating only refers to the UVB protection.

Sunscreens with potential hormone disrupting chemicals like Oxybenzone and Vitamin A additives
Many companies continue to use a form of vitamin A, called retinyl palmitate, thus ignoring recent scientific research by the FDA that indicates the chemical may be photocarcinogenic – ie. it may heighten the risk of skin cancer when used on skin being exposed to the sun. While more definitive research is under way, the EWG recommends that discerning consumers avoid vitamin A in their sunscreens.

Sunscreens with high SPF claims
Many sunscreens claim SPF values of greater than 50 and studies have shown that users of these high-SPF sunscreens expose themselves to more UV rays than people who use lower SPF products. Why? High SPF values give people a false sense of security causing them to remain in the sun much longer than they should before reapplying their sunscreen.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

Mineral sunscreen without toxic chemicals
I personally prefer sunscreens that use the active ingredient zinc-oxide (in non-nano form) because zinc-oxide is the only active sunscreen ingredient that is approved for use in baby products. A lot of research out there also indicates we should steer clear of sunscreens with parabens and phthalates, as well. You can always check the toxicity rating of a sunscreen and it's ingredients on the EWG website at: http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/

Sunscreens with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 protection
The "Broad Spectrum SPF 30" claim means the sunscreen will protect you against UVA and UVB rays. A new FDA law will be requiring companies to test their products for UVA protection before they can make this claim.

WHAT TO REMEMBER:

Wear sunscreen daily
The sun is out 365 days a year, rain or shine, so be sure to protect yourself.

Reapply your sunscreen
Be sure to diligently reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours and even more frequently if you are swimming or sweating.

Limit Sun Exposure
Limit time in the sun, especially between 10 am - 2 pm. Wear long sleeved shirts, pans hats and sunglasses.

Check Your Skin Regularly
Assess your skin regularly and monitor any freckles and moles. Remember the ABCDE's of skin cancer detection - Asymmetry - one half doesn't match the appearance of the other half, Border - the edges are irregular, raged, or blurred, Color - The color or pigmentation is not uniform and/or has shades of tan, brown, or black; is sometimes white, red or blue, Diameter - The size of the mole is greater than 1/4 inch (6 mm), about the size of a pencil eraser, Evolving - The mole changes shape, size, color over time. Visit a dermatologist for regular skin check-ups.

Be Sure to Get Your Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 is critical to the health of your immune system. Many of us are low on Vitamin D3 because we spend most of our time indoors and when we are outside, we are wearing sunscreen to prevent us from getting skin cancer. It is very important to supplement your diet with Vitamin D3 to support your immune system. If you are in doubt about your Vitamin D3 levels, you can request a 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D test from your doctor to see if your Vitamin D3 levels are at adequate levels.

Cheers to enjoying a fun and healthy Spring/Summer!

Browse her zinc sunscreens at her shop here: http://www.ecobold.com/shops/suntegrity