Safe Tanning
Although the sun has disappeared this week, we have had some nice weather and let’s hope the summer is a sunny one!
We are all told these days how dangerous exposure to the sun can be and advised to slap on the cream. But have you ever wondered what is in your sun cream? In general terms, the higher the level of SPF, the greater number of chemicals the cream is likely to contain. These could include Benzophenones (anything ending with that name) and they can provoke allergic reactions in some people; PABAs such as ethyl dihydroxypropyl PABA, padimate-O, padimate-A and glyceryl PABA which are formaldehyde-forming chemicals which can become carcinogenic when combined with other chemicals. The list goes on and I won’t bore you with all the names. Although many of the ingredients in sunscreens have been tested individually, it is very rare to find research of the long-term effects of combinations of them. It is also worth bearing in mind that most sun creams include all the same potenitally harmful ingredients found in other beauty products, such as mineral and synthetic oils, preservatives and fragrances. Many of these chemicals act like oestrogen in the body and we know that most breast cancers are oestrogen-driven. You might be interested to know too that skin cancer melanoma is driven by oestrogen and some scientists think that rising skin cancer levels could be due to the high levels of synthetic oestrogen in our bodies rather than increased exposure to the sun.
Some the “safer” creams use titanium dioxide for protection but there is now research that this can cause DNA damage when exposed to light. Personally, I use creams with zinc oxide which is a mineral which has over a 300 year history of safety with no known adverse reactions. It protects against UVB and UVA rays.
My recommended organic range, Miessence, has a sunscreen called Reflect Outdoor Balm (click here to read more), but personally I find it a little greasy to use (although it would be perfect for children) and I have recently started using The Organic Pharmacy Sun Cream which also contains zinc oxide but one which is not whitening. Go to http://www.theorganicpharmacy.com/shop/sun_care/. For my children, I buy Neways’ Sunbrero, which also contains zinc oxide and is easy to rub in with a high SPF 40. To find out more, go to https://www.neways.com/gb-en-gb/ProductInfo.aspx?p=10123&PageId=106 and quote my ID of 2100 44696 when you enter your details.
Other things to remember are that the most efficient way the body can generate Vitamin D is through direct sunlight on to the skin. Low levels of Vitamin D have been linked to breast cancer and most women diagnosed with the disease are deficient in Vitamin D. You only need 15-20 minutes sun exposure every day on to your face, arms and legs, without sunscreen. Not always that easy to achieve in the UK!
So like everything, aim to get a little bit of exposure in the sun unprotected, then use one of the safer sunscreens, keep out of the sun in the middle of the day and cover up with tops, hats etc when you are out and about in the sun.