It’s that time of year to be out and about on boats, at the beach, or even just driving around in this nice sunny weather. Here are some things I want you to think about before you slather on the sunscreen. As I pointed out in a previous blog about skin health, what you use on your skin finds its way into your body.

8 Facts About Sunscreen

Do you depend on sunscreen for skin protection? Millions of Americans do, but they shouldn’t. The rate of melanoma diagnosis is 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.

Sunscreen should be just one tool in your arsenal. These eight little known facts about sunscreens will help you spot problem products and avoid getting burned.

1. There’s no proof that sunscreens prevent most skin cancer.
2. Don’t be fooled by high SPF.
3. The common sunscreen additive vitamin A may speed development of skin cancer.
4. European sunscreens provide better UVA protection.
5. Sunscreen doesn’t protect skin from all types of sun damage.
6. Some sunscreen ingredients disrupt hormones and cause skin allergies.
7. Mineral sunscreens contain nano-particles.
8. If you avoid sun, check your vitamin D levels.

Vitamin A Exposure

The sunscreen industry adds vitamin A to nearly 18 percent of the beach and sport sunscreens, 17 percent of moisturizers with SPF, and 13 percent of all SPF-rated lip products in EWG’s 2015 sunscreen database.

Vitamin A is an antioxidant added to skin products because manufacturers believe it slows skin aging. They may be right in the case of lotions and night creams used indoors, but the federal study raised the possibility that it may speed the growth of cancerous tumors when used on skin exposed to sunlight.

Scientists have found that vitamin A can spur excess skin growth, known as hyperplasia, and that in sunlight retinyl palmitate can form free radicals that damage DNA (NTP 2000).

EWG recommends that consumers avoid sunscreens and other skin and lip products containing vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, retinol, retinyl acetate, retinyl linoleate, and retinoic acid.

I found the information above on Www.Ewg.Org. You can click on the link for further info.