Sun Protection

Ads have been encouraging us to slather on sunscreen when we go to the beach since the 1940s. In those days, it used to be all about achieving the perfect tan. Thanks to modern science, we now know that the use of sunscreen can prevent the development of skin cancer. Unfortunately, it has recently been discovered that sunscreen is not as healthy as we once thought. 

Studies have shown that certain ingredients in sunscreen can lead to allergic, inflammatory, and even hormonal reactions within the human body. But humans aren’t the only species being affected by sunscreen use. Sunscreen can enter the ocean through residential waste water or by directly washing off the bodies of swimmers, leading to the accumulation of chemicals in marine environments. 

A study published in 2015 determined that oxybenzone, a chemical ingredient in most sunscreens, causes toxic effects in up to seven different coral species. Specifically, oxybenzone produces coral bleaching. When in direct contact with oxybenzone-contaminated water, once colorful corals tend to expel their algae, turn white, and become highly vulnerable to infection. It also increases the risk of genetic mutations, leading to abnormalities and malformations in baby corals.

Other animals have also been damaged. Certain species of fish and dolphin have been affected by the hormone-like qualities of oxybenzone. It mimics the structure of estrogen, leading to lower levels of fertility and male fish developing female characteristics. Additionally, sunscreen is toxic to algae, impairing its normal process of photosynthesis and growth.

These effects have been seen in many locations, including the islands of Hawaii. Not only is it home to vast and beautiful coral reefs, but it is also a popular vacation spot. This makes Hawaiian beaches especially vulnerable to contamination by these toxins. Luckily, the state of Hawaii was quick to react to the newfound evidence. In 2018, the sale and distribution of sunscreens containing oxybenzone was legally banned in the state of Hawaii. Hopefully, the marine environments of the Hawaiian islands will be able to recover with time and care.

However, does this mean we should stop protecting ourselves from the sun? Of course not! Overexposure to UV rays can cause sunburn, rob your skin of elasticity, increase your risk of skin cancer, and lead to flare-ups if you suffer from inflammatory skin conditions. Avoiding overexposure is especially important during the hours of 10am to 3pm, when UV radiation levels are at their highest. The most direct way to avoid UV radiation is to wear sunglasses, long-sleeved swimming shirts, long swimming trunks, and keep to the shade.

Another environmentally-safe and easy way to protect yourself is by modifying your diet to include high levels of antioxidants. Oxidative stress is induced by UV rays, leading to accelerated skin aging and the development of cancerous cells. Certain foods such as carrots, tomatoes, blueberries, etc. contain high levels of antioxidants, which cancel out these toxic effects. 

Polypodium Leucotomos is a South American fern that has over a dozen clinical studies related to systemic protection against ultraviolet rays. In addition, Astaxanthin is found in marine algae, fungi and some shellfish and has antioxidant as well as skin rejuvenating qualities. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is one of the main components of green tea and a powerful antioxidant. Lutein, naturally found in spinach, kale, and pistachios is a great protector against UV-induced damage. In clinical studies, Lycopene has been shown to help repair sun-induced skin damage and is found in red fruits such as tomatoes, papayas, and watermelons. 

If you are not getting enough of these antioxidants on a daily basis, as an alternative, you can find supplements with many of these protective properties without changing your diet. 

Check out supplements with the ingredients your skin craves. Click Here

More than genetics, hormones, or pollutants, the sun is a lupus patient’s number one enemy. Any amount of unprotected exposure to the lupus sun sensitivity beams will leave a lupus patient with a red, scaly, or even painful rash.

And the sun isn’t the only thing that can incite this kind of reaction. The sun’s mere reflection across a body of water, fluorescent lights, photocopy machines, tanning beds, or any bright source of light can lead to redness and inflammation (¹).

Although lupus patients have learned to avoid the sun and wear sunscreen on a daily basis, many people still don’t understand exactly why they are so sensitive to the sun. Sadly, this only limits the treatment of their disease.

In this article, we will explain the different mechanisms involved in photosensitivity and phototoxic reactions. This knowledge is essential in order to comprehend lupus as an illness and ensure the effectiveness of its treatment. 

