Natural sunscreens enjoy place in the sun

Tag : titanium block

When Nashville, Tenn., mom Heather Jenkins went shopping forsunscreen to protect her young son's skin last summer, she foundherself searching for terms such as "natural" and "organic" on thebottles and tubes that lined the store shelves.
"I started looking for things that were as natural as possible,"says Jenkins, 29, whose son, Caleb, is now 18 months old. "Being amom, I don't want harmful things going into him and going into theenvironment."
Shoppers such as Jenkins, who have embraced green lifestyles, arethinking of shunning the chemicals found in regular sunscreens andopting for those with more natural bases.
Regular sunscreens contain chemicals that absorb ultraviolet rays.Natural alternatives, such as those made from minerals, block UVrays. Mineral-based sunblocks contain either titanium dioxide orzinc oxide.
Dermatologist Michel McDonald understands why people may seeknatural alternatives, but she says the chemicals found in regularsunscreens do not appear to pose health concerns and are, in fact,also organic  in the scientific sense. Some brands promoted asbeing natural and gentle, such as Aveeno and Neutrogena, containsuch chemicals.
"There are multiple studies demonstrating absorption into theblood, but very few on whether this actually alters hormone levelssignificantly, and the topic is controversial," says McDonald, whotreats skin cancer patients as an assistant professor of medicineand dermatology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center inNashville.
The main reason to try all-natural alternatives is if you break outin a rash using regular sunscreen, she says. Her only concern,though, is that the mineral sunblocks may not be as effective asthose containing chemical absorbers. Labels may mislead
Labeling on many all-natural sunblocks advertise that they arePABA-free or free of phthalates and parabens, which are chemicalpreservatives. That may sound comforting to consumers, but thoseingredients are being phased out in regular sunscreens anyway,McDonald says.
At the same time, consumers should be aware that many brands throwaround words such as "natural" and "organic," but because thegovernment doesn't regulate those terms, buyers should carefullyread what's in the product.
Although awareness about sun protection is growing, most peoplestill don't include sunscreen as part of their daily routine,McDonald says.
More than a million people were diagnosed with basal cell carcinomain the United States last year, the most common form of cancer thatdevelops from cumulative sun exposure, McDonald says.
Further, melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, is on therise. The sometimes life-threatening form of cancer is showing upin 1 of every 80 people, McDonald says.
Fortunately, deep tans don't seem to be as popular as they used tobe, she says. Also, self-tanning lotions and mists have emerged asa safer alternative to soaking in the sun or visiting a tanningbed.
"We want people to live their lives  to play golf and go boating but do it sensibly," McDonald says. Mineral sunblocks
Active ingredients: Titanium dioxide or zinc oxide
Popular brands: Alba Botanica, Avalon, Badger, Burt's Bees, California Baby, Jason
How they work: The ingredients block harmful ultraviolet rays.
Health concerns: These mineral sunblocks can leave a white tint unless they areshrunk down to micronized and tinier nano-sized particles. Opt formicronized over nano-sized, which may be absorbed into your skinand cause problems, according to The Green Guide.
Environmental concerns: Titanium dioxide is made using a chlorine process that releasescarcinogenic dioxins into the atmosphere, according to the SierraClub. Zinc mining can cause widespread environmental damage byspreading toxic heavy metals. And acid, which is used to separatezinc from ore, can permanently pollute mining locations andcontaminate groundwater, says The Green Guide. Chemical sunscreens
Active ingredients: Oxybenzone and avobenzone block UVA. Octinoxate and benzophenoneare the most commonly used UVB blockers.
Popular brands: Aveeno, Banana Boat, Bull Frog, Coppertone, Hawaiian Tropic, KissMy Face, Neutrogena, No-Ad. A new type of chemical sunscreen,Anthelios SX by L'Oreal, is for the first time available in theUnited States and is highly effective in blocking UVA rays.
How they work: The ingredients absorb harmful ultraviolet rays.
Health concerns: Some environmental groups say chemical sunscreens have been foundto mimic the hormone estrogen in the body and can throw the bodyout of whack. Be careful that these sunscreens don't containphthalates, parabens and PABA, which can cause allergic reactions.
Environmental concerns: Many of these same chemicals may cause bleaching and death ofcorals, according to The Green Guide. Sunscreen-wearing swimmers inthe ocean leave the sunscreen behind, which doesn't break downquickly in water.