Health & Fitness
Is Your Sunscreen Causing Cancer?
Did you know that sunscreens can actually cause cancer? Sunscreens are composed of chemicals that, when exposed to the sun's radiation, actually produce cancer-causing agents in your skin.
Prepare For Summer and Use A Healthy Sunscreen!
As summer heads our way and we are outdoors more often, we need to be aware of the benefits and dangers of sun exposure.
The sun is our biggest life-force: it provides the energy plants need to grow, it warms us, and it triggers the synthesis of vitamin D.
Although the sun provides many benefits, it can also be harmful. The sun emits two types of ultraviolet radiation: UVA and UVB. UVB is what causes the “sun burn” on the surface of your skin. UVA penetrates deeper in the skin and causes damage deeper in the body.
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Most sunscreens do not offer good UVA protection (even if they say they do). They may protect against sunburn, but do not protect against free radical damage that occurs when your skin is exposed to the sun’s radiation. Moreover, sunscreens contain toxic ingredients that disrupt your body’s natural hormone function and can contribute to the development of serious health conditions like obesity, diabetes, and chronic fatigue.
The form of vitamin A (retinal palmitate) found in sunscreens and cosmetics is actually photocarcinogenic and can cause damage to your skin when you are exposed to the sun!
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Even though you may burn a bit and then get tan, your skin was still damaged. You may not see any adverse effects at first, but you will over time. Skin cancer can take up to 10 years to manifest after the initial DNA damage.
So what sunscreens are safe and protective?
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) determined that mineral sunscreens, sunscreens that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, have the best safety profile of all the sunscreens you can buy. The mineral sunscreens are stable in sunlight and do not appear to penetrate the skin. Zinc especially offers more UVA protection compared to other sunscreens on the market.
Another alternative that the EWG recommends is sunscreens with avobenzone (3 percent for the best UVA protection) and without the notorious hormone disruptors oxybenzone or 4-MBC. Avoid using oxybenzone on children due to penetration and toxicity concerns.
The EWG claims that those who use sunscreen without the minerals zinc and titanium are exposed to 20% more UVA radiation and greater hazardous ingredients.
Although sunscreen can be beneficial in preventing sunburn, nothing can beat shade, hats, and long-sleeves!
For a list of EWG recommended sunscreens visit: http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/best-sunscreens/best-beach-sport-sunscreens/