Lupus Sun Sensitivity and Photosensitive Mechanisms

Lupus erythematosus is actually a group of autoimmune disorders, which range from systemic to focalized and from mild to severe or life-threatening (²). Due to a mix of genetic factors and environmental agents, the body’s immune system begins to attack normal cells.

In the systemic form of the disease, white blood cells can attack many different organ systems, included but not limited to the heart, kidneys, brain, articulations, and skin (³). In the cutaneous form of the disease, the symptoms are focused mainly on the skin. Lesions can be superficial and limited to the face and heal completely after only a couple of weeks or be red, scaly, and round, lasting several months and leading to scarring and hair loss (⁴).

As you can see, lupus has many forms and manifestations. All of these variations have been proven to worsen after exposure to UV radiation (⁵).

This is due to the fact that lupus naturally produces a state of accelerated skin cell death since white blood cells begin to attack the body’s own healthy tissue, leading to inflammation and skin lesions. UVA and UVB rays only aggravate this situation.

UVB causes cytokine levels to increase as well as many other proinflammatory substances, such as interleukin‐1, interferon, and tumor necrosis factor‐α (⁶). These substances attract more white blood cells, further stimulating skin cell death and promoting the accumulation of dead or damaged cells within the dermis.

UVA also inhibits the body’s natural antioxidant pathways, thus increasing oxidative stress and systemic inflammation (⁷). Additionally, UVA has longer wavelengths that can penetrate deeper into the skin and produce direct DNA damage, marking even more healthy cells for apoptosis.

Diagnosing photosensitivity

It is important to point out that experiencing a little redness after being out in the sun is a normal reaction and doesn’t constitute as photosensitivity. A confusion surrounding this term has lead many people to being wrongly diagnosed.

Many photo-provocation studies have clearly demonstrated that the onset of true photosensitive reactions is often delayed. One study reported that over half of the reactions occurred longer than 1 week after photo-testing (⁸). It has also been shown that these reactions last several days or even up to several weeks.

You should also remember that sun sensitivity covers not only skin flare-ups but also systemic symptoms such as fatigue and joint pain (⁹).  

Photoprotection: a way of life

After viewing all of the science behind flare-ups and the phototoxic reactions lupus sun sensitivity patients experience, it is clear to see that photoprotection is the key to achieving a good quality of life.

Sun avoidance must be exercised on a daily basis. Photoprotective clothing, such as shirts will long sleeves, hats, and long hats is a must (¹⁰). Also, it is recommended for light-sensitive people to stay indoors during midday when the sun’s radiation is the most intense. This is usually from 11 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon during the summer months (¹¹).

Frequent sunscreen application should also be part of your daily routine. Broad-spectrum sunscreen is highly recommended and should be reapplied after exercise, swimming, or sweating (¹²).

Topical antioxidants are a powerful tool. Creams that contain retinoids, or vitamin A, have been proven to prevent the effects of oxidative stress and UV-damage (¹³). Applying topical vitamin E has also been shown to minimize the appearance of redness and inflammation after prolonged UV exposure (¹⁴).

Antioxidant-rich foods and supplements have become a popular part of overall wellness routines in recent years, though they are not a treatment for lupus — anyone with lupus should follow their physician's guidance for disease management.

Polyphenols — found in green tea, Polypodium leucotomos, and pomegranate — along with vitamins A, C, D, and E, are being studied for their general role in skin and antioxidant health (¹⁵). These are not a substitute for medical treatment, and anyone with lupus should talk to their doctor before adding new supplements to their routine.

Lastly, you should make you’re your diet is loaded with food that is rich in antioxidants. Luckily, all brightly colored fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids, which are well-known for their antioxidative properties (¹⁸). Some foods to try include bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, and all dark leafy greens.

Millions of people around the world suffer from autoimmune diseases, and one of the most common parts of the body affected by an out-of-control immune system is the skin. Several autoimmune diseases can affect the skin, such as scleroderma, psoriasis, dermatomyositis, alopecia areata, vitiligo, and lupus erythematosus.

