I have been committed to slathering on suntan lotion for some time now.  In my 20s I foolishly sought a sun-kissed glow to add to my appeal, but I usually ended up looking like a giant red-lobster. Now, in my 30s, I am trying to “make-up” for all of my blistering burns, so I have been applying copious amounts of high SPF sunscreen.  My husband tells me I am the easiest person to spot on a beach – he simply looks around for the palest (we’re talking white) body and there I am.  While the ingredients in the sunscreen have been working to block out the UV rays that cause my skin to burn red, the ingredients have not necessarily been working to shield my health.

UVA and UVB rays both contribute to skin cancer, wrinkling, and skin aging.  I was always under the belief that a higher SPF meant greater protection from UV rays.  However, according to Environmental Working Group, SPF, Sun Protection Factor, “is only a measurement of the how well a sunscreen will protect skin from UVB rays, the kind of radiation that causes sunburn.”  SPF does not measure a product’s protection from UVA rays.  Look for products labeled UVA/UVB or broad spectrum for protection against both types of UV radiation.

In an investigation of 898 sunscreens, the Environmental Working Group “found that 4 out of 5 sunscreens offer inadequate protection from the sun, or contain ingredients with significant safety concerns.”  Popular brands like Coppertone, Banana Boat and Neutrogena are all offenders.  So, what qualities should folks look for when selecting sunscreen?  The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics suggests you avoid oxybenzone which acts as a hormone disruptor and breaks down into carcinogenic byproducts in the sunlight.  You should also avoid sunscreens with fragrance as they often are composed of direct carcinogens and hormone disrupting phthalates.  The EWG study found that consumers should look for products with the active ingredients zinc and titanium dioxide; both shield UVA and UVB rays and are rated by EWG as among the safest and most effective sunscreens available in the U.S. today.

After reading the Environmental Working Group’s research-based and informative Sunscreen Summary, I checked all of my sunscreens – including the sunscreens “specially formulated” for my baby.  To my horror, all had oxybenzone as an active ingredient.  When shopping for a new product, I became frustrated as oxybenzone appears to be ubiquitous in sunscreen. I have settled on Nature’s Gate Mineral Block as the label states it offers UVA/UVB broad spectrum protection; is free of parabens, phthalates, and EDTA; and contains no ultra-fine nanoparticles.  If you have any sunscreen recommendations, we’d love to hear them!

Tags: breast cancer, broad spectrum, environmental health, estrogenic compound, family health, fragrance, oxybenzone, paraben, personal care products, phthalates, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, SPF, sunscreen, titanium dioxide, UVA, UVB, zinc

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 28th, 2009 at 11:19 pm and is filed under Conference Speakers, Cosmetics, For parents, personal care products. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.