Toxic Sunscreens

About half of the sunscreens available are not as effective and healthy as they claim. Many of these sunscreens are actually toxic. It is vital for us to have regular, consistent and sensible sun exposure as it is good for optimal health and well-being with benefits of vitamin D. Overexposure can also cause skin damage and raise your risk of skin cancer. You likely take some form of sun protection while spending all those days at the beach or engaging in outdoor activities during this time of the year. Sunscreen is usually the choice of option for protecting us from the sun.

Sunscreens contain toxic ingredients, according to Consumer Reports in its 2018 Sunscreen Buying Guide. After testing more than 70 sunscreen products it reveals they do not provide the level of UVB protection as a state on the label. Sunburn might be the result even after using certain onscreen products. Actually they found only a dozen or so offered decent protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

The SPF (sun protection factor) is a measure of how long the product will prevent your skin from burning when exposed to UVB rays. An SPF will protect you for about 10 hours if you normally burn after 20 minutes. It is important to realize the SPF applies to UVB rays only and not UVA. The UVA is actually what is responsible for most of the UV damage.

As a general guide SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB, SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB and SPF 100 blocks 99% of UVB. Many of these products overstate their SPF in this particular testing. CDC approved a ban on the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and oxtinoxate, which both have been linked to severe coral damage.

At least nine of the sunscreen ingredients approved by the FDA are known to disrupt human endocrine function. Some commonly used chemicals are octyl methoxycinnamate, para-aminobenzoic acid, octyl salicylate, phenyl benzimidazole, octocrylene, octisalate, dioxybenzone, menthyl anthranilate, homosalate, octinoxate, cinoxate, and parabens.

Research warns that some sunscreen ingredients are neurotoxic and pose a hazard to brain health. Despite the general safety of nanoparticles, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are canonized and used in spray-on sunscreens.

The largest organ of the body is the skin. Be careful with what products you spray or rub in.

Dr Fredda Branyon