The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has taken a decade to develop guidelines for commercially available sunscreen products. These label requirements will begin to go in to effect this year.
A representative of the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) says the group doesn’t object to capping SPF levels but it strongly disagrees with a proposal to prohibit sunscreens lotion manufacturers from claiming that they protect against skin cancer and premature skin aging.
The PCPC representative states, “We are not saying that sunscreens alone prevent skin cancer and wrinkles. What we are saying is that when used as an overall sun-safe regimen, sunscreens reduce the risk of certain types of skin cancer and photo damage.”
Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst for the environmental advocacy organization Environmental Working Group (EWG), says the FDA rule changes are long overdue and urgently needed.
Some sun exposure is very important for health. You need it for many things, the most important of which is to facilitate the manufacture of Vitamin D by a process in your skin.
But, If you are concerned about the sun as a cause of skin cancer you most likely will want to take simple precautions such as wearing a hat, a long sleeved shirt, and sunglasses.
Natural approaches to protecting your skin from sun damage are helpful and include taking Vitamin B1 and using a Vitamin C solution in a spray. My recommendation is to avoid sunscreens as they generally contain toxic ingredients including endocrine disruptors such as cinnamates.
Remember also that the factor most associated with increased melanoma risk is the use of sunscreens. These products suppress vitamin D formation and increase toxic load in your body because of their penetration through the skin. Frequent use of sunscreen has tripled the risk of melanoma compared with people who never use them.
12 Ingredients To Avoid In Sunscreen
Coal Tar Colors: FD&C Blue 1, Green 3, Yellow 5&6; D&C Red 33 Diethanolamine (DEA, TEA)
Quaternium 15 (Formaldehyde)
Glycol Ethers; Phenylenediamine (PPD)
Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl Parabens
Petrolatum
Sodium Lauryl / Laureth Sulfate (SLS)
Toluene; Mercury and Lead
Fragrance (contains Phthalates)
Antibacterials (i.e. triclosan)
Resources
EWG Sunscreen Database: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/wordsearch.php?query=Sunscreen
Ingredients To Avoid: http://www.leaflady.org/10_ingredients.htm
Gayle Eversole, DHom, PhD, MH, NP, ND, is a natural health educator and advocate. Celebrating 50+ years blending science and the natural healing arts. Visit: http://www.leaflady.org/
This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not take the place of a consultation with a qualified health care professional. Always consult a physician or other qualified health care professional before taking any herbs or applying any therapies. The reader must assume full responsibility for verifying any information or therapies with a qualified physician or health care professional.
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