As we all know, the immune system can be activated or inhibited by several factors, both internal and external to the body (¹). Scientists have actually found that the sun and its ultraviolet radiation is one of the main environmental factors that affects these diseases (²). Therefore, learning what role the sun plays in their development and how to protect yourself is a crucial step to keeping your autoimmune disorder under control. 

In this article, we will be looking at lupus and at exactly how UV radiation plays a part in its progression.

What is lupus erythematosus? 

Lupus erythematosus actually refers to a group of autoimmune diseases in which the human immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks healthy cells. Usually, there are periods of illness, called flare-ups, and periods of remission during which there are very few symptoms (³). This collection of conditions is commonly divided into two main groups:

1. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, which is a chronic illness that is characterized by the involvement of multiple organ systems (⁴). It can range from mild to life-threatening, and its symptoms can include skin lesions, arthritis, renal disorder, fatigue, hematologic changes, among others (⁵).
2. Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus, which chiefly affects the skin and can be subdivided based on the types of lesions.
   • Acute cutaneous lupus produces a facial rash in the shape of a butterfly across the bridge of the nose which usually lasts a couple of weeks and leaves no mark behind (⁶).
   • Discoid lupus is characterized by a red, scaly, disk-shaped rash, usually found on the face, the backs of the hands, scalp, and ears, which develops over months and can lead to scarring (⁷).

There is one similar trait among every single type of lupus and that is that these people are photosensitive. This means that exposure to the sun worsens the appearance of their skin lesions or incites flare-ups (⁸). But, why is the sun a lupus patient’s number one enemy?

What is photosensitivity?

While all humans are sensitive to the sun and even healthy skin will react if exposed to its rays for too long, photosensitivity is a term used to describe anything outside of the normal range of reactions (⁹). Photosensitivity or sun sensitivity, thus, applies to anyone who develops inflammation when exposed to ultraviolet radiation (¹⁰). 

In fact, photosensitivity is such an important factor in lupus that it triggers cutaneous flare-ups as well as systemic symptoms and is considered one of the 11 diagnostic criteria for the disease by the American College of Rheumatology (¹¹).

The mechanisms linked to photosensitivity might include: modulation of autoantibody location, cytotoxic effects, apoptosis induction, upregulation of cytokines, nitric oxide, and tumor necrosis factor α, to name a few (¹²).

However, certain studies have shown that different types of radiation produce inflammation through different pathways (¹¹). UV radiation is divided into UVA, UVB, and UVC. For many years, it was thought that UVB was the one responsible for causing photosensitivity in lupus patients. Nowadays, it is known that both UVA and UVB radiation have a role to play in its progression (⁶).

This is, in part, caused by the UV-induced expression of certain proteins. One known protein called “Ro” is abnormally expressed on the surface of cells after the skin is exposed to UV. This protein draws white blood cells to the area, inciting them to attack healthy skin cells (⁷).

Thus, UV irradiation can cause an acceleration in the apoptosis, or programmed cell death, of skin cells and also contributes to the accumulation of apoptotic cells in the skin of lupus patients (¹³). When these dying or dead cells are not cleared from the skin properly, they trigger the release of a secondary chain of proinflammatory agents.

The distribution of skin lesions in sun-exposed areas and a delay of their onset of more than 48 hours after the exposure are both characteristic symptoms of lupus (¹⁴). Therefore, photoprotection is essential in the treatment of these patients.

How can lupus patients protect themselves from the sun?

There are many ways in which these photosensitive people can avoid the sun. They must remember to protect themselves from both UVB and UVA radiation, wear protective clothing, and apply topical broad-spectrum filters.

Lupus patients are recommended to exercise sun avoidance from 11 am to 3 pm during the summer months, as these hours include the most intense radiation (¹⁵). They would also do well to remember that car and house windows do not filter UV rays (⁶). Also, water is a reflective surface. So, staying in the shade at the beach is not a sufficient method of sun avoidance.

Researchers have also been studying oral and topical antioxidants for their potential role in supporting skin's response to UV exposure (¹⁰). For example, green tea contains polyphenols, naturally occurring compounds known for their antioxidant activity, which have been studied in small trials. These studies do not establish that supplements treat lupus, and anyone with lupus should rely on their physician's guidance for managing the disease.

