Sunscreen

I was reading this morning that many popular brands of sunscreen have the potential to increase cancer growth especially if they contain vitamin A. I am always yelling at DH to put on more sunscreen b/c he is so pale! Turns out the sunscreen we use is one of the worst! Now I am off to find safe sunscreen that will not turn DHs skin white.


Thought this might be helpful:
http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/finding-the-best-sunscreens/?search=&brand_id=&ptype=sunscreen&nooxybenzone=on&novitamina=on

So my favorite one has a ton of red flags -- the neutrogena spray



So I don't really understand... what's the problem with vitamin A in sunscreen?

The other red flag on my favorite type seems to be fragrance, which is odd to me.

I guess I just have to keep remembering that wearing sunscreen is better than not, so I'll just keep using what I have... thanks for the info though!

dh told me about this.... a few years ago...

DH had skin cancer, and it came back in the same area, the doctor asked if he was applying sunscreen to the area and he said yes and she was like 'Well, thats why'

So scary...what else can we use u know?

UGH this is the last thing I needed to see!!!! The sunscreen I had been using for years was moderate, the Ocean Potion SPF 50 or 55, not great but not bad...fragrance was the worst. But SPF 55 doesn't seem to be enough for me anymore, so I switched the the Neutrogena spray 100+, and that's like the worst one for you!!!! I don't know what to do now....I got so burned with the 55 in PR that I probably will get cancer now anyways, so is it better to switch back to the 55, or stick with the 100?

I'd stick with the 100 and just trust that the FDA would not approve it if it was more harmful to you than not.

I'm sure some people have more of a disposition to whatever causes those cancers. I just know not wearing sunscreen has to be worse for you than wearing it. Especially if you're not wearing it 200 days a year or something...

---

Posted by springsandra

So my favorite one has a ton of red flags -- the neutrogena spray



So I don't really understand... what's the problem with vitamin A in sunscreen?

The other red flag on my favorite type seems to be fragrance, which is odd to me.

I guess I just have to keep remembering that wearing sunscreen is better than not, so I'll just keep using what I have... thanks for the info though!

---

Yeah the Neutrogena I use on my face is not ranked well but its the only sunscreen I have ever found that doesn't make me cry.

---

Posted by springsandra

I'd stick with the 100 and just trust that the FDA would not approve it if it was more harmful to you than not.

I'm sure some people have more of a disposition to whatever causes those cancers. I just know not wearing sunscreen has to be worse for you than wearing it. Especially if you're not wearing it 200 days a year or something...

---

haha! Trust the FDA!!!
Sorry Sandra! I laugh at that. I just can't trust the FDA!!!

---

Posted by springsandra

I'd stick with the 100 and just trust that the FDA would not approve it if it was more harmful to you than not.

I'm sure some people have more of a disposition to whatever causes those cancers. I just know not wearing sunscreen has to be worse for you than wearing it. Especially if you're not wearing it 200 days a year or something...

---

The FDA has actually NOT tested all of the ingredients in sunscreen for safety and some ingredients have only been tested in mice. I am not about to stop using sunscreen but I do plan on switching to a brand that has fewer chemicals associated with potential problems.

---

Posted by springsandra

So my favorite one has a ton of red flags -- the neutrogena spray



So I don't really understand... what's the problem with vitamin A in sunscreen?

The other red flag on my favorite type seems to be fragrance, which is odd to me.

I guess I just have to keep remembering that wearing sunscreen is better than not, so I'll just keep using what I have... thanks for the info though!

---

I quoted this from the article. ....
'This year, new concerns are being raised about a vitamin A compound called retinyl palmitate, found in 41 percent of sunscreens. The FDA is investigating whether this chemical, when applied to skin that is then exposed to sunlight, may accelerate skin damage and elevate skin cancer risk. FDA data suggest that vitamin A may be photocarcinogenic, meaning that in the presence of the sun's ultraviolet rays, the compound and skin undergo complex biochemical changes resulting in cancer. The evidence against vitamin A is not conclusive, but as long as it is suspect, EWG recommends that consumers choose vitamin A-free sunscreens.

EWG has again flagged products with oxybenzone, a hormone-disrupting compound that penetrates the skin and enters the bloodstream. Biomonitoring surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have detected oxybenzone in the bodies of 97 percent of Americans tested.
In all, EWG researchers assessed 1,400 sunscreen products, including beach and sports lotions, sprays and creams, moisturizers, make-up and lip balms. The 39 top beach and sports products that earned EWG's 'green' rating all contain the minerals zinc or titanium. EWG researchers were unable find any non-mineral sunscreens that scored better than 'yellow.''

---

Posted by FutureMrsG

---

Posted by springsandra

I'd stick with the 100 and just trust that the FDA would not approve it if it was more harmful to you than not.

I'm sure some people have more of a disposition to whatever causes those cancers. I just know not wearing sunscreen has to be worse for you than wearing it. Especially if you're not wearing it 200 days a year or something...

---

The FDA has actually NOT tested all of the ingredients in sunscreen for safety and some ingredients have only been tested in mice. I am not about to stop using sunscreen but I do plan on switching to a brand that has fewer chemicals associated with potential problems.

---

I'd have to agree... I'd feel much safer using a sunscreen that's yellow on the list. aka fewer chemicals.
It seems we LOVE to pump chemicals in EVERYTHING!!!

---

Posted by KerriJohnS

haha! Trust the FDA!!!
Sorry Sandra! I laugh at that. I just can't trust the FDA!!!

---

Way to shatter a girls dreams!!!!!!! IF I CAN'T TRUST THE FDA, WHO CAN I TRUST????????



Ok, ok, maybe that's the biggest problem here.

I'm really allergic to Aloe in any form so my choices of sunscreen are severely limited. I did notice that coppertone baby sunscreen seems to be ok on the list, so once I finish my poison cans of neutrogena, I'll switch to those.

I was amazing to see how many Alba products are on the no-no lists -- I do like this Jason's product, though, which is rated a 2:



Other Jason's sunscreens are rated a 7 though. The bad thing is they're not waterproof so you have to reapply often. Also, they're really THICK so it's almost impossible to rub them in. So you kinda end up with the old fashion white goo all over your body.

I really wanna go swimming... or canoeing... or kayaking... it's a bit overcast today, though. Maybe next weekend.

---

Posted by PoppedInASnap

dh told me about this.... a few years ago...

DH had skin cancer, and it came back in the same area, the doctor asked if he was applying sunscreen to the area and he said yes and she was like 'Well, thats why'

So scary...what else can we use u know?

---

Try using products without vitamin A and oxybenzone. There is research showing that both of these chemicals can produce increased levels of reactive oxygen species when exposed to the sun. Products with zinc oxide seem to be the safest. The downside of these products is they are thicker and require more time to apply b/c they have to be rubbed in well. They can also leave a white tint to the skin.

I've never heard of the 'safe' brands on this list...where can I even find these in the store? The Coppertone kids one seems moderately safe, but it's SPF 50, so I don't know if it's strong enough for me. The other brands aren't really mainstream I think. Ugh.

I'm waiting for the report on the Jergens natural glow that I've been slathering on myself, IN AN EFFORT TO STAY OUT OF THE DAMN SUN!!!!!!!!

and this is why i dont use sunscreen! BABy OIL ALL THE WAY

---

Posted by Summertimegal424

and this is why i dont use sunscreen! BABy OIL ALL THE WAY

---

LOL... I dont use sunscreen either... I rarely use oil though bc I get dark as it is! The only time i use sunscreen is after the first burn of the year...