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Safe Sunscreens for Youthful Skin

By Megan Shields, M.D., from Healthy Living

In this special report, we tell which leading sunscreen brands are safest and most effective. This summer, thanks to our earth's diminishing ozone layer, the sun is likely to be shining more brilliantly than ever. I believe that adults and children should be using sunscreens daily. Here are some sunscreen tips for receiving the ultimate sun protection and for finding the very best formulas availabe today.

Use Products with High SPFs

The problem I see most often with sunscreens occurs when people use products that are just too weak to perform adequately. One team of researchers looked at people who were at risk of sun-burning at beaches near Copenhagen, Denmark. They found on sunny days, 65 percent used one or more sunscreens, but the median sun protection factor (SPF) was only five or six, which is far too low for anyone who intends to be out in the sun regularly. Such persons may be at far greater risk for sun damage because they have been lured into the belief that they are being protected and therefore are likely to stay out in the sun much longer than such a weak SPF warrants.

Be sure your sunscreen has a sun protection factor of at least 15 and preferably 25 for best protection.

Select a Sunscreen with Both UVA and UVB Blockers

Some sunscreens are manufactured only to block short-wave ultra violet B (UVB) radiation, which damages the skin's surface and produces the obvious effects of sun exposure, such as redness and burning. Today, however, we know that longer wave ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation penetrates deeply into the skin and, although less likely to cause overt sunburn symptoms, severely damages the elastic fibers and collagen of the skin which can cause wrinkling and leathering, as well as playing a significant role in causing skin cancers (including melanoma).

The best protection today comes from sunscreens that explicitly state on their labels that they block UVB and UVA rays. One of the better commercial sunscreen shields, avobenzone (Parsol 1789) can unfortunately be highly irritating to some users. Other UVB-UVA blockers include benzophenone (also known as oxybenzone)-although this chemical may also be an allergen and irritant to some. Chemical-free and natural sunscreens use titanium dioxide, zinc oxide and PABA; these physical barrier-type sunscreens are also excellent UVA/UVB blockers and usually less irritating. Modern versions of these first two ingredients have been "micronized," meaning they leave no visible film on the skin.

Use Sunscreens Frequently

Sunscreens truly help your skin to remain youthful with less wrinkling, leathering and blotching and should be used regularly year round for maximum benefit. In one study, regular sunscreen use by adults year round was shown to reduce the formation of precancerous skin lesions by 36 percent. Australian researchers also report that adults who use sunscreen regularly have significantly less skin damage compared to nonusers. An article in the Archives of Dermatology indicates sunscreen use during the first eighteen years of life may reduce by 78 percent the lifetime incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer, which is why I advise parents to use sunblock for their children.

Avoid Problem Chemicals

Prefer brands without fragrance. Fragrance is a leading cause of contact dermatitis among sunscreen users, followed by preservatives, particularly those that release small amounts of formaldehyde such as imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea.

In recent years, a debate has arisen over the question of whether the wetting agent triethanolamine (TEA) may pose cancer risks. Most brands of sunscreen (with the exception of our recommended brands), particularly those sold in drug stores, include TEA in their formulations. TEA is known to interact with nitrite impurities in products to form nitrosamines that penetrate the skin and may slightly increase cancer. Most manufacturers are seeking ways to remove TEA from products, but until then you may want to seek sunscreens from companies that avoid using TEA.

Select Products with Skin Protectors

Considerable interest has been recently generated concerning the use of natural compounds, antioxidants in particular, in sun protection. Two of the best known are vitamin C and vitamin E. A new study shows vitamin C is capable of additive protection against acute UVB damage (sunburn cell formation) when combined with UVB sunscreen. A combination of both E and C, however, provides even better protection from both UVA and especially UVB insult, especially when combined with a commercial UVA-UVB sunscreen.

Green tea. The potent phytochemicals in green tea, especially its catechins, have been shown to be highly effective protectors against skin cancer. Green tea works both when consumed as a beverage and applied topically, according to a 1994 report in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

Milk thistle. Researchers at Case-Western Reserve University in Cleveland have found that silymarin, the active compound in milk thistle, is a significant protector against sun-related cancers. PABA. Also known as para-aminobenzoic acid, this water-soluble B vitamin, when applied topically and combined with other sun protectors such as jojoba oil and shea butter, offers excellent UVA-UVB protection.

