Sunscreen

If you’re relying on that bottle of sunscreen to protect you from all the risks of sun exposure, you’re not seeing the big picture - Kris Carr

Sunscreen
Sunscreen

image by: Mike Mozart

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Why SPF doesn't really matter and other sunscreen facts

Sunscreen is one of the most popular forms of protection from the sun's damaging rays. But how and why it works is often met with confusion. Here's what you need to know:

1) SPF measures burning, not cancer protection. There's a difference

SPF stands for sun-protection factor. It's a commonly used metric for measuring sunscreen protection against burning. It is not, however, a cancer protection measure. That's because there are two types of light that can hurt your skin and cause the cells to mutate into cancer: ultraviolet-A and ultraviolet-B. UVB rays burn your skin, increasing the likelihood of cancer. UVA light damages the skin at a deeper level, causing…

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Resources

 Why SPF doesn't really matter and other sunscreen facts

Sunscreen is one of the most popular forms of protection from the sun's damaging rays. But how and why it works is often met with confusion. Here's what you need to know,,,

EWG's Guide to Sunscreens

Do you depend on sunscreen for skin protection? Millions of Americans do, but they shouldn’t. Melanoma rates are increasing. The consensus among scientists is that sunscreens alone cannot reverse this trend. Yet a good sunscreen can play role in preventing sunburns that are a major risk factor for melanoma — provided you use it correctly.

SafeMama Safer Sunscreen Cheat Sheet

SafeMama™ Sunscreen Criteria: All sunscreens I approved needed to be free of Parabens, Phthalates, PEG’s (polyethylene glycols), Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, SLS/SLES, and a bevy of other chemicals I won’t bother listing but basically, they should contain a considerable amount of natural ingredients. The sunscreen ingredient I mainly recommend avoiding is the synthetic chemical oxybenzone.

The Best All-Natural Sunscreens

Covering your body with sunscreen every day—and about three times for days at the beach—is a good habit. But all that lotion soaking into your pores may also carry harmful ingredients. Oxybenzone, the most common UV-absorbing chemical, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration but some experts question its safety.

The Best Sunscreens (and Toxic Ones to Avoid)

Now I’m not telling you never to wear sunscreen! Sometimes, you should wear sunscreen (more on that later). But first, I want to share with you the benefits of not wearing sunscreen for a portion of the day and also let you know what brands are toxic-free and safe for you and your family, and where you can get them.

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