I get skin cancer every year, and believe me, it’s not pleasant. Fortunately, I “only” get basal cell skin cancer, which is not life-threatening. But I still have to get the skin cancer burned off or cut out. I’ve had it on my eyelid, my arms, my collarbone and my upper chest, and have the scars to prove it.

I get skin cancer now because I never used sun block growing up. In fact, I didn’t take skin cancer seriously until I was pregnant with my daughter. I was in my late thirties and an annoying bubble showed up on my eyelid! I had to wait to have it removed until I gave birth, then I had to walk around with an ugly black row of stitches on my eyelid until the surgery healed.

We did not know anything about skin cancer when we were kids. But today, there’s no excuse for not using sun block to protect yourself and your loved ones. Every year, Environmental Working Group analyzes the ingredients in sun block and recommends those that are the healthiest and most effective to use. I also try a variety of sun blocks every year. Here are seven brands both EWG and I recommend.

What SPF Rating Should You Look For? 30-50.

Keep it somewhere between 30 to 50. Properly applied, says EWG, SPF 50 sunscreen blocks 98 percent of sunburn rays, so a range of 30 to 50 will be highly protective. Any higher than that – say an SPF of 70 to 100 – won’t get you much more protection, but your skin could be exposed to unnecessary chemicals.

It’s also possible that the higher SPF rating is a phony claim. Stick to a rating of between 30 and 50.Don’t think because you’re using a higher SPF you can stay out in the sun longer. Most sunscreens protect against ultraviolet B rays, which are the ones that cause sunburn and non-melanoma skin cancers like mine. However, ultraviolet A rays are also in sunlight, and those are hard to block with most sunscreens. Unfortunately, ultraviolet A rays could actually cause more damage than B, so be sun smart to stay safe.

Be Sun Smart

It’s still smart to stay out of the sun between the hours of 10 a.m.  and 3 p.m. if possible, and you MUST re-apply the sunscreen every few hours. Also, wear protective clothing: hats with visors, sunglasses, airy but long-sleeved shirts, and pants, capris, or skirts. You can also wear t-shirts in the water – once you’re all wet, you won’t even notice you’ve got them on.

7 Healthy Sunscreen Brands

The good news is that 236 beach and sport sunscreens meet Environmental Working Group’s criteria for providing healthy sunscreen protection that is nontoxic and helps prevent sunburn. Here are seven that I personally have tried and found to be effective.

Note: We offer these sunscreens in our Amazon store, but you may also be able to find them in your local drugstore or grocery store. If you order them through us we earn a teeny-tiny commission that helps us continue to bring you this expert content at no cost whatsoever to you. Thanks. 

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Sunburn season officially kicked off Memorial Day weekend. Are you prepared? After all, you don’t want to get skin cancer like me, do you?

SHADE AND CLOTHES: YOUR FIRST LINES OF DEFENSE

To be protected, you need to reduce your exposure to two kinds of sun rays:

1) UVA, which causes wrinkling and ageing, and

2) UVB, which can cause basal cell (what I got) and squamos cell carcinoma.

Most people rely on some kind of sunscreen or sun block to keep them safe. But according to the EWG Sunscreen Guide compiled by Environmental Working Group, a non-profit research institute that analyses sunscreens and sun block every year right before summer begins, only about 25% of the 1800 products analyzed deliver great protection from the sun without using dangerous chemicals you probably don’t want to apply to your skin.

I’ve linked to some of the sunscreens that pass muster for safety and effectiveness below. In case you can’t remember brand names, here are the ingredients you should look for when you shop:

ZINC OXIDE-BASED CREAM OR LOTION SUNSCREEN WITH AN SPF OF AT LEAST 30

* Read the label of any product you’re considering carefully. Choose a sunscreen that contains the active ingredient of zinc oxide (NOTE: EWG also recommends titanium dioxide or 3 percent avobenzone, but Marie Veronique Organics, one of EWG’s highest rated sunscreen manufacturers, makes a convincing case here for sticking with zinc oxide-based products).

• Avoid oxybenzone, a hormone disruptor,  and vitamin A (retinyl palmitate or retinol), which may actually increase the risk of skin cancer or other skin problems.

• Use creams or lotions, not sunscreen sprays or powders.

• Use an SPF of at least 30, and apply it at least 20 minutes before you need protection.

• Buy sunscreens that do NOT contain bug spray. Apply bug repellant separately if needed.

EWG says “the major choice in the U.S. is between “chemical” sunscreens, which break down in the heat and sun, penetrate the skin and may disrupt the body’s hormone systems, and “mineral” sunscreens (like zinc), which often contain micronized- or nanoscale particles of those minerals.”

