Sunscreens may be Harmful to your Health and the Ocean!

Summertime is here and if you're a sunworshipper like Christine (as pictured here) it's time to slather on some reality. "But I wear sunblock, plus I'm getting my vitamin D," Christine defends her weekly ritual of sunbathing. Wrong answer my beloved blog sister! (We'll distinguish myth from fact in the next couple of blogs).



According to a National Geographic article this year, not all sunscreens are created equal and some may actually be harmful to your health and the environment.

ABSORBERS vs. BLOCKERS

First there is the difference between sunscreens that contain chemical UV absorbers (meaning the chemical absorbs the rays before it reaches your epidermis) and there is physical UV blockers (which reflect the rays before they reach your skin). Some scientists believe that chemical UV absorbers (such as benzophenone, oxybenzone, octinoxate, also called octyl methoxycinnamate) and homosalate act like an estrogen in the body creating a hormonal imbalance. Also another study indicated that sunscreens with chemical UV absorbers are destroying the coral reef since chemicals in sunscreens are petroleum-based and take a long time to break down in the water. Not all scientists are ready to agree on this, but it has captured the attention of other environmental scientists who are continuing with further research.

In a 2004 Environmental Health Perspective study, another sunscreen chemical, Padimate O, was found to cause breast cancer cells to multiply in test tubes. Benzophenone may also cause allergic reactions [National Geographic]

MINERAL INGREDIENTS ARE BLOCKERS

But let's say chemical UV absorbers are harmful to the human body and to the coral reef. What's the solution? The article did explain that mineral ingredients serve as physical blockers of both UVB and the more dangerous UVA rays which causes skin aging and cancer. Titanium oxide and zinc oxide are two such mineral ingredients.


DOES SIZE MATTER?

The drawback with these minerals is the white tint it leaves on the skin. Not very attractive if your sunbathing in South Beach. (But I actually see a woman in our neighborhood covered in a white "lotion" when she walks the neighborhood during peak sun hours. Now I know it's zinc oxide before it's not broken down. She's in her early 50's and doesn't have a single wrinkle!). So manufacturers break down the ingredients to either "Micronized Particles" or Nano-sized" so the mineral is transparent on the skin. There are conflicting studies and views in the research world. One group is concerned that the smaller nano size can get into the bloodstream, bypassing the "blood brain barrier" which protects against foreign substances that damage brain cells in the brain. Then a 2006 Australian government review (the Aussies spend significant resources on researching the effects of the sun given that Australians have the highest rate of skin cancer) found that neither titanium dioxide nor zinc oxide penetrate the skin deep enough to actually enter the bloodstream. According to National Geographic, most scientific evidence supports the latter argument.

LIST OF PRODUCTS CONTAINING MINERAL INGREDIENTS

For a collective list of products on the market containing either titanium oxide or zinc oxide or both ingredients, click here. If you order these products and use them all summer or anytime, please come back to this blog (BOOKMARK IT) and share your comments and experience.

To preventive habits for a healthier lifestyle!