Soak up the sun, safe

Get ready for the great outdoors and protect yourself with a good sunscreen.

However, commercial sunscreens contain potentially dangerous ingredients which may be more harmful then beneficial.

According to statistics the number of skin cancer is rising. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and accounts for 8,500 deaths annually.

One theory for the increasing numbers is that harmful chemicals found in commercial sunscreens are doing more harm than good.

Non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested 831 sunscreens of which 84 percent did not pass health and environmental guidelines. Some experts even suggest that sunscreen formula may be cancer causing. Many contain potentially harmful chemicals such as Benzophenone, homosalate and octyl methoxycinnamate (also called octinoxate), which are known to mimic naturally occurring hormones. Some sunscreens contain Padimate-0 and parsol 1789 (also known as avobenzone), which are suspected of causing DNA damage when exposed to sunlight.

While these chemicals protect skin from sun damage, experts have indicated the chemical octyl methoxycinnamate, which is present in 90% of sunscreen brands, was found to kill mouse cells even at low dosage.

Scientists at the Memorial Sloan Cancer centre N.Y. and the U.S Government Brookhaven Laboratory found that sunscreens protected against sunburn and cancers like Carcinoma, but not against Melanoma which has increased twenty fold in Europe and U.S.A. since 1935.

The British Medical Journal recently showed that sunbathers using some suntan lotions have a higher risk of developing malignant Skin Cancer, and a possible link with Oxybenzone. Oxybenzone is a chemical used in many sun products with high sun protection factors. Oxybenzone’s function is to filter ultra violet light on the surface of the skin, converting it from light to heat, but it can also be absorbed through the skin.

Instead of using an absorbing lotion containing one or several of these chemicals use a reflective lotion. These natural alternatives contain zinc or titanium compounds to reflect the damaging UVA, B and C rays.

Tin oxide is widely used in wound dressings and considered safe, applied as a cream it is visible in daylight. Although considered safe tin oxide should be avoided by people with dry skin conditions as it has a drying action.

Many natural products now availalbe have beneficial skin care ingredients such as lavender oils, aloe vera, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, evening primrose oil, jojoba oil, and carrot oil.

Calamine Lotion can be used both as a sun protection and a soothing after sun. It is based on Zinc Oxide, and is easily washed off with water.

Avoid direct sun exposure between 11 am and 3 pm. Use sunscreen whenever you spend longer time outdoors during this period. Get exposure to the sun in the morning or later afternoon, which supports your body in producing vitamin D and melanin, the natural skin pigment.

Reapply natural sun screen every couple of hours, and after swimming and excessive sweating. During peak sun intensity wear a wide-brimmed hat and loose protective clothing.