Sunscreen Safety

You probably know that your skin is the largest organ of the body.  The porous nature of the skin means that anything you put on it is absorbed and can reach the bloodstream in 26 seconds without any filtering by the kidneys or liver. The FDA has only banned about 15 ingredients for U.S. products compared to about 1,500 that are banned in the EU. For these reasons, it is imperative that we read labels on our skin care products, especially sunscreens. Here are two of the most common sunscreen toxins to avoid: oxybenzone (a hormone disruptor) and retinyl palmitate (a synthetic Vitamin A that can speed up the growth of skin cancer).  It’s also best to avoid spray sunscreens due to inhalation concerns.

Coconut oil provides a bit of protection (an SPF of 4) so, if you won’t be out long or don’t easily burn, it could be an option.  Zinc oxide is the old stand by for blocking UVA and UVB rays.  It can be purchased in a non-synthetic form and used alone or mixed with shea butter, coconut oil and pomegranite oil or red raspberry oil (SPF 25) for a homemade sunscreen. So, find what works for you and your family and have a healthy, fun day in the sun!

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