There has been a lot of news lately about sunscreens and their effectiveness in preventing sun damage and skin cancer. In a previous post we outlined the changes that the FDA will enact by the summer of 2012 in regulating the manufacturer’s labels on sunscreen products. Some of these changes include banning the terms “waterproof”, “sweatproof”, and “sunblock.” In addition, sunscreens may only be labeled as “broad spectrum” if they provide protection against both UVA and UVB radiation. Skin cancer experts applaud these changes as a step towards improved protection for consumers who wish to prevent skin cancer. Yet there are some organizations who say that these new regulations are not enough. The Environmental Working Group, for example, has claimed that some sunscreens are not only ineffective but may contain harmful ingredients. In this post we are going to take a look at the current controversy over sunscreens and how this may affect you.
If you take a look at the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep website you are going to find some surprising claims about sunscreens according to their research. Here are just some of their conclusions:
• The Environmental Working Group (EWG) claims that sunscreens should not be the first line of defense against skin cancer. They cite The International Agency for Research on Cancer as recommending clothing, hats and shade as primary barriers to UV radiation.
• EWG recommends that consumers avoid sunscreens with vitamin A (look for “retinyl palmitate” or “retinol” on the label) due to a preliminary FDA study where they found that this ingredient when applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions.
• EWG recommends mineral sunscreens as they have the best safety profile of all the sunscreen choices on the market. They warn, however, to avoid mineral-based sunscreens sold as powders or sprays due to the potential danger of inhaling nanoparticles.
• EWG makes the claim that: “Both UV radiation and many common sunscreen ingredients generate free radicals that damage DNA and skin cells, accelerate skin aging and cause skin cancer.” In addition they discuss the possible skin damaging effects of certain sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone, which they say can trigger allergic reactions and is a potential hormone disruptor. EWG warns that this ingredient can be particularly harmful to children.
• EWG cites concerns over the growing epidemic of people who are Vitamin D deficient. They claim that increased sunscreen use combined with too little outdoor time is contributing to this vitamin deficiency. They discuss the controversy among experts as to how to best obtain our Vitamin D through sun exposure or through supplements. In a previous post I presented a patient’s point of view on this Vitamin D dilemma.
