Healthy Child E-Newsletter #8
______________________________________________ Sun Safety:
Are Sunscreens Necessary and Safe?
By Jane Sheppard
Fun in the sun, whether it's at the beach or in your own backyard, can be risky without the protection of sunscreen or clothing.
Children need to be protected against the harmful rays of the sun to prevent not only sunburn, but also skin and eye damage and the development of skin cancer later in life.
The sun is constantly giving off radiation through ultraviolet rays. Both ultraviolet B (UVB) rays and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays can cause skin cancer. UVB rays are more likely to cause sunburn than the UVA rays. Children that easily tan also need protection because the UVA rays that penetrate deeply into the skin causing it to tan can also cause skin cancer.
Most of the sun exposure that contributes to adult cancer risk occurs before the age of 18. Kids are more at risk for skin cancer if they have moles on their skin (or if their parents have a lot of moles), very fair skin and hair, or a family history of skin cancer.
Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, has become alarmingly common, diagnosed in 1 out of every 128 Americans. This skin cancer killed nearly 6,000 people last year - a 93 percent
increase in the number of cases since 1980. While doctors once rarely saw melanoma patients under age 40, today people in their 20s are commonly treated for the disease.
Why is sun exposure such a problem now, as apposed to 50 years ago? The main reason is thought to be that the ozone layer of our atmosphere, which was a natural filter for radiation, is disappearing in huge chunks, exposing us to more of the sun's damaging rays.
Sunscreens work by absorbing, reflecting or scattering ultraviolet light, thereby reducing the amount that reaches the skin. The sun protection factor (SPF) of a sunscreen tells you how much longer you can stay in the sun without burning if you apply the sunscreen. For example, if your child would burn after 20 minutes of sun exposure, applying a sunscreen with a SPF of 15 gives her 15 times the protection. In this example, the child will be protected for up to 5 hours: 20 minutes x 15 SPF = 300 minutes (5 hours). The FDA recommends that kids use a SPF of 15 or higher to prevent both sunburn and tanning. A SPF of 15 will block about 94 percent of UVB rays and a SPF of 30 will block about 97 percent of UVB. But keep in mind that these SPF ratings do not necessarily mean your child will be protected against the UVA rays that cause cancer and skin damage. SPFs only give a rating of sunburn protection. Your sunscreen should include ingredients that protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
Are Sunscreens Safe?
Most sunscreens contain the chemical ingredient Benzophenone (or its derivatives Benzophenone-3 or Oxybenzone) since it is one of the best in
protecting against both UVA and UVB rays.
However, sunscreens containing these chemicals are not a good choice. Here is an instance in which the protection may create more harm than good and actually cause the disease it's trying to prevent. Benzophenone is a powerful free radical generator activated by ultraviolet light. These free radicals could initiate a reaction that may ultimately lead to melanoma and
other skin cancers. (1)
It is often assumed that little or none of a topically applied sunscreen is absorbed into the bloodstream. However, I found a study that assessed the extent of absorption of a number of common chemical sunscreen agents into and through the human skin following application. The results were that all sunscreen ingredients investigated penetrated into the skin, but only
benzophenone-3 passed through the skin into the bloodstream in significant amounts. (10% of the applied dose). (2)
Another study showed that substantial amounts of oxybenzone are absorbed into the body and subsequently excreted in the urine. The study notes "it would be prudent not to apply oxybenzone to large surface areas of skin for extended and repeated periods of time, unless no
alternative protection is available. There may be an additional concern for young children who have less well-developed processes of elimination, and have a larger surface area per body weight than adults." (3)
Many sunscreen products contain triethanolamine (TEA). This ingredient may combine with nitrite (used as a preservative or may be present as an
environmental contaminant) to cause formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines. Nitrites are not disclosed on cosmetic labels so there's no
way of telling which products are contaminated with nitrosamines. Particularly disturbing is that up to 35 percent of TEA applied to the skin
can enter the bloodstream. (4,5)
Check your sunscreen for the ingredients oxybenzone, benzophenone, or triethanolamine. Fortunately, there are alternatives to these potentially harmful chemicals. David Steinman, author of The Safe Shoppers Bible, recommends in his publication, The Doctors Prescription for Healthy Living, to use physical barrier-type sunscreens such as titanium dioxide and zinc
oxide, since they are safer and also good UVA/UVB blockers. (5)
Aubrey Organics makes several excellent sunscreen products with titanium dioxide, including Green Tea Sunblock for Children SPF 25. I use this product on my daughter's fair skin since she has all the risk factors for skin cancer. Green tea has potent phytochemicals that have been shown to be highly protective against skin cancer, whether consumed as a tea or applied to the skin. (6) Dr. Hauschka's Skin Care and Kiss My Face also have products with safer ingredients.
Because of their ability to delay sunburns, sunscreens could give you the false impression that more sun exposure is safe. In addition to using sunscreen, it's sensible to cover up your children as much as you can with clothes, including a wide- brimmed hat, to shield the
harmful rays. Make sure you can't see through the fabric. When you go to the beach for the day, bring clothes that will cover the whole body, along with sunscreen and a pop-up tent. Try to minimize their exposure to the sun from 10a.m. to 3 p.m. (in the northern hemisphere) when the sun is at its strongest. Sunglasses also should be worn to avoid sun damage to the eyes (cataract formation). And even on cloudy, overcast days, the UV rays travel through the clouds and reflect off sand, water and concrete.
The sunscreens that stay on a long time and are waterproof are usually the ones that contain the harmful chemicals. I found that Aubreys's titanium dioxide sunscreens need to be applied to my daughter's sun sensitive skin more frequently to keep her from burning and they are not waterproof. But I feel the inconvenience and extra cost a small price to pay for protecting
her against the chemicals in the long-lasting sunscreens.
Although it's not enough to prevent sunburn, a healthy, whole foods diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables allows the skin to form its own
defensive barriers to the sun's harmful rays.
Vitamin C complex with bioflavonoids contributes to protection. Enough B vitamins is important, especially pantothenic acid and PABA. Antioxidants are also needed to help prevent free radicals from being formed by radiation, or to neutralize them.
Mild exposure to the sun can be healthy for children. But when their skin is exposed to the sun for long periods, we need to apply a safe, UVA/UVB blocking sunscreen if we want to protect them from skin damage and cancer.
1 Larsen, HR "Sunscreens: do they cause skin cancer?"
International Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine,
1994; 12(12): 17-19
2 Jiang R, Roberts, M.S, Collins DM, Benson HA, "Absorption of sunscreens
across human skin: an evaluation of commercial products for children and
adults." British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 48 (4), 635-637
3 Hayden CG, Roberts MS, Benson HA, "Systemic absorption of sunscreen after
topical application." Lancet 1997 Sep
20;350(9081):863-4
4 Maibach, H. "NDELA - Percutaneous Penetration." FDA Contract
223-75-2340, May 19, 1978
5 Steinman, DW, "Trouble Under the Sun: How Safe is Your Sunscreen?" The
Doctor's Prescription for Healthy Living, Vol.
4, #5: 16-17
6 Mukhtar, H. "Green tea and skin-anticarcinogenic effects."
Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 1994; 102: 5-7.