Sunscreens

Since UVA and UVB can cause irritation, photoaging, or cancer of the skin, you need to protect
your skin from these harmful rays. One way to protect your skin is the use of sunscreen. There
are some important facts you need to know about sunscreen to get the maximum protection they
can provide.

But still always keep in mind that sunscreen should not be your first choice of protecting your
skin from UV radiation since it does not provide complete protection. The best protection against
sun related skin damage is to stay out of the sun.

We are well aware that staying out of the sun entirely is an impossible task and also not healthy
but whenever you go outside avoid midday sun, seek shade and use a sunscreen.

The problem with mineral pigments is that they apply with a white color that will possibly disappear
after a while. But there is also a positive aspect to this which is that you have a visual control where
you have already applied sunscreen and where you may have missed a skin area. If you know that you
are allergic to chemical UV filters (see UVA and UVB filter) you should consider using a sunscreen
with micropigments since they do not penetrate the skin like chemical filters but lay on top of the skin
and reflect the sun light. But if used alone i.e. without a chemical filter micropigments have been shown
to provide poor protection against UVA radiation.

Mineral Pigments or Micropigments

• titanium dioxide
• zinc oxide


 

Chemical protection which absorbs UV radiation

UVA-Filter

 

• butyl methoxydibenzolmethane (dibenzolmethane)
  Is often used to filter UVA but which is known to be very unstable.


 

UVB-Filter

• thylbenzylidene camphor
  Is used to filter UVB and in addition functions as a stabilizer for the UVA filter.


 

• yl triazone/ octocrylene
  Is also used as a UVB filter and has the ability to stabilize the UVA filter.


 

• yl methoxycinnamate


 

The Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
The SPF is the ratio of the time required to produce minimal erythema on skin covered by a
sunscreen product to the time required to produce the same degree of erythema without the
sunscreen. If you usually turn red after 10 minutes unprotected in the sun and next time you
use a sunscreen with SPF 15 you can stay 150 minutes in the sun without getting a sunburn. But
this ratio may lead to a false sense of security since studies have shown that people using a higher
sunscreen tend to stay 20 % longer in the sun which is not necessarily the intention of sunscreen.

Where to use sunscreen
The general rule should be that you cover every part of your body with sunscreen that might be
exposed to sun light. Certain parts of your body have a special risk of getting burned since they
are more exposed areas of your body than others. These so called sun terraces are:


Standing body:

• face
• cheekbone
• bridge of the nose
• lower lip
• top of the ear
• shoulders
• outside of the arms
• back of the hands


 

While sitting you should also protect your upper leg.

Supposedly negative aspects of sunscreen
We certainly do not want to unsettle you but we have to call attention to the fact that several
epidemiological studies lead to the assumption that sunscreen may even increase your skin cancer
risk. There are some explanations how this statement can be illustrated and put in perspective:

 

• Lack of UVA protection in sunscreens
  The discovery that UVA may also be responsible for inducing skin cancer is rather new. It
  is only since this time that the sunscreen industry has started producing broad-spectrum
  sunscreens that will protect your skin from both UVA and UVB radiation. But bear in mind
  that these studies were done with people who had basically used sunscreen that contained
  only UVB protection.


 

• Wrong application of sunscreen
  Studies revealed that most of the people who use sunscreen do not use it properly. They do
  not apply enough of it and do not reapply it regularly. Therefore the protection they can
  provide is not fully exploited. You need at least 1 1/4 fl. oz. of sunscreen for your body.
  Apply it evenly and reapply every one to two hours.


 

• Prolong time spent in the sun
  The use of sunscreen may lead to a change in tanning behavior. People consider themselves
  safe when they use sunscreen and stay in the sun even longer. Sunscreen protects you to
  some extent, but it is not a license for excessive sun exposure.


 

• Previous sun exposure
  The time one has spent in the sun can be a clue as to whether somebody is at high risk of
  developing skin cancer or not. But estimating of previous sun exposure is a difficult task
  since nobody can exactly count the hours he or she has ever spent in the sun.


 

• Use of sunscreen by those at high risk
  Another possible source for flaws to the main claim of this whole section is the fact that
  sunscreen is mainly used by people who tend to burn easily and these are the people who
  are at high risk for developing skin cancer anyway.

Overall there is no certainty about the assumption that the use of sunscreen may increase the
risk of getting skin cancer. So do not stop using sunscreen. It is still important to protect
yourself from UVA and UVB radiation. Just make sure you use it properly and avoid excessive
sun exposure.

Again sunscreen is great, but it should not be your main defense against the harmful rays
of the sun. Sunscreen should complement your protection against the harmful rays of the sun.

Next to sunscreen you should do the following to protect yourself:

 

• TEN TO FOUR… SUNLIGHT NO!
  Try to stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This may be unrealistic for some, so
  try to postpone sun intensive activities (like swimming) for the late afternoon and early
  morning hours and seek shade.


 

• If you do not have a watch use the shadow rule: if your shadow is shorter than you…
  head for cover.


 

• Be sure to wear protective clothing, which for some may be more realistic than avoiding
  the sun totally.


 

• Do not be fooled by the clouds (most UV light penetrates the clouds).


 

• Water? Snow? Be especially careful, both reflect the harmful rays of the sun (it can cause
  some funny looking sun burns in strange places). When around reflective surfaces like snow
  and water use sunscreen (even under your nose, on your chin, on the bottom of your ears…)********************************************************************************************************

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