Sunscreen

There is no doubt about it, the sun’s rays can damage our skin and lead to cancer. Proper knowledge of the sun and skin can help prevent against cancer, sun spots, sunburns, and wrinkles. Did you know that in the US, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer than all other cancers combined?!?! And 90% of the signs of aging are caused by the sun!! Besides using sunscreen as a protective barrier, there are a few things to keep in mind as we head into the summer months:

  • wear hats, clothing, and sunglasses when possible

  • avoid the sun when it’s at it’s peak

  • take breaks in the shade often

When fun in the sun with exposed skin is inevitable, it’s best to apply a sunscreen. But do you actually know what sunscreen is, how it works, what ingredients are in your sunscreen, or how often to apply?

What is sunscreen?

Sunscreens are topical treatments, with active ingredients, used to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun. They help to prevent sunburn and premature aging (such as wrinkles, leathery skin). They work to help decrease the risk of cancer.

How does sunscreen work?

There are two types of sunscreens currently approved by the FDA: chemical and mineral. Both of which protect from UV rays but by different means.

  • Chemical Sunscreen: protects by allowing the UV rays to absorb into the top layer of the skin and then converts them into heat which is then released back into the air. Think of this type as a sun filter.

  • Mineral Sunscreen (aka physical sunscreen): protects by creating a physical barrier on the skin which reflects the suns harmful rays.

What ingredients make up sunscreens?

  • Chemical sunscreens are typically composed of oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and/or octinoxate.

    • Oxybenzone is the most worrisome active ingredient. In an evaluation of CDC-collected exposure data for American children, researchers found that adolescent boys with higher oxybenzone measurements had significantly lower total testosterone levels (Scinicariello 2016). Recently, the European Commission found current human exposure levels to oxybenzone to be unsafe and proposed a concentration restriction of 2.2 percent (SCCS 2020) – lower than the limited amount allowed in U.S. sunscreens, which is up to 6 percent.

    • Octinoxate is an organic UV filter. It is readily absorbed into the skin and continues to be absorbed after the sunscreen has been applied. It has been found in blood 16 times above the proposed FDA safety threshold (Matta 2019, 2020). Several countries ban the sale of sunscreens made with octinoxate, because they may be harmful to aquatic life.

  • Mineral sunscreens use zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as their active ingredients.

    • The FDA proposed that both titanium dioxide and zinc oxide be classified as safe and effective. Evidence suggests that few if any zinc or titanium particles penetrate the skin to reach living tissues (Gulson, 2012, Sadrieh 2010).

    • Titanium dioxide is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, because of the potential of exposure through inhalation. For this reason, powdered or spray formulations containing titanium dioxide are of concern. Zinc oxide also carries inhalation concerns when used in spray and powder products.

    • Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are normally found in the form known as nanoparticles. Nanomaterials shouldn’t be inhaled, as they can lead to adverse health effects and may have ecological impacts. Beautycounter does not feel there is sufficient evidence to date to draw conclusions about nano zinc oxide. The bottom line is that since we don’t know if nanoparticles are risk-free, Beautycounter simply chooses NOT to use nanotechnology for this reason!

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Pros/Cons:

Chemical

  • pros: easy to apply and rub in, effective against UV rays

  • cons: higher change of irritation for those with sensitive skin and rosacea, banned in some states due to harmful effects on the coral reefs

Mineral

  • pros: effective agains UV rays, instant protection (no need for absorption), can be used in any state

  • cons: some have a chalky cast after applying, some feel thicker on the skin

What does SPF mean? Why you don’t want an SPF higher than 30…

SPF stands for Sun Protective Factor and tells you how it will take for the sun to redden your skin when using the product directly as instructed. So if the SPF is 30, it would ideally take you 30 times longer to burn than if you were not wearing any SPF coverage. It is important to note that a sunscreen’s SPF level tells us its ability to block UVB rays; it doesn’t indicate the product’s ability to block UVA rays though. UV is the ultraviolet light that is invisible to the human eye. There are two types of UV rays and it’s important to protect the skin against both: UVB and UVA.

  • UVB rays cause sunburn and play a key role in developing skin cancer. A sunscreen’s SPF number refers mainly to the amount of UVB protection it provides.

  • UVA rays cause skin damage that leads to tanning as well as skin aging and wrinkles. UVA rays are less powerful, BUT they penetrate deeper into the skin, causing free-radical damage. The shortest wavelengths of UVA rays also contribute to sunburn. It’s important to look for the words “broad spectrum” on a product’s label, which means it has ingredients that can protect you from UVA as well as UVB rays.

Most people don’t know the differences between different SPF values and their ability to block the sun’s rays. An SPF of 100 does not mean double the protection of an SPF of 50. In 2019, the FDA proposed higher SPF values have not been shown to provide additional clinical benefit and may provide users with a false sense of security. To guard against this misconception, the agency proposes limiting products’ SPF claims to 60+. Using a higher SPF often leads consumers to believe they need to apply less often because they are more protected. Unfortunately, this leads to overexposure to the sun’s rays and thus an increased risk of long-term skin damage and cancer.

The difference in SPF protection is pretty small. and SPF of 30 blocks 97% of rays, SPF of 50 blocks 98%, and SPF of 100 blocks 99%. BUT NO SUNSCREEN can block 100% of rays. So why not choose an SPF of 100 over one of 30? Because higher SPF leads to more harmful chemicals. Higher SPF sunscreens require higher concentrations of sun-filtering chemicals than lower SPF sunscreens.

The chemicals found in higher SPF sunscreens have been linked to allergic skin reactions, tissue damage, hormone disruption (negative birth outcomes, reduced male fertility), and aquatic life toxicity. There is no evidence that SPF's above 30 are any better at reducing skin damage/cancer.

In addition, when the SPF increases, the ratio of UVB and UVA protection becomes weaker. An ideal SPF gives coverage from both types of rays, not just UVB! Choosing an SPF of 30 should optimize protection against both UVB and UVA rays, offer great sunburn protection AND limit exposure to harmful chemicals. Zinc oxide is a great UVA filter! SPF is regulated by the FDA, unlike most other chemicals, as it is considered a drug. But sunscreen regulations have not been updated since 2011. In 2019, the FDA released a draft monograph, with a goal of updating sunscreen regulations that year. However, due to changes in the way over-the-counter-drugs are regulated, the proposal was withdrawn in the first coronavirus relief bill. The FDA is due to propose new sunscreen regulations this fall (2021).

There is a third type of light to be aware of: Blue Light.

High-Energy Visible (HEV) blue light comes from the sun, but we are also exposed by smartphones, tablets, and computer screens. Blue light can cause skin damage, including signs of aging. Most sunscreens don’t offer coverage from blue light, but there are some like Beautycounter’s CounterSun that does!

SPF best practices?

The best practices are to apply sun screen liberally and evenly at least 15 minutes prior to sun exposure. Then reapply immediately after swimming, sweating, towel drying, and at least every 2 hours.

Resources:

https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-366/sunscreen-topical/details

https://www.piedmont.org/living-better/the-difference-between-physical-and-chemical-sunscreen

https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/executive-summary/

https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/sunscreen/