One of my earliest memories of vacation was running down to the beach with my sand pail and towel only to be bombarded by my mom who always insisted on slathering me with thick, cold sunscreen. Not only was I greasy and uncomfortable, but you probably could have found more sand stuck to my sticky legs than on my sand castle that day. Little did I know how important sunscreen really was for me, my health, and my wellbeing.
Let’s begin by giving you a rundown on the ABC’s of sunscreen and what’s available on the market right now. To begin, there are two main choices you must first consider- am I looking for a sunscreen or a sunblock? Sunblock is opaque and completely blocks the sun’s harmful rays which is often a good first choice for children and those who are more prone to develop skin cancers. This includes those who are fair skinned, dialysis patients, organ transplant patients, and those who suffer from repeated blistering sunburns. Conversely, sunscreen is translucent and most likely your product of choice because it allows you to achieve a tan safely (or so they say). The Canadian Dermatology Association recommends the use of broad spectrum sunscreens with an SPF 30 or higher but many are unaware of what these terms truly mean. A broad spectrum sunscreen protects your skin from both UVA and UVB radiation; UVA is responsible for skin cancer and wrinkles whereas UVB damages DNA and creates painful, burning blistering sunburns. Majority of sunscreens were first formulated to protect you from skin burns i.e. UVB rays but Health Canada has since recognized the need for UVA protection as well. The term “SPF” stands for sun protective factor and tells you how much longer you can spend in the sun compared to if you were not wearing any sunscreen. So you might be wondering, what’s the deal with SPF 100? SPF 15? What number is right for me? Scientists have essentially confirmed that any sunscreen labelled above SPF50 does not provide much of a difference. SPF 30 currently blocks 97% of UV radiation, SPF 50 blocks out 98% of UV radiation, and anything listed above SPF50 should be listed as SPF 50+ to prevent any false sense of added protection.
“five sunburns per decade can raise the risk of skin cancer by about threefold” (Brody, 2011).
The shocking reality is that using both sunscreen and sunblock are not the safest ways to protect yourself from the sun. There exists an abundance of conflicting results when it comes to the ability of sunscreen to reduce the rates of basal cell carcinoma and even melanoma. To worsen the situation, a study in 2017 by Villett et al. found that 50 commercially available sunscreens were only SPF 6-10 in sunlight even though they were labelled as SPF 50+. Though many are unaware, SPF numbers can be heightened by adding anti-inflammatory agents that reduce redness so what you read on a label isn’t necessarily always true- the measurement method of SPF is severely flawed. In addition, if you ever read “sweat proof” or “waterproof” labels on your sunscreen bottle please be aware that no sunscreen can truly maintain its protection under these circumstances. UV radiation is reflected off sand AND water so ensure that you reapply sunscreen every 2 hours minimum and 30 minutes before sun exposure even if you plan on sitting under a shaded umbrella. Though, for the safest solution, most dermatologists encourage their patients to avoid sun exposure between the hours of 10am-3pm when UV radiation is at its peak.
So, next, you may be wondering am I applying sunscreen properly? Well, the short answer is no. Probably not. A 2017 study demonstrated that females are better at applying sunscreen than males though both sexes were much better at applying sunscreen to the front of their body vs the back. In addition, research shows that younger age groups and those in higher income households are also much more prone to sunburn compared to the remainder of society. So what parts of the body are they missing, what’s getting burnt? These hot spots include the feet, hands, upper back, and bikini area! So, if you do choose to spend a day in the sun make sure you are using enough sunscreen (about a shot glass full to cover the entire body) and that you are covering all areas. One way to avoid this is to choose a gel or cream based sunscreen rather than the sunscreen sprays that now populate almost a quarter of this year’s sun protecting products on the market. Often they do not adequately coat the skin, and, additionally they may pose an inhalation risk to those who use it and those around it users.
