Do you depend on sunscreen cream for skin protection? Millions of Americans do, but they shouldn’t. The rate of melanoma diagnosis is increasing. The consensus among scientists is that sunscreens alone cannot reverse this trend. Yet a good sunscreen can play a role in preventing sunburns that are a major risk factor for melanoma — provided you use it correctly.
Sunscreen should be just one tool in your arsenal. These eight little known facts about sunscreens will help you spot problem products and avoid getting burned.
1. There’s no proof that sunscreens prevent most skin cancer
Rates of melanoma -– the most deadly form of skin cancer — have tripled over the past 35 years. Most scientists and public health agencies — including the FDA itself — have found very little evidence that sunscreen prevents most types of skin cancer. Read more at EWG.org.
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2. Don’t be fooled by high SPF
High-SPF products tempt people to apply too little sunscreen and stay in the sun too long. The FDA has proposed prohibiting the sale of sunscreens with SPF values greater than 50+, calling higher SPF values “inherently misleading,” but it has not issued a regulation that carries the force of law. More than 10 percent of sunscreens we evaluated this year advertise SPF values greater than 50+. Read more.
3. The common sunscreen cream additive vitamin A may speed development of skin cancer
The sunscreen industry adds a form of vitamin A to 16 percent of beach and sport sunscreens, 14 percent of moisturizers with SPF and 10 percent of lip products in this year’s database.
Retinyl palmitate is an antioxidant that combats skin aging. But studies by federal government scientists indicate that it may trigger development of skin tumors and lesions when used on skin in the presence of sunlight. Other governments warn that cosmetics may contribute to unsafe amounts of vitamin A, and recommend against using vitamin-A-laden cosmetics on the lips and over large portions of the body. EWG recommends that consumers avoid sunscreens, lip products and skin lotions that contain vitamin A, also called retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, retinyl linoleate and retinol. Read More at EWG.org.
4. European sunscreens provide better UVA protection
In Europe, sunscreen makers can formulate their products with any of seven chemicals that filter UVA rays. American manufacturers can use only three UVA-filtering ingredients. They have been waiting for years for FDA approval to use sunscreen ingredients widely available in Europe. The FDA has asked the makers of European sunscreen chemicals for more safety data, but until the FDA approves these ingredients and lifts restrictions on combining certain active ingredients, American consumers will be hard-pressed to find sunscreens with the strongest UVA protection. Read more at EWG.org.
5. Sunscreen doesn’t protect skin from all types of sun damage
SPF measure protection from sunburn but not other types of skin damage The sun’s ultraviolet rays also generate free radicals that damage DNA and skin cells, accelerate skin aging and may cause skin cancer. American sunscreens can reduce these damages, but not as effectively as they prevent sunburn. People can run into problems if they pick a sunscreen with poor UVA protection, apply too little or reapply it infrequently. Sunscreen companies commonly add SPF boosters that inhibit sunburn but may not protect from other damages. The FDA should strengthen its regulations to ensure that sunscreens offer the best possible skin protection. Read more.
6. Some sunscreen cream ingredients disrupt hormones and cause skin allergies
There is no perfect sunscreen cream. Americans must choose between “chemical” sunscreens, which have inferior stability, penetrate the skin and may disrupt the body’s hormone system, and “mineral” sunscreens, made with zinc and titanium, often “micronized” or made up of nanoparticles. Some sunscreens also contain inactive sunscreen ingredients that may trigger allergies. FDA should consider new evidence about the ill effects of sunscreen ingredients. Read more at EWG.org.
7. Mineral sunscreen creams contain nano-particles
Most zinc oxide and titanium dioxide-based sunscreens contain nanoparticles one-twentieth the width of a human hair, to reduce or eliminate the chalky white tint that larger particles leave on the skin. Based on the available information, EWG gives a favorable rating to mineral sunscreens, but the FDA should restrict the use of unstable or UV-reactive forms of minerals that would lessen skin protection. Read more.
8. If you avoid sun, check your vitamin D levels
Sunshine causes the body to produce vitamin D, a critical function that sunscreen appears to inhibit. Vitamin D, technically a hormone, strengthens bones and the immune system and reduces risks of breast, colon, kidney and ovarian cancers and perhaps other disorders.
About 25 percent of Americans have borderline low levels of vitamin D, and 8 percent have a serious deficiency. Breast-fed infants, people with darker skin and people who have limited sun exposure are at greatest risk for vitamin D deficiency. Many people can’t or shouldn’t rely on the sun for vitamin D. Check with your doctor to find out whether you should get a vitamin D test or take seasonal or year-round supplements. Read more at EWG.org.
Copyright © 2017 Environmental Working Group, www.ewg.org. Reproduced with permission.