After reviewing the evidence, EWG determined that mineral sunscreens offer the safest choice currently. They are stable in sunlight and do not appear to penetrate the skin. Plus, they protect against UVA, a leading contributor to skin cancer. If you don’t like mineral products, EWG recommends you use a sunscreen containing 3 percent avobenzone and without oxybenzone, but scientists recommend parents avoid using oxybenzone on children due to penetration and toxicity concerns

BRANDS RECOMMENDED IN EWG’S SUNSCREEN GUIDE

Among the best sunscreens EWG recommends are the following, which you can find online, in our own Amazon store, or possibly in your local drugstore or supermarket. All of those listed below have an SPF of at least 30.

Marie Veronique Organics  – Moisturizing Face Screen SPF 30

Badger – Lighlty Scented Lavender Sunscreen and Baby Sunscreen with Chamomile and Calendula

Blue Lizard – Australian Sunscreen, Face

Burt’s Bees – Baby Bee Sunscreen Stick

California Baby – Everyday/Year-Round Sunscreen Stick and No Fragrance Sunscreen Stick

Seventh Generation – Baby Sunscreen

(Here is the complete list of EWG’s Sunscreen recommendations)

 PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE SUN!

Even before you buy sunscreen, think about ways you can protect yourself from the sun.Why? Because people who use sunblock alone may be more likely to get skin cancer, since they actually spend more time out in the sun than those who don’t use sunscreen. If at all possible, avoid direct sunlight, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun is most intense.

That doesn’t mean you need to stay inside! It’s summer, after all, and a great time to enjoy the outdoors. If you’re at the beach, take shelter under a shady umbrella when you’re not in the water. If you’re out gardening, biking, walking, or picnicking, wear long-sleeved cover-ups and capris to protect your arms and legs. If you’re strolling about, don a hat and sunglasses to protect your face, neck and eyes.

WEAR COOL CLOTHES LIKE THESE…

Here’s are some clothes that are cool and sheer but still effectively prevent powerful sun rays from damaging your skin.

The post Safe, Effective, Non-toxic Sunscreens Protect Against Sunburn & Skin Cancer appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Skin cancer is scary and ugly. I should know. I’ve had it seven times. And every time, I’ve had to have it cut out or burned off in order to control it.

Why do I get skin cancer so often? In part, I’m genetically pre-disposed. My ancestors were northern Europeans from Scotland and Poland, which means they were fair skinned and likely to burn if they spent too much time in the sun. I’m the same way. I freckle first, especially on my face. But then the burn sets in. It takes my skin a very long time to tan, but I can burn in half an hour.

Apart from my DNA, I’m getting skin cancer now because I spent so much time tanning and burning when I was a teenager and young adult. We thought sun tans made us look “cool” (our word for “hot” in those days). Getting a tan in the summer was as important to us as eating ice cream or going to camp. We would slather our bodies with baby oil to “speed the burn” then make sure we were out in the sun during the most intense hours of the day – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. We wouldn’t come in until our skin was so red it seemed radioactive. It seems ridiculous now, but it was what we did then, when no one ever talked about skin cancer. (These burned feet and other photos of sun burn are on Ellen Degeneres’ website.I don’t have photos of me all burned up as a kid.)

My first skin cancer showed up when I was 38 years old. It was right in the corner of my left eyelid (the picture above is not my eye, but that bubble you see on the eyelid is exactly what mine looked like). My eye had to be anesthetized, and then the cancer was cut off. I walked around for about a week with some unsightly stitches on my face before the scar healed. Soon after, a much larger skin cancer showed up on my chest, right below my collar bone. This surgery was bigger and left a scar about an inch long. Pretty soon, every couple of years, another skin cancer would show up – on my shoulders, my hands, my back, my stomach. Often, my dermatologist could simply freeze the cancer and kill the cells. But recently, a new skin cancer appeared on my upper chest. This one was the most serious of all and required MOHS surgery, a more complicated procedure in which the doctor must cut deeply into the skin and all around the cancer to make sure the entire cancer is removed. It took a week for the incision to scab over, and a few months for the red swelling around the scar to subside.

I’ve become an expert at looking for the early signs of basal cell skin cancer, the kind of cancer I get and that is both the most common and the least dangerous form of skin cancer. I’ve only ever had basal cell skin cancer, not the more dangerous squamos cell cancer or the deadly melanoma. But basal cell can turn into melanoma if you don’t catch it quickly enough. I also get a check-up every six months, just in case new cancers are in progress. I take a lot of precautions these days to protect my skin, but there’s not much I can do about the damage that’s already been done.

I’m sharing my story with you in the hopes that you will take the threat of sun-related skin cancer seriously. Keep an eye out for it, treat it as soon as you find it, and meanwhile, stay out of the sun!

For more information, visit The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Here are some pretty nasty pictures of what skin cancer can do to your face.

