Sunscreen use has risen drastically in the past couple decades. So have the rates of skin cancer oddly enough...
Sunscreens shield the skin from the sun via either a mineral barrier (zinc oxide) or a chemical barrier. Most sunscreens on the market utilize various chemicals such as oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, parabens, homosalate, and octinoxate. Are you like us and have trouble pronouncing these chemical names? Any of them sound appetizing? If you wouldn’t ingest it you also shouldn’t be putting it on your skin as anything applied to your skin will hit your blood stream!
In 2014 the Environmental Working Group (EWG) reviewed over 2000 sunscreens by about 260 brands. It was concluded that over 75% of the ones on the market contained toxic chemicals that can increase your risk of cancer and other health problems.
From the EWG:
“Our review…shows that some sunscreen ingredients absorb into the blood, and some have toxic effects. Some release skin-damaging free radicals in sunlight, some act like estrogen and disrupt hormones, and several can cause allergic reactions and skin irritation. The FDA has not established rigorous safety standards for sunscreen ingredients. Sunscreens haven’t been regulated since 1978 in the USA, and the SPF factor only tells you how effective a sunscreen is against UVB rays which cause sunburn.”
Lets pick on the common sunscreen ingredient oxybenzone for a second. Oxybenzone was found to be in 97% of the population by a fairly recent study (2008) done by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Like many chemicals, Oxybenzone disrupts our hormones – it can directly damage the thyroid, lower thyroid hormone production, lower testosterone production, and has estrogenic actions in the body. It is a "xenoestrogen" that has been linked to breast cancer, low sperm counts in men, endometriosis in women, low birth weights in babies who’s mothers were exposed to this compound during pregnancy, along with eczema and allergic reactions in the skin triggered by…wait for it...the sun! Huh?!
Adding to this is the fact that oxybenzone has been found to break down into free radicals in the body after sun exposure, contributing to increased skin damage! Could this be a reason why some studies have shown an increase in skin cancers like malignant melanoma in people who use sun screen the most?
The Enviromental Working Group has identified 588 sunscreen products containing oxybenzone, along with 172 facial moisturizers, 111 lip balms and 81 different types of lipstick! The FDA last reviewed the safety of Oxybenzone in the 70’s!
In our opinion, smart sun exposure is healthy. The sun has a big impact on our mood, immune system function, hormonal system function and overall health. Take a plant out of the sun and it dies. Remove humans from the sun and we lose our natural ability to naturally synthesize vitamin D from cholesterol already in the body.
Personally, we don’t need any studies or expert opinions to help us realize that an afternoon of being outdoors with a moderate/smart amount of sunshine greatly improves our mood and overall sense of well-being. Moderation and balance is often the key to good health. Never receiving sun light and hiding indoors like a vampire is not balance or healthy. Blasting yourself with several hours of sunlight at the lake or beach after months of being inside (and not giving your skin a chance to build up it's tolerance to the sun) is not being balanced or healthy. slathering your skin in the often toxic chemical cocktail called “sunscreen” every time you do see sun is not healthy.
To help illustrate the point of smart sun exposure being healthy, there is a link below to a study below which looked at 57 different studies and concluded that continuous, smart (not burning) sun exposure actually reduces the risk of melanoma! Strong evidence also indicates that vitamin D is associated with reduced mortality and the reduced occurrence of many cancers!
A good way to support your skin health (and overall health) is to have a diet void of inflammatory foods such as vegetable oils (see our post on fish oil and why too many “PUFA’s” is a bad thing) while also making sure you are consuming lots of antioxidants – such as vitamins C, E and our favorite antioxidant supplement, NingXia Red.
Personally, when we know we are going to be getting a lot of sun (or have already received a lot of sun) we will use basic, natural combinations of coconut oil, possibly some zinc oxide, and essential oils. Our favorite essential oils here are: myrrh, frankincense, sandalwood, and lavender - all of which are all very protective, and nourishing to the skin.
Thank you for reading!
#Oilyevanstribe
Written by Will Evans
*This information includes ideas and suggestions that is educational in nature, and is provided only as general information. We are not medical professionals; and our advice should not be looked upon as medical treatment plans. This information does not represent the views or opinions of Young Living.*
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15617990/
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