Sunscreen

Summer is here! Unfortunately, many of the sunscreens out there are very harmful.

Of all the products in our house that I have looked up over the past year, sunscreens are definitely the most toxic. Our Coppertone Baby sunscreen was a 10!

The Skin Deep site gives sunscreens two ratings. One for toxicity level and one for coverage. It is very important to make sure your sunscreen protects against UVA rays. Many only provide coverage for UVB rays. A lot of us are using toxic, harmful sunscreen that contain ingredients that are actually linked with causing cancer, yet they do not even protect against the harmful sun rays. It is outrageous!

Here is an example of Aveeno Baby Sunscreen, SPF 55.
Overall Score: 7
Health Hazard Score: moderate
Sun Hazard Score: moderate

-It contains Oxybenzone, Peg's, 3 different Parabens, and BHT!
-Oxybenzone by itself is rated a 9 out of 10. It is suspected to be a hormone disruptor, one or more in vitro tests non-mammalian cells show positive mutation results, is a penetration enhancer, and it is an environmental toxin.
-Even at low doses, BHT is shown to cause brain and nervous system effects. It is a workplace hazard (meaning, to be around this chemical the employees that work around this have to wear a hazmat suit). Do you want to put this on your baby?
-Also, one or more tests show positive for cell mutation = cancer.

Here is the link for the full report on this baby sunscreen: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product/93202/Aveeno_Baby_Continuous_Protection_Sunblock_Lotion%2C_SPF_55/

Be warned that the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Approval appears to be all about $. Pay $10,000 donation and have a sunscreen that is SPF 15 or higher, is water and sweat resistant and the seal can be on the product. The Skin Cancer Foundation does not require that products with their seal protect against UVA rays. So, until things change I would disregard this seal, it really has no meaning.

All of this still makes me wonder, are sunscreens the main cause of skin cancer??

Make sure to check out the EWG's 2010 Sunscreen guide: http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/