Read about Sun Smart Skin Care here.

Find nontoxic, eco-friendly sunscreens here.

Above basal cell skin cancer photo is from Medscape.com.

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The best way to protect yourself from skin cancer is to avoid getting a sun burn. That means NOT laying out in the sun with no shade, unlike this person.

But after you’ve taken all the right steps – stayed out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., worn a hat and long sleeves, put on sunglasses to protect your eyes from the UV exposure that causes cataracts, shaded yourself on the beach or at the pool – you’ll still need sunscreen. When you do, what’s the best, most environmentally friendly non toxic sunscreen you can use?

The scientists at Environmental Working Group have done the research, and have identified the “greenest” sunscreens you should buy. But just in case you can’t remember product names, here are the qualities you should look for:

#1) Choose sunscreens that contain zinc, titanium dioxide, avobenzone or mexoryl SX. Avoid oxybenzone, Retinyl palmitate/Vitamin A, and added insect repellent. FYI, oxybenzone is a synthetic hormone that can penetrate the skin. Retinyl palmitate can make your skin more susceptible to tumors and lesions. Not good.

#2) Creams you can rub on are more protective than sprays and powders.

#3) Broad-spectrum protection that is water-resistant for the beach or pool as well as exercise is optimal.

#4) Choose an SPF of at least 30 when you’re at the beach or pool, but you don’t need an SPF higher than 50.

What sunscreens does EWG recommend? For your convenience, we’re selling several of the safest, most protective sunscreens in our store. Brands include Aubrey, Aveeno, and California Baby. You can also ask for these brands the next time you go shopping.

Want more info? See our related posts:

Is your sunscreen giving you a false sense of security?

Sun-Smart Skin Care

DEET-Free Mosquito Repellents that Work

Have any other suggestions? Please leave a comment below.

The post Eco-Friendly, Non-Toxic Sunscreens: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on Big Green Purse.

One reader worried that many sunscreens rely on nanotechnology, which manipulates particles that are smaller than 100 nanometers (nm); for comparison, a human hair is about 80,000 nm in diameter. Some research indicates that nanoparticles of titanium dioxide, which makes it easier for sun screen to soak into the skin, are small enough to bypass the body’s defensive “blood-brain barrier,” enter the brain and damage brain cells. (Larger particles are blocked by that barrier and don’t pose this problem). Environmental Working Group notes that, while several studies have found that nanotechnology does not penetrate healthy skin, they can still pose a danger to consumers or the workers who manufacture them. It is possible to find sunscreens that do not contain nanoparticles – but they may contain other undesirable chemicals. You can address the conundrum in part by staying out of the sun between the intense solar hours of 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and wearing protective clothing.

Speaking of which, another reader noted that clothing specifically manufactured to resist the UV rays that cause sunburn and skin cancer may be coated with nano-based chemicals. It is difficult to determine which clothing relies on nanotechnology and which doesn’t. Question the manufacturer if you’re concerned. Or follow recommendations on ehow.com and chose tightly woven, dark garments when you’re out in the sun. Tightly woven cotton, wool and polyester offer better protection than linen, acetate, rayon and other thin fabrics. Rule of thumb: if you can see your skin through the clothes you’re wearing, they’re probably not blocking UV rays very effectively. While you’re at it, protect your eyes with sunglasses that specifically offer UV protection. Look for photochromic lenses, which reduce glare, sun and UV radiation without reducing visibility.

Finally, a doctor wrote to say that the skin needs some sunlight, since that is how the body restores its supply of Vitamin D. While this is true, most health professionals agree that the body can get enough Vitamin D supply from about 15 minutes of sun exposure in a day. You’ll get that walking back and forth to your car, walking in and out of work, or taking the dog for a stroll. You certainly don’t need to expose your skin to 15 minutes of blazing sun in the middle of the day.

The post What about Nanoparticles in Sun Screen? appeared first on Big Green Purse.

My daily face lotion contains SPF15, and if I’m at the beach I always use at least SPF 45, along with a hat, sunglasses, a breezy long-sleeve shirt and light pants. Yes, it took a while to get over wanting a “summer tan.” But there’s nothing like a few bouts of skin cancer to put vanity into perspective, especially considering the facts:

Every year, more than 800,000 Americans are affected by basal cell skin cancer alone. The percentage of women who are younger than 40 when they develop the disease has tripled in the past three decades, says the National Women’s Health Resource Center; the same age group has quadrupled its rate of squamous cell skin cancer. More than 77 percent of cancer-causing exposure occurs after the age of 18. (By the way, tanning beds are no safer than the sun. Using tanning beds before age 35 increases your risk of the even deadlier skin cancer, melanoma.)