But what’s really in sunscreen? If you don’t understand the ingredient list on your sunscreen bottle then don’t worry, I assure you most people don’t. Regardless, there will be some terms and ingredients I want you to check the next time you visit Sephora, Walmart, or Shoppers Drug Mart. It is critical that you understand chemicals in sunscreen are being absorbed in our body and continue to remain in them days after we apply sunscreen!!
1. Titanium Dioxide and Zinc oxide are your friends. They are often found in mineral based sunscreens and protect against both UVA and UVB radiation. Choose a micronized form if you want a sunscreen that is easier to blend into both light and darker completions.
2. No perfume is often best. Yes, that means the natural stuff too. Essential oils, synthetic fragrances, all of it can be irritating to the skin especially if you suffer from acne, rosacea, or sensitive skin.
3. Stay away from para-aminobenzoic acid or PABA. PABA has been proven to be irritating for sensitive skin and most sunscreens nowadays will explicitly state PABA-free but always double check!
4. Avoid oxybenzone. This chemical has been linked to endometriosis and allergic reactions. It readily absorbs through the skin and has been detected in breast milk, amniotic fluid, urine, and the blood which means children may be more very vulnerable to its effects. In addition, it is a possible endocrine disruptor, meaning it can mess with your hormones!
5. Look for low levels of homosalate and octinoxate. These ingredients may be linked to altering hormone levels in humans as well.
6. Choose an oil-free or PUFA free sunscreen (or aim for 15-20% or lower). Oils may be helpful if you have dry skin but often they can worsen acne skin that is already abundant in oils. Even more importantly though, these oils are susceptible to a process called oxidation when in the presence of heat and light. This process generates free radicals that cause cell damage and aging. Aka, why using tanning oils are really bad for you.
7. Never ever purchase a sunscreen with retinyl palmitate ESPECIALLY if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Retinyl palmitate is a synthetic form of vitamin A that speeds the growth of skin tumours when exposed to sun and it also converts into a compound that can cause harmful birth defects.
8. Non-comedogenic is best. It’s basically a fancy word for non-acne causing, it lets your pores breathe and prevents any nasty breakouts after a day in the sun.
So, does my sunscreen make the cut? Well let’s find out! The Canadian Dermatology Association has a compiled list of recognized sunscreens including one that was actually recommended to me by my dermatologist. Though, upon further investigation there were a lot of ingredients in my sunscreen that didn’t exactly work for me. That’s when I came across EWG’s guide to sunscreen. Enter your sunscreen in the search bar and you can read about the protective capabilities, the safety, and all about what’s actually in the sunscreen with up to date research that’s actually more rigorous than the FDA. Staying informed about what you put on your skin can not only help protect you from the sun but it can help protect those around you, like my mom did for me. So next time you go shopping for sunscreen don’t forget to make your list and check it twice because here at TriMedica we want what’s best for you!!
References:
Brody, J. (2011, June 20). Explaining Sunscreen and the New Rules. Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/health/21brody.html
Clarke, H. (2013, July 24). Does Sunscreen Make Good "Sun Sense?" Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://www.hummingbirdclinic.ca/post/does-sunscreen-make-good-sun-sense
Patton, J., & Barber, M. (2018, June 7). The Great Sunscreen Debate: Which Type Is Best for You? Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://memorialhospitaljax.com/blog/entry/the-great-sunscreen-debate-which-type-is-best-for-you-
Pinault, L., & Fioletov, V. (2017). Sun exposure, sun protection and sunburn among Canadian adults. Health reports, 28(5), 12–19.
Sunscreens, E. (n.d.). EWG's 2020 Guide to Safer Sunscreens. Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/executive-summary/
Sunscreen. (2020, July 29). Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/recognized-products/sunscreen/
Villett, M. (2020, July 02). How to Choose a Sunscreen: The Best and Worst Sunscreen Ingredients for Your Skin. Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://theskincareedit.com/sunscreen-ingredients
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