Safety concerns over chemical sunscreens that work by absorbing the sun’s rays as opposed to physical which deflect or block them have come to light in the public domain.  Is there any validity in the claims that these products created to protect our skin could also be the very thing that’s harming us?

Over the last couple of years the ingredient oxybenzone and its use in chemical sunscreens is raising a number of concerns. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) “it seems able to penetrate the skin and may have some hormone-like activity in the body”, otherwise known as a hormone disruptor. It’s also a derivative of benzophenone which can attack DNA when it’s illuminated. So whilst you’re out sunbathing the sun literally acts a light switch for an increased production of free radicals, which are the very things your sunscreen should be protecting you from. It seems counterproductive to say the least.

With a little research I found that products only have to label “contains oxybenzone” if it contains 0.5% or more, so even if it’s not labelled it could still be present but according to The Skin Cancer Foundation, “there has never been any evidence that oxybenzone, which has been available for 20 years, has any adverse health effect in humans. The ingredient is FDA-approved for human use based on exhaustive reviews” The SCF then dismissed the EWG findings as nothing more than the result of “junk science”.

So it’s ok as long as it’s not adverse..? I would’ve thought that if there was an alternative for using sunscreen that’s just as safe and effective without the addition of chemical nasties then all sides would be championing that but I guess it’s only the non profit organisation EWG who seem to be…  We could open up a whole pandoras box here of nasty ingredients that regulatory bodies have allowed to slip into many foods, drinks and cosmetics but that’s a whole other issue.

Another growing concern is the continued use of Vit A (retinyl palmitate) to be added to many sunscreens and cosmetics, despite growing scientific evidence that they to pose safety concerns for sun exposed skin,

“In December 2010, the FDA and NTP teams published a draft report consistent with EWG’s findings. On January 26, 2011, the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors unanimously adopted this position. (NTP 2010, NTP 2011). The NTP published the final report on this project last year (NTP 2012). In it the NTP concludes that both retinyl palmitate and retinoic acid, another form of Vitamin A, sped up the development of cancerous lesions and tumors on UV-treated animals.”

Despite the findings it appears the jury is still out as to wether Vit A in sunscreens can be detrimental on human skin tissue when exposed to sunlight but it doesn’t make sense that an SPF should contain it as an ingredient. Its use in anti ageing products is well known but anyone who uses retinols are always advised to avoid the sun or at the very least be vigilant with sun protection, so why add it? Even if the Vit A is watered down by the addition of other ingredients it can’t then be of much an anti ageing benefit but they’ll cost you more for the small added pleasure.

With so many products coming under the spotlight of safety lately you’re sunscreen should be of the least concern and perhaps there really is nothing to worry about with regards to chemical sunscreens but who knows what the accumulative damage is with use of these products, particularly in mothers who breastfeed and young children. Also not forgetting the damage it’s already causing to our environment by polluting our water sources, simply from our sunscreens washing of once were in the water.

“Researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans worldwide, and that up to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching.”

“Make sure your sunscreen is a physical sunblock, which means it would only have zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Also read the label and choose better ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, plant oils and avoid synthetic ingredients like fragrance.”

Many physical sunscreens are now much lighter in formulation compared with the thick gloop of the past so you won’t be left with that annoying white film on your skin. Those with skins that are very fair and sensitive to chemical sunscreens should opt for physical sunscreens, one of the  best things though about them is that they work straight away. If using a chemical sunscreen doesn’t bother you then it’s still a good idea to opt for formulations that are lighter in chemical filters.

So what to use then? Well there are a few brands that I use personally as well as in my kit for jobs on location shoots but I’ve also been on the hunt for other options and I’ll continue to update with suggested products but if anyone else has any others that are tried and tested I would be more than happy to add them to the list on this post. Just remember that even though the  list below consists of products with  SPF30+ does not mean you can stay in the sun all day without reapplying. You need to do so at least every couple of hours. Obviously it goes without saying that the sun is a great source of Vit D and  we still need to absorb the suns rays in order to beneft from it, so you don’t need to cover yourself top to toe 24 hours a day just be sensible and don’t allow yourself to burn.

For very fair skins that are aggravated by chemical sunscreens

Alpha H Ultra Protector SPF 30 RRP £30

Dermalogica super sensitive shield SPF 30  RRP  £38.10

Clarins Sun care cream High Protection SPF 30 and 50 RRP£18.00

Clinique City Block SPF 25 RRP £16.00

Avene Sun Care Very High Protection Mineral Cream SPF 50 RRP £13.50

Heliocare Gel SPF 50 RRP £20

A great lighter chemical filter option is that of  La Roche Posay Anthelios XL SPF range which is available from Boots prices retail from around £14.00

I really want to get hold of Banana Boat’s new mineral SPF 30 but sadly not available in UK at the moment

http://bananaboat.com.au/products/mineral-protect-kids-spf-30-120g/?v=natural&f=usage

Other brand suggestions can be found on the Lovelula website and they have SPF”s from 15+ if you still want to tan.

http://www.lovelula.com/cat_organic_skincare_spf_protection.cfm

Listed below are a few links that I’ve sourced for this post. Please take a look as they’re full of information and the best thing anyone can do is to be armed with a little knowledge especially when it comes to the health of your skin.

http://www.skinacea.com/sunscreen/physical-vs-chemical-sunscreen.html#.Ub8CVfm9Wdk

http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/9-surprising-facts-about-sunscreen/

http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/whats-wrong-with-high-spf/

http://samvidbeauty.com/2011/07/the-effect-of-sunscreen-on-our-environment/