The Truth About Sunscreen

07 Aug The Truth About Sunscreen

Posted at 21:09h
in Holistic Health Blog by Stacy Kimmel, PhD Stacy Kimmel, PhD
2 Comments

Although fall is approaching, the sun is still plenty intense.  As you enjoy the end-of-summer outside walks, bike rides, etc…don’t forget to keep the sunscreen handy.  Repeated sunburns and extended exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can lead to premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, brown spots, and skin cancer. In the United States, an estimated 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year and affect about 2 million people. Detected and treated early, most people survive skin cancer. But without proper care, skin cancer can severely damage the skin and be fatal in some cases.

Is lathering on the sunscreen your best protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays? Not so fast. Not all sunscreens are created equal. In fact, many off-the-shelf sunscreens contain harmful chemicals that can interfere with hormones associated with growth and development, according to the Environmental Working Group. The next time you go shopping for sunscreen, pick a bottle off the shelf, lotion or spray, and check to see if it includes any of the following:

•    ocryl-dimethy-PABA
•    Octyl Methoxycinnamate
•    Homosalate
•    4 Methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)
•   Benzophenone-3

Use Natural Sunscreen
If you find any of these ingredients on the sunscreen label, don’t buy it. These are known ingredients used in sunscreens that can be harmful to your health. You should still use sunscreen anytime you’re in the sun for more than 20-30 minutes, but natural sunscreens are available that don’t contain these chemicals.

Visit a health store or shop online for natural sunscreen, and you’ll find a host of options without the chemicals in question made from almond oil, coconut oil, zinc oxide, red raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, and shea butter. Natural sunscreens provide just as much SPF (Sun Protection Factor) as many other sunscreens available, but without the harmful chemicals. A natural sunscreen with an SPF of 30 allows you to stay in the sun 30 times longer without getting sunburned compared to spending time in the sun without protection. Sunscreen with an SPF lower than that still works, but you’ll need to reapply it more often to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

Get Some Time in the Sun Without Sunscreen
If you’re thinking about lathering up with natural sunscreen everyday before you leave the house, put down the bottle and step outside. Your body needs a little sun exposure to produce vitamin D. You get a little of this essential nutrient from food, but the majority of vitamin D comes from sun exposure, and you won’t get any if you’re covered in sunscreen.

With this in mind, plan to spend 10 to 20 minutes per day in the sun without sunscreen, remembering to expose your face and arms at the very least. Sun exposure will help your body produce vitamin D, and can be stored in your blood for months. Lack of vitamin D can contribute to poor bone health, muscle weakness, heart disease, and memory problems. It’s even been linked to poor immune function, increased blood pressure, insulin resistance, and some types of cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Despite what you might think, some time in the sun without sunscreen is actually good for your health. After about 20 minutes of sunshine, cover up, go indoors, or apply natural sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun. You’ll feel better, be healthier, and provide your body with the vitamin D it needs.