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A Guide to Choosing a Safe and Natural Sunscreen

June 27, 2016 by headtotoe

Something seemingly simple like choosing a sunscreen can get surprisingly complicated!  What SPF? Creams or sprays? What about the safety of synthetic chemicals in sunscreens?

To help you prepare for this summer’s fun in the sun we’ve put together a short summary so you and your family can enjoy the sunshine and soak in the vitamin D while avoiding harmful UV exposure. If you want to know why we’ve made these sunscreen recommendations, read the 5 simple criteria that follow!

Sun Safety Summary:

  • Which Sunscreen should I choose?
    • Opt for a mineral based zinc oxide sunscreen with 15-30 SPF applied as a topical cream (not spray). This provides broad-spectrum UV protection while avoiding synthetic chemicals and perfumes. For a list of safe sunscreens to choose from, visit the Environmental Working Group (EWG) website. The products listed in the above link were assessed using a compilation of industry, government and academic data from the past nine years.
  • How Much Should I Use?
    • One ounce (a shot glass) of sunscreen is recommended to cover the exposed skin of an adult. There is no set amount for kids but the most important thing is to use enough sunscreen to coat all exposed skin. Don’t forget to include your face, lips, ears, feet, and hands!
  • How Often Should I Apply Sunscreen?
    • Re-apply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming or heavy perspiration.
  • Other Factors in Sun Protection!
    • Covering up is the most effective sun protection! Wear tightly woven and loose-fitting clothes as well as hats to protect against harmful rays. Don’t forget sunglasses; our eyes need protection too!
  • Take Extra Care with Children!
    • Reapply and use sufficient amounts in children, as their skin is thinner, more sensitive and also has less melanin making it easier to get a sunburn.
Naturopathic medicine at the Head to Toe Health Centre in Kensington Market, Toronto

The ingredients your sunscreen should and should not have.

5 Simple Criteria to Choosing Sunscreen

  1. It’s a mineral based sunscreen and/or it’s recommended by the Environmental Working Group (EWG)
    • Zinc oxide sunscreen is stable in sunlight, offers broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection, has a long history of safe use, doesn’t usually contain harmful additives, and is less irritating to the skin.
    • If you don’t like the thicker consistency of mineral based sunscreens, non-mineral based European sunscreens, Marxoryl SX and Avobenzone, appear to be safer alternatives.
    • If you want a short cut to choosing a safe sunscreen, visit the EWG’s guide to sunscreen and your work is done! The EWG is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. Their mission is to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthy environment and use research and education to do so. To view the long list of safe sunscreen visit EWG. You can also look up the sunscreen you have at home to see if it’s right for your skin.
  1. Look for “Broad Spectrum” on the Label
    • Ultraviolet wavelengths are classified as UVA and UVB rays. Unfortunately, SPF only measures protection against UVB rays likely because scientists originally thought UVA rays did not contribute to skin damage. Current research shows that UVB rays play a key role in sunburns while UVA rays suppress the immune system and damage the deeper layers of skin. This suggests that both UVA and UVB rays play a major role in skin aging and the development of melanoma – the most harmful skin cancer.

Naturopathic Doctor at the Head to Toe Health Centre in Kensington Market, Toronto - UV Radiation and the Skin Naturopathic Doctor at the Head to Toe Health Centre in Kensington Market, Toronto - About SPF

  1. Avoid harmful synthetic ingredients
    • The most important sunscreen ingredient to avoid is oxybenzone, a hormone disruptor that can also cause allergic reactions. While the EWG questions the safety of such ingredients, other sources suggest there is insufficient evidence to confirm the harmful effects. Based on the conflicting data, it is unclear if these chemicals are harmful. We do know that mineral-based sunscreens with zinc oxide have proven to be very safe and effective over a long history of use. Based on the available data we suggest avoiding the ingredients in question until more research is done.
    • See below for a list of ingredients to avoid and why.
      • Oxybenzone
        • Oxybenzone is a synthetic estrogen that may penetrate the skin and disrupt hormone levels.
      • Retinyl palmitate (form of vitamin A)
        • When retinyl palmitate is exposed to UV radiation it generates free radicals that interact with DNA and cause mutations that may lead to cancer.
      • The Dirty Dozen of cosmetics.
        • These are 12 common cosmetics ingredients that are known carcinogens, reproductive toxins, hormone disruptors, and carcinogens. These include parabens, phthalates, PEG’s, propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol and sodium sulphates. Avoid creams and sunscreens with these ingredients.
        • To learn more about the cosmetic dirty dozens click here.
  1. Use cream, avoid sprays or powders
    • Although sprays can be convenient, especially for squirming kids, it’s easy to miss a spot and these sprays pose inhalation risks as particles are inhaled and more easily enter the blood stream through the lungs.
  1. SPF 30 – No need for more!
    • The Skin Cancer foundation states that broad-spectrum sunscreens with an SPF of 15 to 30 are very effective against UVA and UVB rays when applied correctly. As you can see in the below diagram, an SPF of 30 will filter out approximately 97% of incoming rays. 50 SPF only filters out an additional 1% of rays, giving 98% protection. Although this provides minor increases in protection, research shows that an SPF above 30 gives a false sense of security resulting in increased sun exposure times and improper application. In addition to the false sense of security, sunscreens with a higher SPF actually have poorer UVA protection!

Written by Dr Angelica Kada, ND

Naturopathic medicine at the Head to Toe Health Centre in Kensington Market - Skin damage without sunscreen

 

 

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