Sunscreen: Better Living Through Chemistry June, 30th, 2011
Do you remember your first bad sunburn? I sure do.
It was the summer between 8th and 9th grade. My friends and I were slicked up with baby oil, and stretched out under the noonday sun at the community pool. We laid our towels out in a wheel formation so we could all “tan” our backs and play cards at the same time. We were hoping to acquire that sexy bronze tone that would drive the boys wild.
Riding my bike home that afternoon, I could already feel the sting of sunburn on the back of my thighs. By nightfall my whole body was glowing red as a burning ember. I had chills and felt nauseous. Trying to sleep was agonizing, even with Solarcaine applied from nose to toes.
The SPF Breakthrough
If teenagers today are still using baby oil to get a tan, it’s not for lack of education about sun damage and skin cancer. In fact, it’s likely their parents were slathering them with sunscreen when they were toddlers. Ever since scientists made the connection between overexposure to ultraviolet rays and the development of skin cancer, sunscreen has gone mainstream, with SPF (sun protection factor) becoming a worldwide standard for measuring its effectiveness.
SPF ratings, however, only apply to UVB, the ultraviolet radiation that causes sunburn. The sun also emits UVA rays that carry a risk of skin cancer, even though exposure to UVA causes no reddening or pain. In recent years many sunscreen manufacturers have introduced so-called Broad Spectrum SPF products that claim to protect against both UVB and UVA.
New Rules from the FDA
In an effort to raise consumer awareness and keep the industry honest, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued new labeling rules for sunscreen manufacturers:
- Labels must list whether the sunscreen protects against UVA.
- Only sunscreens that protect against both UVA and UVB can legally be labeled “Broad Spectrum.”
- Sunscreens cannot be labeled as “waterproof” or “sweat proof” because those claims cannot be validated.
- Products cannot be labeled “sunblock” because it implies total blockage of ultraviolet exposure, a near impossibility due to a number of variables.
- Sunscreens can be labeled “water resistant,” but must indicate whether the product remains effective for 40 minutes or 80 minutes while swimming or sweating.
- Sunscreens that are not water resistant must have labels instructing consumers to use a water resistant sunscreen if swimming or sweating.
The new rules go into effect before next summer.
- Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus Contributor
How Sunscreen Works Video
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YouTube All Vitamins Plus
Here are few soothing after sun items to try:
Aubrey Organics Pure Aloe Vera 4 oz:
http://www.allvitaminsplus.com/749985040815.html
Aubrey Organics After Sun Face & Body Moisturizer with CoQ10 and Pomegranate 4 oz:
http://www.allvitaminsplus.com/749985002684.html
Alba Botanica After Sun Lotion Kona Coffee 8.5 oz:
http://www.allvitaminsplus.com/724742008260.html
Mountain Ocean Body Care Skin Trip Moisturizer Coconut 8.5 oz:
