Screen out less-effective sunblocks

Tag : titanium block

And although most of us assume that sunscreens are safe andeffective, we could use some federal quality and safety standards.Four out of five name-brand sunscreens offer inadequate protection,according to the second annual sunscreen summary by theEnvironmental Working Group, a non-profit environmental researchorganization. Leading brands — Coppertone, Banana Boat andNeutrogena — were the worst offenders according to the group,which recommended 143 products at cosmeticsdatabase.com .
Still, as a fair-skinned, light-haired sun worshiper who has everyother risk factor for skin cancer, I consider sunscreen animportant tool. Here's how to use it wisely.
Seek shade or make it. Don't use sunscreens as a first line of defense against melanomaor a license to bask in the sun, said Robert J. Davis, author of"The Healthy Skeptic" (University of California Press, $21.95).Instead, stay out of the sun at peak hours — 10 a.m. to 4p.m. — and "cover up with dark-colored clothing that's madeof tightly woven fabric or specially treated to block UVradiation," Davis wrote.
Read the ingredients list. The EWG recommends avoiding sunscreens containing the commonlyused chemical oxybenzone out of concern that it can disrupthormones, cause allergic reactions and damage cells. "It's one ofthe most absorbed sunscreen blockers, which wouldn't necessarily bea concern but it has high toxicity issues," said EWG senior analystSonya Lunder. But the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)recommends oxybenzone because it ensures "broad-spectrum" coverage,which means it filters out both UVA and UVB light. Pick your side.
Be wary of "seals of approval." The AAD has been criticized by some of its members for itscommercial endorsement of sunscreens. Many AAD officers have tiesto companies that manufacture sunscreens. One product with the AADseal, Johnson & Johnson's Aveeno Sunblock Lotion with SPF 55,contains oxybenzone; it scored a "moderate" risk in the EWGrankings.
The Skin Cancer Foundation also has a "seal of recommendation"program. But "the main criterion for displaying the seal isdonating $10,000 to SCF to join the Corporate Council," Daviswrote.
For a fee, sunscreen manufacturers such as Neutrogena display theAmerican Cancer Society logo on their products. Only one Neutrogenaproduct — the mineral-based Neutrogena Sensitive SkinSunblock Lotion, SPF 30 — is recommended by EWG.
The Sun Safety Alliance, which promotes sunscreen use, was foundedby the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, whose memberssell sunscreens, and Schering-Plough, maker of Coppertone,according to Davis.
Don't rely on SPFs. The Sun Protection Factor numbers (SPFs) refer only to the abilityto deflect UVB rays. Look for "broad spectrum" to protect againstboth UVA and UVB rays. An SPF 30 screens 97 percent of UVB rays; anSPF 15 screens 93 percent of UVB rays. Rather than reach for SPF70, apply a lower number generously and often.
Use at least 7 percent zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Zinc and titanium act as a physical barrier on the skin and,unlike other sunscreen chemicals, don't penetrate the skin, don'tshow hormone-like activity, don't break down in the sun and block awider spectrum of the sun's rays than other products.