As you can see, photoprotection is a crucial part of managing photosensitivity for people with lupus. Wearing sunscreen, avoiding peak UV hours, and following your physician's guidance are the most important steps — antioxidant-rich foods may be a helpful part of an overall healthy diet, but they are not a treatment for lupus.

EGCG and Hinokitiol can Help Reduce Hyperpigmentation

By Evelin Maza

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and Hinokitiol Reduce Melanin Synthesis via Decreased MITF Production (¹).

How to reduce hyperpigmentation? EGCG and hinokitiol already have well-known beneficial effects on human health. EGCG, or (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, is the main component in green tea. Many studies have proven its effects against oxidative stress, inflammation, and the development of cancer (²).

Hinokitiol, on the other hand, comes from the wood of certain trees such as cedar, and is an effective antibacterial (³). Commercially, it is used in cosmetics for hair, toothpaste, elimination of bad breath, etc.

But these two substances now have one more quality to brag about: they help prevent cosmetic problems. EGCG and hinokitiol reduce hyperpigmentation by lowering the amount of melanin found in the skin.

Hyperpigmentation is the darkening of the skin caused by excessive exposure to the sun, certain hormonal issues, or even acne (⁴). The amount of pigment in your skin, as well as the color of your hair, is determined by the amount of melanin in it.

Melanin is the name given to the natural pigments found in living beings Thus, one way to avoid unsightly pigmentation is to reduce the amount of melanin produced within the skin. This is where EGCG and hinokitiol come into play in a study conducted in Korea!

Background

The process of the production of melanin, or melanogenesis, involves many proteins, enzymes, internal factors, such as the person’s immune system, as well as external factors, such as the amount of ultraviolet radiation received.

The main proteins that were studied in this trial were: tyrosinase, Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), and Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK).

Tyrosinase is an enzyme which stimulates the production of melanin. Which means: the more tyrosinase, the more melanin is produced.

MITF is a protein which regulates many internal processes associated with pigmentation and the growth of melanin-producing cells. It actually stimulates the activity of tyrosinase. That is to say: the more MITF is present, the more active tyrosinase becomes, and the more melanin is produced.

Finally, ERK is a chain of proteins responsible for, among many other things, the regulation of melanogenesis (⁵). The activation of this pathway leads to less melanin; its inhibition leads to greater pigmentation.

In conclusion, in this study, these three substances were analyzed in order to determine whether EGCG and /or hinokitiol affected the production of melanin and through which specific process.

Study Summary

The material used as a substitute for human skin were Mel-Ab cells. These are lab-grown cells derived from mice which produce a lot of melanin. These cells were exposed to either EGCG, hinokitiol, or kojic acid for 4 days. Then, all of the groups were photographed with a special microscope in order to measure the amount of melanin present.

The kojic acid was used as a positive control. In other words, it has already been proven that kojic acid lowers melanin production in the skin (⁶); therefore, it would be a good point of comparison.

The viability of the cells was also analyzed after the 4-day treatment. The goal of studying this factor was to see if any of the substances used were cytotoxic. In other words, if they were harmful to the growth and development of the cells.

MITF, tyrosinase protein production, and ERK activation were also tested. Both separately and in combinations in order to see whether any of the substances had additive effects.

Results

It was proven that cells treated with EGCG, kojic acid, and hinokitiol were all less pigmented. That is to say, they contained less melanin. But, of the three, hinokitiol produced the lowest level of pigmentation.

EGCG and kojic acid, when used in combination, did not show any additive effect. How to reduce hyperpigmentation? EGCG and hinokitiol did show an even bigger hypopigmentating effect when used together, proving that these two substances function through different processes.

None of the substances (EGCG, kojic acid, and hinokitiol) had cytotoxic effects on the mice cells.

The ERK pathway was not activated by neither hinokitiol nor EGCG. But, lower amounts of MITF and tyrosinase were found after the 4-day treatment. This proves that their melanin-reducing effects are associated with these two factors!

