Frequently Asked Questions
Sunblocks and Sunscreens
We are in the process of formulating a daytime antioxidant cream, that will help protect against sun damage. There are many safety concerns regarding different sunblocks and sunscreens (see research below). I personally believe that the sun is life giving in moderation. I enjoy the sun in the soft morning light and before dusk and wear floppy hats (with SPF rating of 50) or use a sun umbrella. I stay in the shade or indoors during peak sun hours. If I absolutely must protect my skin, if I'm on a long hike, or at the beach, I will apply a zinc oxide (non nanoparticle) based sunblock, and use a large rimmed hat.
Antioxidant rich skin care, such as Rosa y Fruta, can help neutralize free radical formation on the skin. For example, there is research that antioxidants, like pomegranate, applied to the skin can actual stop tumor formation on the skin caused by UV rays. Also new research shows that consuming antioxidant like astaxanthin protects your skin from the inside out from UV light and sun burn.
RESEARCH
"The Dark Side of Chemical Sunscreens. Should You Be Concerned About Photosensitization" :
http://www.smartskincare.com/skinprotection/chemical-sunscreen-risks.html
Sun blocks linked to Cancer
19:00 18 April 01
www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns9999641Gender-bending chemicals that mimic the effect of oestrogen are common in sunscreens, warns a team of Swiss researchers who have found that they trigger developmental abnormalities in rats.
"We need to do more tests to see how they might be affecting people," says Margaret Schlumpf from the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Uterine growth
Schlumpf and her colleagues tested six common UV screening chemicals used in sunscreens, lipsticks and other cosmetics. All five UVB screens -benzophenone-3, homosalate, 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC), octyl-methoxycinnamate and octyl-dimethyl-PABA - behaved like oestrogen in lab tests, making cancer cells grow more rapidly.
Three caused developmental effects in animals. Only one chemical - a UVA protector called butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane (B-MDM) - showed no activity.
One of the most common sunscreen chemicals, 4-MBC, had a particularly strong effect. When the team mixed it with olive oil and applied it to rat skin, it doubled the rate of uterine growth well before puberty. "That was scary, because we used concentrations that are in the range allowed in sunscreens," Schlumpf says.
Nobody knows if doses are high enough to create problems for people, says Schlumpf.
Q. What about natural sunscreens like titanium dioxide?
A. Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, and natural PABA are much better alternatives to chemical sunscreens. However, they can also be harmful.
"Sunscreen Photobiology�Molecular, Cellular and Physiological Aspects": "Illumination of titanium dioxide suspensions with sunlight can degrade organic materials and purify drinking water, while illumination with short wave UV kills human cells. This work shows that the distinction between 'chemical' sunscreens and 'physical' sunscreens, attractive though it may be to those who market them, is not based on any significant difference. Both varieties have the potential to produce reactive species that can attack biological materials (human skin cells) when they are exposed to normal sunlight... What is established is that particles of titanium dioxide as large as 220 nm can enter human cells in culture, and so it seems entirely plausible that if titanium dioxide does pass through skin it could enter cells under the skin (carrying with it the absorbed UVA and UVB radiation and hydroxyl radicals)."
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ZINC OXIDE: Since cosmetic ingredients have little if any FDA regulations I always do research of an ingredient used outside the context of cosmetic formulations. Here is some of what OSHA (Occupation Safety & Health Administration U.S Department of Labor) reports on the saftey of zinc oxide:
Summary of toxicology
1. Effects on Animals: is also an experimental mutagen. Although topical administration of zinc oxide to rabbits, mice, and guinea pigs failed to cause either skin irritation or signs of systemic toxicity [ACGIH 1991, p. 1754]... Zinc oxide was mutagenic in in vitro test systems [NIOSH 1991].
(Yet other studies on zinc strongly suggest that is is not mutagenic.)
2. Effects on Humans: Repeated exposures to zinc oxide by skin contact have resulted in papular-pustular skin eruptions in the axilla, inner thigh, inner arm, scrotum and pubic areas [ACGIH 1991].
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The other problem I have with titanium dioxide is that there is research indicating that some sun rays manage to get through the blocker, but can not escape and that uv rays is refracted back and forth and creates more damage to the skin. Some micro-fine particles, using nano technology, avoid this problem, however little is known about this new system on the skin.
