Sunscreens Can Wreck Your Health If You Don’t Use The Right Kind

Sunscreens have been around quite a while and we’ve all used them for sun protection.

They’re common in our homes and for everyday use but are these sun protectors even safe?

Researchers are finding that even though sunscreens might protect us from the harmful rays of the sun the chemicals used in them may be damaging our health.

What's all the fuss about sunscreens

What’s Wrong With Sunscreens?

Sunscreens may wreak havoc on our health because 9 of the 15 FDA-approved chemicals used in sunscreens get absorbed into the skin.

90% of the sunscreens lose their effectiveness in the first hour of application which means that they need to be reapplied often to block the harmful rays of the sun.

Unlike mineral sunscreens which include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which remain on the surface of the skin, chemical sunscreens get absorbed into the skin and enter the bloodstream.

A single application of chemical sunscreen exposes our body to toxins, which quickly scatter into our blood, urine, and other organs.

Something else you may not know: sunscreens are also damaging coral reefs which eventually hurts all the wildlife in our oceans.

These Chemicals Can:

  • interfere with our hormones (especially with estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and thyroid)
  • cause abnormal development in fetuses and growing children including early puberty, and breast development in girls
  • be the cause of infertility and low sperm counts
  • increase the chances of prostate cancer in men and breast & ovarian cancer in women.
  • create free radicals that lead to cancer

Does this make you think about the brands you use?

Check The UV Before You Go Outside

One thing you can do before you decide to use sunscreen or not is to check the UV Index.

You can find it in your Weather App on your phone or you can go to UV Index Search.

  • If the UV is higher than 5 then you should protect your skin if you plan to be in the sun for more than a short while.
  • If the UV is 5 but it’s 4 o’clock then the UV is going down and you probably don’t need sunscreen since the UV won’t be intensifying while you’re out.

As always, if you have fair skin don’t take any chances.

What You Can Do To Protect Your Skin Internally

Astaxanthin Supports Recovery from Exercise + Joint, Skin, Eye Health- Premium AntioxidantAstaxanthin Supports Recovery from Exercise + Joint, Skin, Eye Health- Premium AntioxidantAstaxanthin Supports Recovery from Exercise + Joint, Skin, Eye Health- Premium Antioxidant

First off, you can protect your skin from the inside with a natural supplement called Astaxanthin.

Not only does Astaxanthin protect your skin from burning it also helps you recover from exercise and has anti-aging properties!

Read my full blog post about Astaxanthin here.

Learn hot to chose a safe sunscreen plus try this DIY recipe

How To Select A Safe Sunscreen

While sunscreens have their benefits and protect us from the sun they should be used carefully after thorough research.

The Environmental Working Group issues safety ratings on sunscreens so you can find brands that are safe.

Around 75% of sunscreens contain harmful chemicals, but there’s still 25% left to choose from.

This year I bought this brand of lotion and this stick on Amazon.

It’s best to avoid the spray sunscreens because they can easily be breathed in and you don’t provide good coverage.

However, before I learned that we used this brand at our recent beach stay, and didn’t get burned.

Check the ratings of your sunscreen at the EWG website.

Alba SportAlba SportKidSport SPF 30KidSport SPF 30Kiss My FaceKiss My FaceBeyond CoastalBeyond Coastal

 

DIY Natural Sunscreen Recipe

There are many natural ingredients you can use to protect your skin.

I mentioned astaxanthin but you can also make your own sunscreen from essential oils and other natural plant oils.

Try this DIY sunscreen recipe by Crafty Christian.

Be sure to select organic ingredients since they will be absorbed into your skin.

Here are the ingredients you need:Easy DIY Sunscreen

Directions:

Melt together over low heat the shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax. 

Keep stirring as it melts.

Once melted together remove from heat and add the zinc oxide and essential oils.

Stir until blended.

Transfer to a small glass jar with lid.

Cool mixture before using.

*Carrot Seed Essential Oil has a natural SPF of about 40

You may want to add another 20 drops of your favorite smelling essential oil if you don’t like the smell of carrot oil.

**Be sure to select NON-nano zinc so the particles don’t absorb into your skin

BeeswaxBeeswaxShea ButterShea ButterCarrot Seed OilCarrot Seed OilZinc OxideZinc Oxide

Will you look for less toxic sunscreen this year or try making your own?

Sources:
https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/8-little-known-facts-about-sunscreens/
http://draxe.com/75-of-sunscreens-are-toxic-what-to-do-instead/
http://www.ewg.org/2015sunscreen/

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