Lastly, it was proven that hinokitiol had the strongest effect in lowering the amount of tyrosinase in the cells.

Conclusion…

To summarize, these scientists have proven that green tea offers yet another benefit for our overall health (⁷). And this time, the benefit is cosmetic! But not only that: they have also pinpointed just how these substances have these marvelous effects.

The conclusion is that EGCG and hinokitiol reduce the amount of melanin in our skin, preventing problems with hyperpigmentation. And they do so by lowering the levels of MITF and tyrosinase within our cells.

Study proves that tomatoes can protect the skin from UV radiation

By Evelin Maza, MBBS

Molecular evidence that oral supplementation with lycopene or lutein protects human skin against ultraviolet radiation: results from a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study (¹).

Many studies have confirmed that excessive exposure to the sun and its ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is detrimental to healthy skin. It has been confirmed to cause skin damage, wrinkling, and even cancer (²).

Sunscreen and avoiding too much direct sunlight remain your primary means of protection. Researchers have also been studying whether diet plays a supporting role.

For years, studies have analyzed the efficacy of dietary supplements as a source of skin health. Carotenoids are of particular interest (³). Carotenoids are organic pigments produced by plants, algae, some bacteria, and even certain fungi. And the most vastly studied carotenoid is beta-carotene, which is found in yellow, orange, or red fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and apricots.

Alas, negative long-term side effects have been linked to the chronic use of big amounts of beta-carotene (⁴).

Therefore, other substances have been tested, such as lycopene, lutein, and carotenoid mixtures. Some of these studies have shown that tomatoes, rich in lycopene, offer great protection from the sun when mixed with beta-carotene, as well as on its own (^{5, 6}).

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial which took place in Germany studied the standalone effects of lutein and lycopene-rich tomato supplements; and the findings were quite promising!

Study Summary

This study divided volunteers with no previous history of skin-related illnesses into 4 groups: lycopene active treatment, lycopene placebo treatment, lutein active treatment, and lutein placebo treatment.

Treatment was administered via softgel capsules. 2 capsules daily of 10 mg free lutein stabilized by 10% carnosic acid in the case of lutein and 4 capsules daily of 5 mg lycopene, as well as other tomato phytonutrients, such as phytoene and phytofluene, tocopherols and phytosterols, in the case of lycopene. With soybean oil capsules being used as placebo, as it offers the skin no protective effects against UVR.

The study consisted in 2 periods of 12-week treatments of either placebo or one of the two active agents. Each treatment period was preceded by a 2-week washout period. If a volunteer began with placebo, they were switched to an active lutein or lycopene supplement in the following treatment period, and vice versa.

Blood samples were taken at the beginning and end of each period to measure the rise in carotenoid levels.

Also, the participants were exposed to UVA/B and UVA1 and had 3 biopsies extracted. One from skin that wasn’t exposed to radiation, one from UVA/B-irradiated skin, and one from UVA1-irradiated skin. This was done at the beginning and end of each 12-week treatment period, 24 hours after the exposure to radiation.

With the biopsies, the researchers were able to measure the amount of certain proteins which are linked to oxidative stress, collagen breakdown, and skin inflammation caused by UV exposure. The genes analyzed were an enzyme that produces carbon monoxide (HO-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1).

Study Highlights

This particular trial is unique for two important reasons.

For one, most of the studies about the effects of UVR on healthy skin and the protection dietary supplements may offer use UV-induced sunburn reactions or the reddening of the skin as a sign of damage caused by sunlight (⁷).

But this study used biopsies and proteins linked to oxidative stress as a new way to measure the sun’s harmful effects.

And secondly, most studies about UV damage use UVA and/or UVB radiation emitted by a solar simulator. This only covers the shortwave types of ultraviolet radiation. Thus, this study set out to also cover and analyze longwave UV radiation, or UVA1. To document its effect on the skin via he measurement of proteins and the inhibition of said effects via carotenoid supplements.

Findings: Tomatoes have protective qualities against solar skin damage

Throughout all of the volunteers, it was found that the plasmatic levels of carotenoids increased significantly. Results which were confirmed by the low levels found in the blood samples during periods of placebo intake.

