Protecting your Skin from UV Rays

It’s never been more important to take care of that beautiful skin of yours, than it is during the hot summer months. Although being outside and basking in sunny weather boosts serotonin and vitamin D levels, it’s vital to keep your skin’s health a high priority on your list. Your largest organ is your skin, so why not do everything you can to care for it? There are many ways to protect your skin from the harsh rays of the sun, in addition to applying sunscreen periodically.

According to a study, “UV exposure is one of the most important environmental health hazards, clearly causative for age-related skin changes such as wrinkling, pigmentary changes, thinning and carcinogenesis,”1. Here are a few ways to protect your skin while still enjoying the summer heat:

How to protect your skin:

• SPF: Wearing and reapplying sunscreen that is broad spectrum, protecting from both UVA and UVB rays, that has a minimum of SPF 30.
• Sun hats: Wear a rimmed hat that can shield your face from any excess UV exposure.
• Wearing gloves: Throwing on gloves while gardening or having separate ones for when you are driving will keep your hands protected from prolonged sun exposure.
• Sunglasses: Keeping your eyes shielded from the sun is super important as well. Investing in sunglasses that can protect your eyes from the harsh UV rays will help you in the long run.
• Clothing: Wear appropriate clothing that covers areas like your chest and shoulders that are typically more vulnerable to the sun’s rays.
• Perform a skin self-exam: One in five Americans develop skin cancer and catching it early is very treatable4. Because skin cancer is one of the few cancers you can visibly see, performing self-checks is really important in prevention.

How do you decide between a mineral or a chemical sunscreen?

The best thing you can do is wear a reliable SPF every day. But how do you decide which type to use?

• Mineral sunscreens: Mineral sunscreens act as a physical barrier between your skin and reflect the UVA and UVB rays off the surface5. Be sure to find one that includes the ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to ensure you are protected.
• Chemical sunscreens: The other option is chemical sunscreens. UV light is allowed into the skin, then chemically converted into heat and the heat then dissipates5. The issue with chemical sunscreens is that they can expose you to unwanted chemicals that you typically aim avoid in your products before using. Benzene in sunscreen has been detected in some products and should be avoided.

Benzene contaminated sunscreen

For example, Benzene, a cancer-causing chemical, has been exposed in a multitude of sunscreen products. According to an independent testing lab, Valisure, over 78 sunscreens have been contaminated with this carcinogen. Out of 300 sunscreens tested, they have found that 27% of them have been exposed, while 2% contain over the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recommended limit[6].

Because of this, Valisure is petitioning the FDA to recall these benzene exposed products. In a statement, the CEO of Valisure says, “The presence of this known human carcinogen in sunscreen products widely recommended for the prevention of skin cancer and regularly used by adults and children in large volumes makes this finding especially troubling.”

A benzene in sunscreen list has been provided as a way to sift through which products have been exposed to this carcinogen. Alternatively, a list of the sunscreens they have tested that are safe to use and do not contain the benzene carcinogen is available. Of course, in addition to finding a reliable sunscreen, taking precautious measures to prevent sun overexposure is the best thing you can do for yourself this summer!