made in the shade - skin protection from the sun and harmful ingredients in sunscreens

Better Nutrition, June, 2001 by Karyn Siegel-Maier

protect your skin -- naturally -- this summer

With summer just about to begin, most people are looking forward to outdoor graduations, back yard barbecues and weekend trips to the beach. We can finally say goodbye to our woolens and hello to swimsuits and shorts! You may long to feel the sun on your skin again after spending months in turtlenecks and long underwear, but your skin needs more protection during the the summer months than ever, In fact, if you're not careful, you may be inviting a deadly disease to your summertime festivities.

At one time, possessing a golden tan was an indication of youth and vibrant health. People slathered their skin with exotic tropical oils and flocked to find a place in the sun and get the perfect tan. But then came the alarm: too much sun could lead to skin cancer. In response to this threat, a slew of sun products designed to block or screen the sun's rays soon came into fashion.

So, in order to protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun, all you have to do is make sure that you're armed with a sunscreen, right? Well, not entirely. The good news is that sunscreens can offer some protection from the sun's harmful rays. The bad news is that they may not offer as much protection as once thought and their very ingredients can be hazardous to your health.

Light can be heavy

Ultraviolet light (UV) is categorized into three types, classified according to wavelength and measured in nanometers (nm). UVC waves measure between 290 and 200 nm and are the most dangerous, causing critical damage even after short exposure. Fortunately, atmospheric gases absorb UVC rays before reaching the surface of the earth.

UVB waves measure between 320 and 290 nm and are termed the "burning rays." These are the rays that affect the uppermost layer of skin in the form of sunburn. They also are responsible for damaging DNA and causing free radical damage and cell mutation.

UVA rays, also known as the "silent killers" penetrate the skin further and destroy the collagen matrix. These rays measure 400 to 320 nm. Notice a pattern here? It may seem the wrong way around, but the shorter the wavelength and smaller the nm measure, the more powerful the radiation. UVCs have the most "compacted" waves and would fry the planet if they were not absorbed in the atmosphere. The longer wavelengths of UVBs and UVAs, on the other hand, pass through the atmosphere with little difficulty. This is why you can still get sunburn on a cloudy day. These sub-doses of sun require as little as one-tenth of the radiation needed to produce a burn (even though sunburn may not be detected) and cause permanent damage. In addition, scientists have not yet figured out how to measure how much UVA protection a sunscreen actually provides.

Think you're not at risk? Think again. In fact, the risk for developing skin cancer is at an all-time high. In 1935, the lifetime risk was one in 1,500 people compared to one in 75 in the year 2000. Perhaps this is why the American Academy of Dermatology has dubbed skin cancer as the "undeclared epidemic." In 1999 alone, 2,100 deaths in the U.S. were attributed to squamous cell cancer and 7,300 to melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer and accounting for at least 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths. In fact, it has been determined that one-third of all cancers are skin-related.

Do sunscreens really protect against skin cancer?

It used to be thought that preventing sunburn was all that was necessary to prevent the formation of skin cancer. With the sale of sunscreen products nearing the 400 million-dollar mark, more than twice than in the previous decade, you would think that the frequency of skin cancer would diminish. However, this is clearly not the case. In fact, the rate of melanoma has increased right along with the sale of sunscreen products. Why? One reason that has just recently come to light is that consumers misunderstand how a sunscreen product works. Many people mistakenly believe that a product containing an SPF allows them to stay in the sun longer. What's worse is that several studies have revealed that many people assume that re-applying the product extends their protection even longer.

In truth, the SPF, or sunscreen factor, indicates how long that particular product will offer protection from the sun. In other words, if you tend to burn with 10 minutes of exposure at mid-day, an SPF of 15 would provide protection for 150 minutes (15 x 10). While applying additional product during that time may offer added protection, especially after exercise or swimming, it doesn't mean that it's okay to stay out in the sun for an additional 150 minutes. Also, there is a mounting debate as to whether or not current sunscreen products adequately provide protection from the danger of UVAs.

With the growing concern about the increasing occurrence of skin cancer, Congress directed the Food Drug Administration (FDA) to define and issue regulations on the prevention and treatment of sunburn in accordance with the FDA Modernization Act. The sunscreen monograph was compiled and published in the Federal Register of May 21, 1999 and outlined 16 active ingredients suitable to use in sunscreens. Initially, the FDA gave the industry until May of 1999 to implement this monograph. But, in order to include information on UVB and UVA protection through further studies, the deadline for industry compliance has been extended until December 31, 2002. In addition, the FDA has issued a new labeling requirement for sun tan products that do not contain sunscreen ingredients. As of May 22, 2000, such products must bear the statement. "Warning - This product does not contain a sunscreen and does not protect against sunburn. Repeated exposure of unprotected skin while tanning may increase the risk of skin aging, skin cancer and other harmful effects to the skin even if you do not burn."