When Sunscreen Safety is Called Into Question

The Skin Cancer Foundation

Source: www.skincancer.org

For years, dermatologists have told us sunscreen protects skin. Now, many people are questioning that advice after an environmental group challenged the safety of many popular brands.

"Patients are confused," said Dr. Darrell S. Rigel, a clinical professor of dermatology at New York University who is a skin cancer researcher. "I've had patients come in and ask, 'Am I harming myself by using it?' I've spent a lot of time talking to people about it."

The latest report comes from the Environmental Working Group, which claims that in an investigation of nearly 1,000 sunscreen products, four out of five offer inadequate protection from the sun or contain ingredients that may pose a health risk.

But dermatologists who reviewed the group's research say the biggest problem is that it lacks scientific rigor. In particular, they are critical of a sunscreen rating system that they say is arbitrary and without basis in any accepted scientific standard.

"What they are doing is developing their own system for evaluating things," said Dr. Warwick L. Morison, professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins and chairman of the Skin Cancer Foundation's photobiology committee, which tests sunscreens for safety and effectiveness. "Using this scale to say a sunscreen offers good protection or bad protection is junk science."

Dr. Morison has no financial ties to sunscreen makers, and his work with the Skin Cancer Foundation is unpaid. Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst with the Environmental Working Group, said the database and rating system were based on an extensive review of the medical literature on sunscreens. Of nearly 1,000 sunscreens reviewed, the group recommends only 143 brands. Most are lesser-known brands with titanium and zinc, which are effective blockers of ultraviolet radiation. But they are less popular with consumers because they can leave a white residue.

The group is especially concerned about the safety of a compound called oxybenzone, which is used in most popular sunscreens. But the research on oxybenzone is limited.

Most recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed 2,517 urine samples collected in 2003-4 from a representative sample of the population over age 6 as part of a national health and nutrition survey. The analysis, published this month in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found oxybenzone in 97 percent of the samples.

The study goes on to note that human exposure to oxybenzone "has not been associated with adverse health effects" and that sunscreen is an important tool to protect against sunburn and skin cancer. But the researchers said further study was needed to determine whether the chemical had any meaningful effect on the body.

"What's the meaning of it?" said Dr. Rigel, who has consulted for sunscreen makers. "Nobody's seen any problems from years of these agents being used. To call it dangerous is misleading."

A few animal studies have raised concerns that oxybenzone could disrupt endocrine functions. Several researchers say that this is a theoretical concern and that no such effect has been shown in humans.

Another study, published two years ago in Free Radical Biology and Medicine, raised troubling concerns about what happens when sunscreen is absorbed into the skin and reacts with the sun. The report suggested that under certain conditions, sunscreens with oxybenzone and other ultraviolet filters could lead to free-radical damage to the skin, a process that in theory could lead to skin cancer. The study used laboratory models of skin, so some researchers say it is not a reliable indicator of what happens in people.

But the authors noted that the damage occurred only when ultraviolet light reached sunscreen that had penetrated the skin. The solution, they say, is to keep applying sunscreen to block out the UV rays. "It may seem counterintuitive, but by reapplying sunscreen we protect ourselves from the UV light reaching any of the UV-filters that may have penetrated to the skin," said Kerry M. Hanson, the lead author of the report and a senior research scientist at the University of California, Riverside. "At this point, I don't think there's enough evidence to firmly claim that sunscreens containing oxybenzone are unsafe."

Still, Dr. Hanson added that the UV filters used in sunscreens needed testing "to give us a better understanding of how these molecules behave in the skin."

One solution, she said, may be to add antioxidants to sunscreen to counter the effect. She said she had consulted with sunscreen makers on the issue.??

The Food and Drug Administration is preparing rules that will give consumers more information on the label about the sunscreens they buy. Most doctors still recommend sunscreens with a high SPF number and a combination of avobenzone and oxybenzone, ingredients that protect the skin from two types of ultraviolet rays, UVA and UVB.

Avobenzone, also called Parsol 1789, can degrade quickly in the sun. But many top brands, including Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena with Helioplex, Aveeno with Active Photobarrier Complex and several Coppertone brands, are formulated to prevent that. L'Oreal products containing the new ingredient Mexoryl also offer broad-spectrum protection, doctors say.

It is important to keep in mind that sunscreen is only one way to protect the skin. Not only do people typically not use enough sunscreen, but they don't take other steps to protect themselves from the harmful effects of the sun.

"People focus so much on sunscreens," Dr. Morison said. "It should be a package of protection. A hat, staying out of the sun, avoiding the hottest part of the day and covering up are all part of the whole story. It's not just the sunscreen."

The Skin Cancer Foundation

Source: www.skincancer.org

Wearing sunscreen can cause vitamin D deficiency.
There is some controversy regarding this issue, but few dermatologists believe (and no studies have shown) that sunscreens cause vitamin D deficiency. Also, vitamin D is available in dietary supplements and foods such as salmon and eggs, as well as enriched milk and orange juice.

If it's cold or cloudy outside, you don't need sunscreen.
This is not true. Up to 40 percent of the sun's ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth on a completely cloudy day. This misperception often leads to the most serious sunburns, because people spend all day outdoors with no protection from the sun.