Yet, they found that lycopene levels weren’t affected by the order of the treatments. But lutein levels were notably lower when administered after a 12-week period of treatment with the soybean oil capsules.

Also, the biopsies showed that exposure to UVR in all of its forms increased the expressions of the genes linked to oxidative stress.

However, the biopsies taken after periods of active lycopene or lutein supplement treatment showed a much lower activity of these genes. And both supplements show the same efficacy of protection if taken during the first period of treatment.

Also, the protective qualities of these carotenoids applied to the three different types of radiation used equally.

Although the researchers still don’t know exactly how lycopene and lutein achieve these effects, it is thought that they balance out oxidative stress (⁸).

In conclusion, these German researchers found that lycopene and lutein supplementation reduced certain UV-induced biomarkers of oxidative stress in skin biopsies — a promising early finding, not proof of skin protection in everyday use.

What This Means

This study adds to a growing body of research on carotenoids and skin health, though it measured biomarkers in skin biopsies rather than real-world outcomes like sunburn or skin cancer risk. Sunscreen, shade, and protective clothing remain the proven way to protect your skin from UV damage.

An easy way to incorporate more carotenoids into your diet is by consuming more brightly colored fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, and bananas, among others.

The researchers state that “To ingest 20 mg lutein and 20 mg lycopene, a cup of chopped kale (130 g) and a serving (242 g) of tomato juice would be enough.”

SOURCE:

Br J Dermatol. 2017 May;176(5):1231-1240. doi: 10.1111/bjd.15080. Epub 2017 Mar 15.

Molecular evidence that oral supplementation with lycopene or lutein protects human skin against ultraviolet radiation: results from a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

Grether-Beck S¹, Marini A¹, Jaenicke T¹, Stahl W², Krutmann J¹.

IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany.

Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.

As the summer sun warms and shines, all who enter into the golden rays need to protect their skin. Protecting your skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays becomes a top priority. As revealed by many studies, the UVA and UVB radiations are bad for your skin. Besides the commonly feared skin-burning effect, these two sun radiations may cause premature aging, inflammation, early wrinkles, or worse, skin cancer (1, 2)! That’s why most people slather loads of sunscreens before hitting the outdoors. What most people don’t know is that most of these topical sunscreens are overloaded with some seriously dubious ingredients that can have adverse effects on their body.

Sunscreens started out with pasty Zinc Oxide, but this product wasn’t appreciated a lot by the users. Therefore, manufacturing companies created sunscreens that used chemicals to absorb the UV radiations as opposed to Zinc Oxide that deflected the rays back. Chemical sunscreens contain synthetic components such as octinoxate and oxybenzone that are absorbed into the skin to absorb and filter UV rays to effectively protect deeper layers of your skin. However, because such components are absorbed in your body, there is a higher chance that they can lead to skin irritation and other detrimental effects on your body. The chemicals have also been proven to generate cell-damaging free radicals when exposed to the sun.

According to Environmental Working Group (EWG), 75% of topical sunscreens in this billion dollar market contain ingredients that can be considered harmful to human health (3). Their analyses indicate that some of these ingredients act like estrogen and critically disrupt your hormones, while also stating that others cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. EWG has consistently examined the usefulness of sunscreens made in the United States for over ten years. And due to the poor federal rules that have been set by the FDA, the organization feels that most sunscreen products indeed cause more harm than good. This explains why even though the sunscreen market is exceedingly growing, the number of people who are diagnosed with melanoma also keep growing.

EWG and other researchers have reported severe differences between some sunscreens advertised UV protection and the real results tested in the lab. In most, the advertised SPF (Sun Protection Factor) does not deliver the promise of protection against sunburn. According to information from Consumer Reports, most sunscreen products in the market deliver less than half the promoted SPF, while others deliver from 4 to 40% of their promised value. The researchers also claimed that very few of the 20 tested sunscreens work effectively after being submerged in water (4). Besides, a wealth of evidence has shown that most sunscreens have ingredients that can be absorbed into the bloodstream, and have toxic effects. Some can cause skin irritation and other allergic reactions, while others can release damaging free radicals in sunlight.

