What's In Your Sunscreen 

Summer is a great season! Sunny days are in their glory and hopefully you are well equiped to keep your skin well-protected from sun damage. Excess sun exposure has been linked to health risks ranging from premature aging to skin cancer. 

 

Sun protection is important, but did you know that conventional sunscreens often contain active ingredients that are linked to health risks? And even some of their inactive ingredients carry concerns.

 

Here is a sampling.

 

 

Oxybenzone: While offering good sun protection, there is evidence that oxybenzone can act as a hormone disruptor.  

 

Vitamin A: The theory behind adding vitamin A to sunscreen seemed good—it is often used to help repair signs of skin aging. But recent studies have shown that vitamin A may behave differently when exposed to sunlight and may actually speed the growth of skin tumors and lesions.  

 

Nano-particles: Ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide offer good sun protection by acting as a barrier and blocking some of the sunlight from reaching the skin. Because of this, they tend to go on looking white and need to be carefully rubbed in. To deal with this a new formulation of tiny sized particles called nanoparticles was developed. However, their size may also make them more able to penetrate other tissues and cause damage. Nano-sized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are considered highly toxic to aquatic life and are banned for use near sensitive areas like coral reefs.

 

 

Besides the active ingredients, there are other common ingredients you may wish to avoid including:

 

Fragrance: Synthetic fragrances offer a wide range of scents. Unfortunately they may also contain phthalates which have been linked to reduced testosterone levels and potential reproductive problems. A better choice may be a sunscreen that is fragrance free or scented only with essential oils.

 

Parabens: Preservatives common in many personal care products, parabens act similarly to estrogen in the body. As a result, some people prefer to avoid products containing them.

 

 

Although less of a concern than in the past, there are still some sunscreens that don’t protect against both UVA and UVB rays—especially relevant if you are using the old sunscreen that was tucked under your bathroom sink a couple years ago!  

 

Another concern is sunscreens that are in spray or powder form. These may enter the lungs where the small particles can cause damage. The Environmental Working Group recommends using sunscreen in a cream/lotion form.

 

 

Although the term “organic” is tightly regulated when it comes to food products, this is not the case for items like bodycare or housecleaning products. 

 

 

If you don’t have a Ph.D. in biochemistry, this can all sound quite daunting! A good option for those who want someone else to do the hard work is to consult the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep database to get product or ingredient ratings. The Skin Deep database rates hundreds of sunscreens along with many other personal care products. 

 

Or to make things even easier, find a retailer that does this work ahead of time and posts the information in their store or on their website. And whatever sunscreen you chose, remember to reapply frequently. 

 

Then enjoy the great days of summer!