Eighty percent of your sun exposure comes as a child, so it's too late to do anything now.
It appears that this universally promoted idea was based largely on a misinterpretation. A recent multi-center study showed that we get less than 25 percent of our total sun exposure by age 18. In fact, it is men over the age of 40 who spend the most time outdoors, and get the highest annual doses of UV rays. And since adult Americans are living longer and spending more leisure time outdoors, preventing ongoing skin damage will continue to be an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Buy a high-quality product with an SPF of 15 or higher; check its ingredients to make sure it offers broad-spectrum protection; and decide whether it works better for everyday incidental use or extended outdoor use. Finally, look for The Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation, which guarantees that a sunscreen product meets the highest standards for safety and effectiveness. Once you choose the right sunscreen, use it the right way. But remember, you should not rely on sunscreen alone to protect your skin against UV rays; it is just one vital part of a complete sun protection program. By following our Prevention Guidelines, you can lower your risk of developing skin cancer, while helping your skin look younger, longer.

Adults who use sunscreen daily can drastically reduce their risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, according to recent landmark research from Australia. Researchers found that daily application of an SPF 16 sunscreen to the head, neck, arms, and hands reduced melanoma incidence by half in study participants.

In the Australian study, led by epidemiologist Adele Green, MD, University of Queensland, more than 1,600 white Australian adults between age 25 and 65 were studied for more than a decade. The subjects were divided into two groups, one told to continue using (or not using) sunscreen as they always had, the other given careful instruction in proper daily sunscreen application. The subjects were monitored closely through daily self-reports of sunscreen use, as well as collection and examination of all the sunscreen containers they had used. Only 11 melanomas developed in the daily sunscreen users, vs. 22 in the control group, a 50 percent reduction. In addition, invasive melanomas (tumors that penetrate beyond the skin surface) were reduced by 73 percent (3 tumors vs. 11) and average thickness by more than half a millimeter in the daily sunscreen group.

The trial's findings are the first to provide strong direct evidence for a reduction in the incidence of invasive melanoma after regular application of broad-spectrum sunscreen in adults. The scientists acknowledge that the study was relatively small and needs to be reinforced by further research, but consider their results convincing enough to recommend daily sunscreen application, along with "other standard sun protection measures like avoiding midday sun and use of protective clothing."

From: The Skin Cancer Foundation

Source: www.skincancer.org

Looking for last minute Christmas gifts? Here are a few suggestions for people who love to pamper their skin. 

1. Clarisonic

The Clarisonic is a handheld facial cleansing brush that helps exfoliate skin and unclog pores. You can remove more makeup and toxins from your skin by using a Clarisonic a few times a week. They come in an array of colors and sets.

The Clarisonic can be purchased as www.clarisonic.com or most major department stores such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, or Dillards.

2. Schedule a Facial

Getting a facial is a real luxury. Often in our busy lives we don’t take time to pamper ourselves. Schedule a facial for your loved one to help them take time to relax and improve their skin.

Popular places to schedule a facial are Origins, Message Envy, or your local spa.

3. Lip Balm with SPF

Most people have a few lip balms laying around the house, but it is important to have a lip balm that contains SPF. Skin cancer can develop on the delicate skin of lips, so it’s important to protect the skin on your lips from the harmful rays of the sun.

There are a wide variety of lip balms with SPF available at most drug stores and department stores.

4. Sunscreen

This may seem like a lame gift, but think about the last time you went to the beach. Where you frantically searching last-minute for the bottle of sunscreen only to find that it's almost empty? Having a brand new bottle of sunscreen ready to go for the summer months can be a major help for people who are conscious about protecting their skin from the sun. It is almost certain that they will be grateful for your thoughtfulness.

Sunscreen can be purchased at most drug stores or department stores. Just be sure to check the label to ensure that the sunscreen you are purchasing contains at least one of the following ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or avobenzone (a.k.a. Mexoryl).

5. Sephora Gift Card

If you are doing your last minute shopping and don’t have the time to shop around to decide on a specific gift, just pop in to Sephora and get a gift card. Sephora has many high end skin care lines with every product a skin health conscious person could want. From face wash to anti-aging products and moisturizers, you can never go wrong with a gift card from Sephora. 

Did you know? There are actually clothes out there that have built in SPF to help better protect your skin. Several clothing companies are dedicated to crafting clothing that have an SPF of 50 and block 98% of UVA and UVB rays. They offer a wide range of clothes for women, men and children.

So how does it work? The clothes have SPF built right into the fabric. Covering your skin and having built-in SPF offers maximum protection from the sun. There are several companies to choose from that offer sun-protective clothing. Two very well-known companies are Solumbra and Coolibar. You can purchase shirts, hats, pants, accessories and exercise clothing. Check out their websites below:

Coolibar: www.coolibar.com

Solumbra: www.sunprecautions.com

However, it is still important to wear your sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen ensures that your skin will be protected. When you choose a sunscreen, be sure to read the label and make sure that it contains at least one of the following ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or parsol 1789 (avobenzone). Having these ingredients in your sunscreen will offer you the best protection from the UVB rays and the more harmful and deep penetrating UVA rays. When it comes to sunscreen, choosing a sunscreen with the right ingredients is essential, but the most important thing to remember is to apply ENOUGH sunscreen. Choosing an SPF of 30 or higher is idea and you should be applying 1 ounce or 2 tablespoons for the entire body. To get the most out of your sunscreen you should apply it 20 minutes before going out and then right before you go out into the sun. If you will be out for an extended period of time, be sure to reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours.

Protecting your skin from the sun is important! Enjoy the sun, but take the proper precautions to ensure you have a happy, healthy and bright future!

P.S. Don’t forget your shades and a hat! You’ll be looking stylish while also protecting your skin! You can’t go wrong with that!