4 Things You Need to Know About Your Sunscreen

There are so many options when it comes to buying sunscreens, displays and shelves of attractive bottles promising to protect your skin. Unfortunately, all sunscreens are not created equal and making the right choice can be overwhelming. According to the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment, here are four tips that can help you protect your skin and avoid potential harm to your overall health.

• Avoid spray sunscreen due to inhalation risks. Plus, it is very difficult to make sure coverage is even and in all spots.
• Do not buy sunscreens with an SPF higher than 50+. SPF stands for “sun protection factor” which refers only to UVB rays that burn the skin. More importantly, you need protection from UVA rays. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the body, may cause skin cancer, suppress the immune system and speed up the skin’s aging process. It’s important to make sure that the sunscreen has protection against both rays, UVB and UVA.
• Avoid sunscreens with the ingredient oxybenzone. Oxybenzone is easily absorbed by the body. This absorption raises concerns that oxybenzone may accumulate in the body which can affect the endocrine system. The human body has numerous hormonal receptors to which oxybenzone readily attaches itself, thus increasing hormonal activity within the body. Hormone levels play a role in the vital processes of the body, and if your endocrine system is fooled by the presence of these pseudo hormones, it can affect your organ systems and other bodily functions. While the body can adjust and over come these changes, if it is too severe you may experience hormonal imbalances, weight gain and inflammatory issues. Pregnant woman should be cautious wearing sunscreen with oxybenzone due to it being highly absorbable.
• Avoid sunscreens with the ingredient retinyl palmitate. When retinyl palmitate is exposed to the sun’s UV rays, retinol compounds break down and produce destructive free radicals that are toxic to cells, damage DNA, and may lead to cancer. In fact, FDA studies have shown that retinyl palimitate may speed the development of malignant cells and skin tumors when applied to skin before sun.

Please call or visit our office today!