So, what is the best SPF for effective sun protection? There are products in the market with SPFs ranging from zero to 90—however, as Dr. Elizabeth Hale of the Skin Cancer Foundation points out the UVB protection doesn’t increase proportionally with the SPF number. For example, a sunscreen with an SPF value of 15% screens 93% of UV rays, while an SPF value of 30 screens 97% of the rays; only 4% extra. Most dermatologists recommend an SPF value of 15, but if you are outdoors for prolonged period of time, an SPF of 30 minimum is suggested. If you are extremely sensitive to the sun or you’ve had skin cancer before, dermatologists recommend an SPF value of 50 minimum.

There is also probably something you didn’t know about SPF—it only protects you against UVB rays (ones that cause cancer) but doesn't shield you from UVA rays! You should, therefore, go for “Broad Spectrum” sunscreens that protect you from both UVB and UVA rays. Remember, UVA can penetrate plastic, glass, clouds, and most fabrics reflect of surfaces around us such as windshield, windows, sand, water, snow, and more. And just like water, sweat can wash away sunscreen making you more susceptible to burns. You should, remember to reapply your sunscreen approximately after every 2 hours. Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) clothing can also help a great deal. These are special clothes designed to protect you against UV radiation (both UVA and UVB). Unlike regular clothing, UPF clothes provide you with at least 98% blockages of incoming ultraviolet rays.

What are some of the most dangerous sunscreen ingredients out there?

• • Paraben Preservatives—parabens are highly linked with both chronic and acute side effects. Scientists have shown that they can induce allergic reactions, cause developmental and reproductive toxicity, as well as cause hormone disruption. Studies have also shown that some types of paraben mimic the activities of the hormone estrogen, and while estrogenic activities are linked with certain types of breast cancer, it is interesting to note that parabens have been found present in breast tumors (5).
• • Octocrylene—when this sunscreen ingredient is exposed to sunlight, it absorbs the radiations and produce oxygen radicals that can damage the body cells and cause mutation. There have also been reports in the literature about Octocrylene causing irritation, contact dermatitis in children, and photo-allergic contact dermatitis in adults (6, 7). It is also said that this is one of the easiest chemical to be absorbed in the skin and may be accumulated in the body in huge amounts.
• • Homosalate—this ingredient is widely used in sunscreens today as well as other skin products with SPF. Studies have labeled this chemical element as a potential endocrine disruptor, while other studies suggest that it may cause hormone disruption. In addition to its direct health concerns, this Homosalate is also said to enhance the absorption of pesticides in the body. 
• • Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A Palmitate)—like vitamin A, this ingredient, found in most sunscreen products is an antioxidant. Its function is to improve sunscreens’ performance against the aging effects caused by the UVA radiations. However, when exposed to such radiations, Retinyl Palmitate breaks down to produce free radicals that are harmful to body cells, may damage the DNA, and may also lead to cancer. EWG rates this chemical as highly toxic to human especially as a developmental and reproductive toxin (8).
• • Octinoxate—solid studies have proven that Octinoxate has a negative impact on the endocrine system, which is key in keeping the hormonal balance in check. Since it is absorbed really easily and fast in the body, this sunscreen ingredient increases the development of estrogen in the cell, which is a concern as high levels of estrogen are normally associated with the development of breast cancer. EWG rates this as a moderate hazard which can lead to developmental and reproductive toxicity (9).
• • Oxybenzone—this is one of the most common ingredients in today’s sunscreens according to EWG (80%). It is primarily used as a penetration enhancer. The compound has been shown to penetrate the skin’s deeper layers and cause photo-sensitivity (10). The EWG and other toxicology experts believe that Oxybenzone can lead to hormone disruption and has a potential to damage cells, which may lead to certain types of cancers.

The topic of sunscreen and the dangers in brings to the human is a loaded one. To be clear, we aren’t implying that all sunscreens out there are harmful, we’re only pointing out that some of the chemicals used are potentially menacing. Besides, more and more studies and evidence about the dangers of many sunscreens continue to emerge with most linking them to skin cancer.