Screening

In the news lately has been some talk about sunscreens. I am blessed with a good amount of melanin in my skin, and thus have had a rather cavalier attitude toward sun exposure and sunscreens. But with aging skin I am finally actually using screens, and paying attention when I hear that my generic cheap sunscreen cream may not be doing much screening.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG; a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit research organization) gave a failing grade to 85% of the nearly 1,000 sunscreens they reviewed, finding that the products gave inadequate sun protection, had ingredients thought to be health hazards, or had not been tested for safety.

So, what’s a sun lover to do?
* Look for sunscreens using physical blockers, such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Preferred by EWG scientists, they protect us over a broad range of ultraviolet A (UVA rays cause aging and likely skin cancer) and UVB (causes sunburn and skin cancer)." Physical blocker ingredients work by reflecting rays away from the skin and don't tend to break down as easily as other sunscreen ingredients such as chemical-blockers (oxybenzone) that work by absorbing rays and preventing them from penetrating.
- EWG's list of recommended brands at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/sunscreens2008. Or ask your doctor to suggest a brand.
* Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes to an hour before you go out the door, and then reapply every two hours, or more often if swimming or sweating much. Be aware that SPF applies only to UVB rays.
* Use a cream rather than spray: most experts say creams offer better coverage and are more likely to be used properly. Additionally, using a cream avoids inhalation of small sunscreen spray particles that can potentially damage your lungs. If do use a spray, use an adequate quantity, spread over the surface of the skin and rub it in.