If one is to be in the sun extensively then sometimes a sunblock is essential. However, personally I do not think most sunblocks and sunscreens are safe enough to use daily. I met an Oxford scientist on my recent travels and he believes that chemical sunscreens are contributing to the increase in skin cancer in Australia.
HOW DIET CAN PROTECT US
Here's an article that describes why consuming foods rich in lutein can natural protect you from the sun.
What You Eat Can Protect Your Skin from the Sun
By: Barbara Levine, R.D., Ph.D.
(ARA) - By now you probably think you've heard all of the health reasons there are for eating your vegetables. But, just in time for summer, researchers from Harvard University have announced that lutein -- a potent antioxidant found in such dark green, leafy vegetables as spinach and kale -- may protect the skin from sun damage.
"Lutein has been widely recognized for its eye health benefits for several years. But, our data is the first of its kind to suggest that lutein may have the potential to act as a preventative agent against UVB-induced skin cancer," said Salvador Gonzalez, M.D., Ph.D., leader of the Harvard research team. "In addition, these data suggest that lutein protects the skin against damage caused by exposure to UVB light, further validating our position that lutein is a critical component to overall skin health."
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The Yuzurihara of Japan have no known cases of skin cancer even though they spend many hours in direct sunlight. It is suggested that it has to do with their diet that produces high amount of skin protective hyaluronic acid in the body. They eat a large variety of vegetable and fresh fruits, fermented soy (like miso), fish, and special sticky root vegetables. I understand there are no meat markets. They also do not over eat and tax their digestive tracks and gets lots of fresh air and exercise.
Here's an article with more helpful information:
Date:01/07/2004
Author:Pat Thomas
A safe sun screen?
Sun Myths
The problem is that using sun creams on their own to prevent skin damage is like trying to lose weight by ordering a diet Coke with your Big Mac and fries. Because sun creams encourage a false sense of security, we stay out in the sun far longer than is smart or safe. Few of us apply sun creams as regularly or as thickly as manufacturers recommend. In real-world terms, this means that the sun protection factor (SPF, see below) listed on the bottle is always misleading.
Chemicals that provide sun protection are also potentially irritating to the skin, and irritated skin is more prone to sun damage. Emerging research also suggests that some of these chemicals are oestrogen mimics that persist in the environment and in the body. Potentially, this could lead to gender-bending effects in men and boys, and breast and ovarian cancer and reproductive abnormalities in women.
Sun Myths
Used properly, sun screens will prevent sunburn, but evidence of protection against most skin cancers is inconclusive. Sun screens may reduce the risk of squamous cell carcinoma, but their effect on the more serious basal cell carcinoma and the more deadly malignant melanoma is uncertain. Indeed, some studies have linked regular sun screen use to higher rates of melanoma among men and basal cell carcinoma among women.
In contrast, most of the body’s vitamin D supply – between 75 and 90 per cent – is generated by the skin’s exposure to UVB rays. Using a sun screen drastically lowers the cutaneous production of vitamin D. Combined with sedentary indoor lives, this raises the risk of vitamin-D deficiency disorders such as rickets, osteomalacia and osteoporosis. It may also increase the risk of certain cancers.
In the US the number of deaths from skin cancer is believed to be in the region of 10,000 per year. Premature deaths from cancers (breast, prostate and colon) associated with inadequate sun exposure are estimated at two to three times that figure.
Safe sun
The SPF number defines how long you can stay in the sun before getting burnt. If you normally turn pink after 20 minutes, an SPF 15 product will extend this period by 15 times (ie five hours). The SPF applies only to protection from UVB radiation, not the more harmful UVA radiation.
Sunburn is easily preventable by staying out of the sun between 11am and 2pm. It can also be prevented by wearing appropriate clothing. The average T-shirt has an SPF of seven, and 85 per cent of fabrics tested in an Australian study had and SPF of 20 or more.
About the Author: Pat Thomas is the author of several books on environment and health issues, including: Cleaning Yourself to Death: how safe is your home?, Living Dangerously: are everyday toxins making you sick? (both published by Newleaf) and Under the Weather: how weather and climate affect our health (Fusion Press)
Skin Deep also has an excellent research article about suncreens/blocks and some potential product recommendation and ones to stay away from:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/sunscreens/summary.php
