Summer is now in full swing and, chances are, you're going to be spending a lot of time in the sun. We all know how important it is to protect our skin from UV rays by using the right kind of sunscreen products, but just how safe are the ingredients in them? A recent release of the Environmental Working Group's Sunscreen Guide has many experts butting heads about the overall safety of sunscreen. Some ingredients have come into question after a study was conducted by the National Toxicology Program (overseen by the US Department of Health and Human Services) in which the use of one of the ingredients is said to cause skin lesions and tumors in test subjects. There are two particular sunscreen ingredients that have raised warning flags in the EWG's guide: ''retinyl palmitate and oxybenzone.''
Retinyl Palmitate is of concern because it is essentially a supplement of Vitamin A. While that may sound like a good thing for your skin, and many have claimed Vitamin A has anti-aging benefits, it actually thins the top layer of your skin and thickens the layer below - heightening the chance of getting sunburn. Vitamin A also degrades in the sunlight, which is why beauty crème manufacturers suggest using it at night.
Oxybenzone, on the other hand, has been linked to hormone disruption when used in large quantities. Darrell Rigel, MD, FAAD, Clinical Professor of Dermatology at New York University Langone Medical Center says the ''quantities would have to be immense to have the disruptive effect of concern, such as covering your entire body every day for thirty years.
With experts at odds it can be hard to decide which product is safe to use. The important thing to remember is that not protecting yourself form the sun will highly increase your chances of skin cancer and guarantee skin damage. If you are concerned about exposure to the above listed chemicals, there are sunscreens out there that do not have them, or have a saver amount of them. EWG's site has a list of safer sunscreens, and you can always check the ingredients of your locally available brands.
One thing most experts do agree on, based in the FDA studies, is that anything over an SPF 50 is a marketing gimmick. According to Diane Higgins in her article about SPF protection, ''SPF 50 blocks 98%'' of harmful rays. The only way to get better than this is to stay out of the sun completely, so don't be conned by the more expensive higher SPF ratings; my own dermatologist confirmed this years ago. SPF 15 provides about 93% protection and SPF 50 gives 98% and while that may not seem like a huge difference, it can be depending on the person. I will personally burn if I wear anything lower than an SPF 30, but my husband won't burn if he wears an SPF 15. You need to find what works for you.
Other methods of sun protection shouldn't be overlooked either. The most important thing is to keep your skin protected as much as possible, which means re-applied sunscreen if you're continuously active outdoors or are in the water a lot. Wide-brimmed hats, clothing, sunshades, and more can also help in reducing your risk of skin damage and/or cancer. It's all about being safe and, of course, having fun this summer!
