Some Truths About Sunblock

“Your skin has a memory. In ten, twenty, thirty years from now your skin will show the results of how it was treated today. So treat it kindly and with respect.” Jana Elston

I remember long, idyllic days at the beach growing up. I remember fun-filled summer vacations at Long Lake in Maine with my children, swimming all day and sun bathing on the dock. I recently spent a week at Montauk beaches under an umbrella, with a cover up and sun hat, covered in SPF 50 from head to toe.

You see, I am recovering from my second bout of melanoma which was caught early (due to every three month body checks at the dermatologist) and surgically removed from my leg leaving swelling and stitches behind. (The first was also tiny, on the back of my arm with the scar to prove it.) I am one of the lucky ones, as untreated melanoma can be fatal.

In fact, the rates of melanoma skin cancer have tripled in the last thirty-five years. Reasons for this trend are unclear as are the strategies to prevent the deadly cancer. We don’t know the exact cause, but risk factors include family history, indoor tanning, fair skin, freckles, moles, ultraviolet radiation and the number of severe sunburns as a child (ding ding ding).

I have done more research since writing my blog post on mineral v. chemical sunscreen last summer and have some updates and interesting truths about sunscreen to share.

First, sunscreen alone doesn’t prevent skin cancer. You need to wear a hat, and wear protective clothing, along with limiting time in the sun. Check out Wallaroo hat company in Colorado for an excellent assortment of hats recommended by the Skin Care Foundation. Many of their hats have UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) 30 or 50 and beautiful styles. And you all know how I feel about hats!

Second, a high SPF content in a sunblock is very misleading. For example an SPF 100 only marginally protects you more and longer than an SPF 30. Many people apply that SPF 100 and mistakenly feel that this will protect them in the sun for the entire day. There is not much difference between the 30 and 100 SPF. Use the SPF 30 and make sure to reapply every two hours while in the sun. However, do not rely on SPF in your foundation alone, as the sunscreen becomes diffused when mixed with other ingredients. Use the sunblock first, and then the foundation when you are going to spend time in the sun.

Watch out for Vitamin A, which is common in sunblocks. The ingredients will state retinol, retinol palmitate or retinol acetate. This has proven to have the reverse effect; Vitamin A can cause skin damage when mixed with sunlight. Make sure to carefully read the ingredients before purchasing a sunscreen product.

Avoid products with oxybenzone, which is commonly included in most chemical sunscreens. The European Union has banned the use in their products. (The EU has banned the use of 1,328 chemicals, while the US has only banned 11.) Oxybenzone is controversial in sunscreen as it has never been properly researched and may lead to cancer, genetic mutations and birth defects. For this reason, it is always better to purchase a mineral sunscreen (with titanium dioxide) rather than a chemical sunscreen with oxybenzone!

Moreover, make sure that your sunscreen is broad spectrum, meaning that it blocks both UVA and UVB rays in order to be effective. Free radicals in UVA rays damage skin cells and may cause skin cancer.

Because we are urged to use sunblock every day, make sure that you are not deficient in Vitamin D; twenty-five percent of Americans are low in D, which could lead to depression, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, low energy and even weight gain. Your doctor can check your levels with a blood test.

Some mineral (physical) sunscreens to try are the following: 100% Pure Body Sunscreen Stick, 100% Pure Everywhere Sun Stick, and Aveeno Positively Mineral Sensitive Face Sunscreen Lotion, Clinique SPF50 Mineral Sunscreen for Face.

I like Anti-Aging (hate that word)Armour Tinted Sunscreen SPF 50 by IT Cosmetics, a broad spectrum physical sunscreen which includes peptides, niacin, hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid and antioxidants with a subtle hint of color (unlike their CC Cream which is also 50 SPF, but heavier, more like a foundation). While you are on the It Cosmetics website, check out the Confidence in a Cream moisturizer, my new fave. It is $17.00 for the travel size. In fact, everything is 20% off until August 23, 2020 for the Friends and Family event. I am not an affiliate for their products and unfortunately receive nothing for my recommendations. Just saying………

Be good to your skin. You’ll wear it every day for the rest of your life! (Rene Rouleau). XO Penny