There is no question that prolonged and excessive sun exposure can cause skin cancer . But does sunscreen prevent it? Surprisingly, sunscreen may actually be causing more harm than good.
Wearing sunscreen with SPF may be giving people a sense of security to the point where they let themselves be exposed to the sun for longer than they should. About 87% of sunscreens don’t provide enough protection, not to mention that even if they do the body sweats and after about an hour or so there is little or no protection. People rarely reapply as often as is needed. Secondly and more importantly sunscreen contains many chemical ingredients that may be harmful to the body. Oxybenzone is one of the main active ingredients in sunscreen and can also be found in lip balms and other skin care products. Scary enough it may cause cancer. Oxybenzone can penetrate the epidermal or dermal junction which can lead to free radical damage and possibly result in cancer . Repeated use and reapplication on the face especially may be harmful in the long term, although more research is needed. Of course sunscreen companies do not offer up this information and many people are shocked to hear that what they think is protecting them is actually harmful. So how do we protect ourselves from the sun safely?
Our bodies do have a natural defense against cancer. When skin is exposed to the sun we produce melanin which results in a tan. Unfortunately, even the darkest skin does not have enough melanin to avoid all sun damage. With knowledge about harmful products contained in sunscreens there is a new market open for chemical free sun protection. Some brands of make up with natural minerals provide sun protection without the added chemicals. Also, though it is difficult, a handful of products do have sun protection without oxybenzone in them.
Until we know more answers about sunscreen and the chemicals in them it is not safe to rely on these products alone. Wearing protective clothing, hats, sunglasses, and avoiding the sun altogether seem to be the only sure ways to truly protect the human body from sun damage.
