The saying around Seattle is that summer only starts after the Fourth of July. Yes, it’s the first day of June and it has been a dreary, grey day…and it just started sprinkling. However, for me, with my unbelievably sunburn-prone skin, I need to start applying sunscreen in April!
This year, I just learned about Environmental Working Group’s annual sunscreen guide. Why am I so excited, given that I have a bathroom closet full of sunscreen bottles, enough to protect every family in my neighborhood for the whole summer? Well, because as you, my loyal readers know, over the past year I have been learning about the incredible number of toxic chemicals found in consumer products and I had my suspicions that sunscreen probably has its share of stuff that does more harm than good.
Of course, I was hoping that my pick of sunscreens – yes, those I have already spent valuable greenbacks on – were going to be tops in EWG’s ranking of sunscreens, but such was not my luck. The bigger surprise was their findings, not just on harmful ingredients, but on the effectiveness of SPF ratings on the label. Let’s just say that this explains a lot of why I still get sunburned even after applying sunscreen liberally.
The EWG researchers tested 500 sunscreens and would only recommend 39 of them. Check it out to see if your bottle made the cut. Shelling out another $10 to replace that ineffective bottle is not a lot of money to save your skin and better protect yourself against skin cancer!
The reason so many of the sunscreens got low ratings was not at all what I expected. I assumed they were giving low ratings solely because of toxic ingredients. But, no, much worse than that if you have my fair skin. Exaggerated SPF ratings – yikes!!
And, even if you buy a product with a high SPF rating, which protect against sunburn, they often provide very little protection against UVA radiation which, while not burning your skin, can still damage it and eventually lead to cancer in some people. I’m on the high risk list, if you haven’t figured it out yet.
Two other common ingredients were flagged by EWG researchers: a vitamin A compound called retinyl palmitate and oxybenzone. The former can accelerate skin damage and raise your skin cancer risk and the latter can disrupt hormones inside your body once it penetrates the skin and enters your bloodstream. Beware!
I got a nice sunhat from a friend recently which I decided was going to be my gardening hat. Now, it will be traveling with me farther than the confines of my yard and I will be even more conscious than before of limiting my sun exposure during the peak hours of the day (which used to be 12 to 3 and now I’m hearing is really from 10 to 4, oh my!). And, tomorrow, I think I’ll head to a consignment shop to find some floppy sunhats for the kids…
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Hey Liz-
Comment by Dean Ericksen June 2, 2010 @ 6:15 pmWith red-hair genetics I can see this isn’t an abstract question for you and your family. I heard last year that sunscreen can reduce the already minimal amount of vitamin D that bodies extract from sunlight. I haven’t researched it much, but the NYT seems to downplay it (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/health/17real.html). Thoughts?
-Dean
Ah, yes, the vitamin D issue. I have heard many people comment (nothing scientific, just word on the street) that more kids are showing up with Vitamin D deficiency because they are either so slathered up with sunscreen or their skin never sees the light of day because they are indoors in front of their computer or TV. But, apparently, it doesn’t take much exposure to get enough Vitamin D – a mere 10 minutes per day is what my kids’ pediatrician said. I’ll take your olive-toned skin any day!
Comment by lizbanse June 2, 2010 @ 6:21 pmHey Liz, thanks for the reminder that I need to clear out my nasty old sunscreen. Seems a bit counterintuitive, given the current lack of sun….
Comment by Susanne Frank June 7, 2010 @ 4:45 pmHi Liz, thanks for posting such a great website. I have a tough time too, since I am not only fair, but also quite sensitive to sunscreen. I had finally found one that didn’t give me a rash and I could use on the kidlets, but alas alack, it has not made the grade. (Banana Boat Baby SPF 50.) I look forward to starting my search again, since I have such a good list. Grateful for the internet, which will make these accessible.
Hope you’re well!
Comment by Brenna Campbell June 17, 2010 @ 7:35 pmBrenna