The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays appear to trigger most lip cancer, too. What’s more, too much sun can prematurely age your face and make you look as pinched as a prune. UV rays even take their toll on eyes, causing cataracts and other ailments.

UVA is the most abundant source of solar radiation; it penetrates beyond the top layer of human skin. UVB is a factor, too. The hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (9 a.m. – 3 p.m. during standard time) pose the greatest risk, and that’s true whether it is sunny or cloudy

What Can You Do?

• Follow the “shadow rule.” Avoid the sun during the late morning and early afternoon when the sun is strongest – and when your shadow is shorter than you are.

• Use enough sunscreen. Apply one ounce of sunscreen (about the amount that fills your palm or a shot glass) at a time. Larger people will need more. If you’re swimming or sweating a lot, apply sunscreen immediately after drying off. Don’t miss ears, around the eyes, neck (all the way around), hands, feet, toes, and backs of knees.

• Use the right SPF. Different skin types need different SPF (sunburn protection factor) ratings. The American Academy of Dermatology advises choosing a sunscreen with at least SPF 15. If you are fair, burn easily and often suffer bad sunburns, choose higher SPF numbers such as 30 or 45. But don’t stay in the sun longer. An SPF 45 “probably provides 3 to 4 percent more protection than a SPF 15,” says Dr. Susan C. Taylor, MD, a Philadelphia dermatologist and the Founding Director of the Skin of Color Center at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York. According to Dr. Taylor, even though skin pigment, or melanin, in the “average” African American gives protection equivalent to SPF 13, brown- and black- skinned people should still use sunscreen with at least SPF 15.

• Apply early and often. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends applying sunscreen 15 to 20 minutes before going outside to let your skin absorb it, then reapply every two hours. Because no sunscreen is truly “waterproof” or “sweatproof,” reapply after 40 minutes of sweaty activity or swimming.

• Dress for the occasion. Wear protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, and long pants. Protect your eyes with wraparound sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV ray protection. Beach umbrellas and other kinds of shade help, but UV rays can still bounce off sand, water, and porch decks. Use sunscreen whenever outside.

What to Buy?

• First, throw away last year’s lotions, as some ingredients lose effectiveness over time.

• Pick the best product. According to Environmental Working Group, 54 percent of sunscreens become unstable when exposed to light and might not offer the advertised protection. The group recommends the “best” sunscreens here.

• Consider self-tanning lotions and sprays. However, you can still burn in the sun, as these only contain an SPF of 4. Use a sunscreen every two hours with an SPF of at least 15.

If you want to cover up, consider these two “thumbs up” options:

• Solarweave® is a revolutionary fabric specially manufactured to block more than 97.5% of all UVA and UVB radiation. Available in bathing suit cover-ups, long-sleeve shirts, t-shirts, pants, and hats.

• Coolibar clothing comes packaged with a hang tag that includes an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (or “UPF”) rating. Some clothes claim to block 98% UV. Available in tunics blouses, hoodies, pants, and cover-ups.

Want to learn more? See our Personal Care Page, or visit the National Women’s Health Resource Center .

The post Sun-Smart Skin Care appeared first on Big Green Purse.

According to the latest analysis from scientists at Environmental Working Group (EWG), only 16% of sunscreen products  are both safe and effective (i.e., they’ll protect you from sunburn and skin cancer, remain stable in sunlight, and contain few if any ingredients with significant known or suspected health hazards).

Among the chief concerns:

* Sunscreens break down in the sun. Parodoxically, says EWG, many sunscreen ingredients break down in a matter of minutes or hours, and then let UV radiation through to the skin.

* Questionable product claims are widespread. At least 48% of products on the market bear claims that are considered “unacceptable” or misleading under the Food and Drug Administration’s draft sunscreen safety standards. Claims like “all day protection,” “mild as water,” and “blocks all harmful rays” are not true, yet are found on bottles.

* Many sunscreens contain nano-scale ingredients that raise potential concerns. Though micronized and nano-scale zinc oxide and titanium dioxide in sunscreen provide strong UVA protection, studies on nanotechnology question their unique, toxic properties. Options available in Europe could replace nano-scale ingredients here in the U.S., but the Food and Drug Administration has been slow to approve them.

Thumbs UP: Despite these issues, you have at least 128 safe options, according to EWG, including Blue Lizard Australian Suncream SPF 30/Baby, California Baby Water-Resistant Hypo-Allergenic Sunscreen SPF 30-plus and Aveeno Baby Sunblock Lotion Continuous Protection SPF 55.

Thumbs DOWN: Sunscreens on EWG’s “Avoid” list? There are 37, including Coppertone Sport Sunblock Lotion SPF 15 and Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion SPF 15.

See the entire database of recommendations at Environmental Working Group.

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