We have been told that we needed to put sunscreen on to protect ourselves from sunburn, and cancer, but the problem is that your sunscreen might not protect you from getting cancer, and it might actually increase your risk of getting it. Today, we use more sunscreen than before, but the rates or melanoma has increased. In 1985, 22,000 Americans were diagnosed with skin cancer, and this year more than 76,000. Did we become less aware of the risk of skin cancer, or maybe your sunscreen is not as effective as you may think?
Regardless if it is sunny outside or not, your skin absorbs two types of ultraviolet rays: UVA, and UVB.
– UVA are the ones that make your skin wrinkled, and that can lead to skin cancer. They are the most dangerous because it penetrates deeper, and can damage your DNA. They are present whenever the sun is up.
– UVB are the ones that causes sunburn which basically sends a signal to your body to let you know that you had too much sun. They are also the one stimulating vitamin D in our body, and melanin which is good. They are stronger between midmorning, and midafternoon.
The problem with most sunscreen is that they do not protect you from UVA rays which are the one causing skin cancer, and they only block the rays that help you get vitamin D which protects you against cancer. So, you might as well go outside without sunscreen, or you can get a better sunscreen labeled “broad spectrum” that filters UVA, and UVB rays, but in the U.S it is not even a guarantee. Another problem is that some sunscreens contain toxins that may cause cancer, trigger allergies, disrupt hormones, and some may actually speed the growth of skin cancer.
A study showed that people who purchase more sunscreen have more risks of melanoma which is probably because they are spending more time outside. People who tend to spend more time outside usually choose sunscreen with higher SPF which gives them a false sense of security, and because they do not get sunburned they do not know how much sun they are really getting.
Rules when choosing a sunscreen:
- Look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that contains zinc oxide which provides a better protection against UVA rays.
- Look at the ingredients, and avoid those: oxybenzone, octinoxate, phtalates, parabens, bisphenol A, fragrance, methylisothiazolinone, and retinyl palmitate.
- High SPF does not mean a better protection. Anything above SPF 30 won’t make a big difference.
- Put sunscreen early, and often. You need to put it 20 minutes before heading outside to leave it time to absorb, and re-apply it every 2 hours (or more if you are swimming, or sweating.)
- Make it simple by making your own sunscreen. I made my own this year with a recipe I found on Wellnessmama‘s blog. I found all the ingredients on Amazon for $30, and you can make more than 4 batches of sunscreen.
Shopping List:
Zinc oxide around $10
Beeswax around $10
Almond oil around $10
Source:
Harrar, Sari. “The Sunscreen Deception.” Prevention July 2016: 52-59.