Shea Butter. Also known as karite butter, studies show that this moisturizer is able to block ultraviolet radiation alone or when combined with PABA.

Megan Shields is a family specialist and internationally recognized expert in detoxification therapies and low-toxin living with scientific publications in journals such as Ambio, published by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (which issues the Nobel Award).

References:
Biochemical Society Transactions, 1996; 24: 790-794. Darr, D. et al. "Effectiveness of antioxidants (vitamin C and E) with and without sunscreens as topical photoprotectants." Acta Derm Venereol, 1996; 76(4):264-8.
Farmer K.C. & Naylor, M.F. "Sun exposure, sunscreens, and skin cancer prevention: a year-round concern." Ann Pharmacother, 1996; 30(6):662-73.
Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, 1992; 7(2): 83-94 and Nutrition and Cancer; 1992; 17(2): 123-137
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1997; 89: 556-565.
Lwoff, J.F. & Boissier, J.R. Journal de Pharamcologie, 1970; 1: 35.
Mukhtar, H. "Green tea and skin-anticarcinogenic effects." Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 1994; 102: 5-7.
The New England Journal of Medicine, 1993; 329(16): 1147-1151.
Archives of Dermatology, 1986; 122: 537-545).
Schauder S. & Ippen, H. "Contact and photocontact sensitivity to sunscreens. Review of a 15-year experience and of the literature."
Contact Dermatitis, 1997; 37(5):221-32.
Wulf, H.C., et al. "Sunscreens used at the beach do not protect against erythema: a new definition of SPF is proposed." Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed, 1997; 13(4):129-32.

Recommended Sunscreen Products

We sent our field investigators into supermarkets, drug stores and health food stores in several regions throughout the United States to determine the safest and most effective sunscreens.

Aubrey Organics

Aubrey Organics' products are among the few formulations that contain proven herbal and nutrient protectors such as green tea, milk thistle, aloe vera and vitamins C and E but without known problem chemicals. Green Tea Sunblock for Children, from Aubrey Organics, is awesome. In fact, even though the label says the product is for children, parents better be sure to purchase an extra bottle for themselves too, because it also makes a great adult sunscreen. Green Tea Sunblock for Children is the mildest, least irritating yet most protective, formula that we have used, expertly combining PABA and titanium dioxide as sunscreens with green tea, and vitamins A, C and E as antioxidants.

Titania SPF 25 Full Spectrum Sunblock. A very powerful, non-irritating and completely safe sunscreen with UVA-UVB protection, this formula combines micronized titanium dioxide, PABA and shea butter as well as antioxidant vitamins C and E, aloe vera gel and other herbal vulneraries, including willow bark extract (which fights redness and inflammation).

Ultra 15 Natural Herbal Sunblock. This formula provides UVA-UVB protection, using PABA with shea butter, willow bark extract, myrtle, myrtus, rose hip seed oil, jojoba and carrot oils.

Logona Kosmetik

Logona is another source for safe, effective sunscreens. Look for Logona's Sun Milk line, which uses a zinc oxide-titanium dioxide combination for UVA-UVB protection, and also provides beneficial antioxidants. The Sun Milk line for adults as well as children comes in SPFs as low as 9 but we recommend their formulas with SPFs of 15 or greater.

The Doctors' Prescription

Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 but not over 30 such as those from Aubrey Organics or Logona. An SPF of 15 is required minimally for sun protection, while products containing SPFs over 30 tend to be more irritating.

Make sure the sunscreen blocks both UVB and UVA radiation.

Remember also the method of application is important. Apply to cool, dry skin at least 30 minutes before going out. Don't skimp and apply evenly. Users should be able to see the film at first, until it dries into the skin. Be sure not to miss vulnerable skin areas: face, ears, neck, upper chest, arms, and backs of hands.

Finally, remember to wear protective clothing when you go into the sun, and use shade. Lightweight cotton clothing including flimsy T-shirts and stockings offers little protection from UVB and even less so for UVA radiation. Heavier cotton shirts afford total protection. Broad-brimmed hats offer extra face protection. Solumbra by Sun Precautions is the first line of clothing to meet published medical guidelines for sun protection. Soft, lightweight and comfortable, their patented fabric offers 30+ SPF sun protections and blocks over 97 percent of harmful UVA (see sourcing information, page 2, for their phone number).

Source:
Article by: Megan Shields, M.D.
Safe Sunscreens for Youthful Skin for Healthy Living
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