All about sunscreen

With sun safety obviously comes sunscreen, but how do you know which one is the best for you? What are the differences? What do you do if you are sensitive to certain sunscreens? Is homemade sunscreen okay?

This is what we will be exploring in this blog post.

Back in the day the only focus one would have would be on picking the highest SPF. The problem is that SPF sunscreens only cover you for UVB rays. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that 90% of skin changes associated with aging is ultimately caused by a lifetime exposure to UVA rays, so now we are shifting to look for sunscreens that protect from both.

Sunscreens that say "broad spectrum" are protection for both UVA and UVB rays. Ingredients that protect you from both rays are benzophenones (oxybenzone), cinnamates, sulisobenzone, salicylates, titanium dioxide,, zinc oxide, avobenzone, and ecamsule. If you see these ingredients, that means it is protecting you from both kinds of rays.

So how do you tell what is best for you?

First you need to understand how SPF works. SPF tells you the rates of how effective the sunscreen is at preventing sunburn caused by UVB rays. If you for example, normally burn in 10 minutes, SPF 15 multiplies that by a factor of 15, meaning you could go 150 minutes before burning. Overall, SPF 15 is fine for most people, but if you have sensitive skin, a history of skin cancer in the family, or any sort of medical conditions like lupus that increases your sensitivity to sun, you should aim for an SPF 30 or higher. Contrary to what people believe, SPF 30 isn't 2x stronger than SPF 15- it just gives you more time before having to reapply. In fact it was found that SPF 15 filters out 93% of UVB rays, and SPF 30 filters out 97%- so it's only slightly better.

For UVA rays there is no way of rating how good a sunscreen is at blocking this. The only way to tell is by looking at the ingredients.

What about water and sweat resistant?

If you are planning on swimming or exercising these are great to have. What they mean is that the SPF levels stay effective 40 minutes after you've been in the water and hold up to 80 minutes during your swim. They are not water proof and still require reapplication.

What about for children and people with sensitive skin?

Children's sunscreen is specially designed for them as they have more sensitive skin. It is recommended to use SPF 15 for children 6 months and older and for 6 months under it is overall just recommended to stay out of the sun all together.

Children's sunscreen is great for people who have sensitive skin. They avoid ingredients like para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and benezephenones. They tend to use more zinc oxide and titanium oxide that are known to irritate skin less.

What are your options if you are allergic?

Sunscreen allergies are not uncommon and symptoms can include:

• Hives
• Raised bumps
• Swelling
• Blisters
• Bleeding
• Scaling
• Pain

The amount of sunscreen required to develop an allergy depends on the person and it can develop within minutes or take up to as long as two days. Some people may not even get a reaction until their skin is exposed to sunlight. The best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid the ingredients may be sensitive to. Aren't sure what that is? There are some ingredients that commonly cause an allergic reaction:

• benzophenones
• dibenzoylmethanes
• cinnamates
• added fragrances

In general, look for sunscreens that have zinc oxide and titanium oxide as they pose fewer risks for those with sensitivities, and still protect you from UVA and UVB rays.

If you are known for having any allergies always test your product 2 days before you intend to use it on a small patch of skin to allow your body time to potentially react to it.  If you have repeated instances of sunscreen allergic reactions, see your doctor and you could be referred to a dermatologist. They can help diagnose the skin condition and provide potential solutions aimed to help treat your skin. According to Allergic Living some top brands are:

• Alba Botanica Kids Mineral Sunscreen
• All Good Sports Sunscreen Spray
• Attitude 100% Mineral Sunscreen
• Aveeno Positively Mineral Sensitive Skin Sunscreen Broad Spectrum
• Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen: Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen
• California Baby: Super Sensitive Broad Spectrum Sunscreen
• COOLA: Mineral Face Matte Sunscreen
• Goddess Garden Sport Mineral Sunscreen
• Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunscreen
• Vanicream Sunscreen Sport

Is homemade sunscreen okay?
With everyone getting on board of turning to more natural products, it's no surprise to hear that more and more people are using homemade sunscreens. But what do we know about them? Are they effective? Are they safe?

While we wouldn't say they necessarily harm you (it may be better than wearing nothing), we will say there are some challenges with homemade sunscreens:

• Effectiveness: The difficulty with effectiveness is that in order to truly be considered effective, the product needs to be tested in a lab. This ensures that the product works the same for most people, does what it is intended to do, and determines that the SPF factor is consistent over time. When we judge our sunscreen by the redness of our skin we are only taking into consideration UVB rays not UVA rays. Homemade sunscreens that claim to have an SPF or are broad spectrum have not been properly tested. All commercial products have earned these titles through rigorous and continuous testing that was then presenting to the FDA. It literally needs to be FDA approved to have "broad spectrum" if it is on the shelves. Homemade is all guess work. 
• Time Exposure: with homemade sunscreens it's very hard to determine how long you can wait before having to reapply.
• Stability: oxidation, preservation, clumps, and degradation. When it comes to sun exposure, dealing with stability is very important. Ingredients like zinc oxide is very reactive and it is not possible with the naked eye to determine the dispersion of these ingredients and their stability over time. You also need to be sure that your formula will not change due to prolonged exposure to the sun!
• Safety: one of the biggest reason's we wear sunscreen is to prevent cancer. A person's risk for melanoma doubles if you have had 5 or more sun burns. Research has shown that while Pinterest sunscreens may claim to have a specific SPF or even be water resistant (and will use some ingredients that to slightly protect the skin from ultraviolet lights), they are nowhere near the protection you get from commercial sunscreens. 

We know a lot of people may be raising their eyebrows because the FDA has called for more research on chemical active ingredients in sunscreen, but the agency and any other health organizations have yet to call for people to completely abandon sunscreens. Still weary? Go for sunscreens that contain zinc oxide or titanium oxide as the FDA says it doesn't need more data on the safety of these. Another option may be to avoid sunscreens that contain oxybenzone- the chemical ingredient currently raising the most concern. 

So with all this information we hope this means we all become a little more proactive with our sunscreen usage and learn to find what product may be the most suitable for us!

Sources:
Web MD
Skin Cancer.org
Mayo Clinic
Health Line
Homemade Sunscreen Verdict
Consumer Report