Does Sunscreen Really Protect You

Getting a little sunshine is important for helping our bodies generate Vitamin D, an important supplement for strong bones, and for regulating our levels of serotonin and tryptamine, neurotransmitters that keep our moods and sleep/wake cycles in order. Like anything, though, too much sun can cause health issues, from sunburns to skin cancer. For those of us who spend more time in the sun than doctors recommend—they suggest staying indoors between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on sunny days to be safe—sunscreens can be lifesavers. Good Sunscreens Can Help Prevent Sunburn and Skin Cancer Getting too much sun is bad because of ultraviolet radiation, 90 percent of which comes in the form of Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays that are not absorbed by the ozone layer and penetrate deep into our skin. Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays make up the rest. UVB rays are partially absorbed by the ozone layer, which makes preserving the ozone layer crucial for our health. And because UVB rays don’t penetrate our skin as deeply, they can cause those sunburns. Both types of UV rays are thought to cause skin cancer. Do All Sunscreens Protect Your Skin From Ultraviolet Radiation? Yet while most sunscreens block out at least some UVB radiation, many don’t screen UVA rays at all, making their use risky. According to the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG), by far most of the commercially available sunscreens do not provide adequate protection against the sun’s harmful UV radiation and may also contain chemicals with questionable safety records. Many Popular Sunscreens Contain Harmful Chemicals In all, 84 percent of the 831 sunscreens EWG tested were flagged. Many contained potentially harmful chemicals such as benzophenone, homosalate and octyl methoxycinnamate (also called octinoxate), which are known to mimic naturally occurring hormones and can throw the body’s systems out of whack. Some also contained Padimate-0 and parsol 1789 (also known as avobenzone), which are suspected of causing DNA damage when exposed to sunlight. It is important to understand that these chemicals may be harmful at high concentration or when ingested but may be safe when used the way sunscreen should. Perhaps EWGs most important finding is that more than half the sunscreens on the market make questionable product claims about longevity, water resistance, and UV protection. Consumers Need Better Sunscreen Information EWG has called on the U.S. Food Drug Administration (FDA) to establish standards for labeling so consumers have a better idea of what they may be buying. In the meantime, consumers looking to find out how their preferred brand stacks up can check out EWG’s online Skin Deep database, which compares thousands of health and beauty products against environmental and human health standards. Safer Sunscreens Are Now Available The good news is that many companies are now introducing safer sunscreens crafted from plant- and mineral-based ingredients and without chemical additives. Some of the best, according to Skin Deep, are: Alba Botanica Sun’s Fragrance-Free Mineral SunscreenAvalon Baby’s SunscreenBadger’s SPF 30 SunscreenBurt’s Bees’ Chemical-Free SunscreenCalifornia Baby’sJuice Beauty’s Green Apple MoisturizerKabana’s Green Screen Natural foods markets stock many of these. Edited by Frederic Beaudry