Consumers who purchase commercial sunscreen immediately look at the trademark, price, and Sun Protection Factor or SFP. This measures sunscreen protection capacity from harmful UVB rays. People seem to trust brands that recognize and understand that merchandise with higher SFP offers more protection for their skin.
Use of Chemicals
Here’s one thing the ordinary consumer fails to realize. A bottle of sunscreen contains numerous chemical ingredients supposedly capable of sheltering your skin once you go out into the beach under the sweltering heat. Said chemicals are absorbed by your system and can cause more harm.
Take the case of Oxybenzone which is said to disrupt hormones in our bodies. Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3) is an organic compound soluble in many organic solvents. At the same time, the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed its presence in expectant women has been associated with lower birth rates.
Likewise, there is evidence that avobenzone (oil-soluble component used by many sunscreen producers) decomposes in the sun causing the release of free radicals that produces risks of acquiring cancer. Hazards include addition of artificial fragrances and cosmetic parabens known as parabens.
Last May (2018), HuffPost reported that legislators from Hawaii have ratified a bill that bans the sale and shipment of sunscreens with oxybenzone and another compound called octinoxate. These chemicals are believed to harm coral reefs and promote the coral’s vulnerability to bleaching. Some 14,000 tons of sunscreen allegedly end up in these reefs yearly.
Natural Sunscreens
Natural sunscreens are fast becoming more popular because of such revelations. Green tea, apricot oil, purified water, rosehip oil, and Vitamin E are among the most common healthy ingredients. The question is how do these products work to protect our skin? A well-known American dermatologist, Dr. Jeffrey Dover says active ingredients that make natural sunscreens function are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. The natural elements form a barrier between the sun and a person’s skin.
Experts like Dr. Dover advice consumers to find natural products. You have several options, but the best way is to look for natural alternatives for healthy and protected skin which not only prevents sunburns but chronic diseases like cancer as well.
Top Five
We get Vitamin D3 from direct sunlight and helps protect your skin against injury from the UV rays. Research studies discovered that this vitamin was able to reduce sunburn in experimental mice. Another study stated D3 can also stop and reverse skin aging from sunlight. Maintain your vitamin D levels in the ideal range which is between 50 and 80 nanograms (NG) per millimeter (ML) by consuming mushrooms and salmon. If you’re taking natural D3 supplement, opt for the 5,000 International Unit (IU) per dosage.
Eating tomatoes can help screen tour skin from intense sunlight. One study found out that around 55 grams or five tablespoons of tomato paste daily is equal to 1.3 Sun Protection Factor sunscreen. It may not be substantial but fresh and organic tomatoes has more lycopene or red carotenoid pigment found in tomatoes and berries. This antioxidant and fat-soluble nutrient also yields different benefits.
Red grapes have plenty of quercitrin. This flavonoid or plant pigment can help minimize skin impairment from UVB radiation. Quercitrin possesses an antioxidant effect against UVB that prevents sunburn and reduces inflammation thereby alleviating the discomfort. Phytonutrients in these fruits decelerates the formation of injurious reactive oxygen that grow in skin cells connected to skin death and cancer as well as sun damage.
Astaxanthin refers to a carotenoid that gives salmon fish its pink-reddish color. It is stronger than Vitamin C and E, or CoQ10 nutrients that occur in our bodies naturally. Astaxanthin protects the skin from solar injury and helps inhibit DNA from being adversely affected by UV rays. It is also capable of protecting the heart, joints, eyes, and brain.
Plant oils contain natural sunscreens. For instance, sesame oils can withstand 30% of Ultraviolet rays. On the other hand, oils that come from coconuts, olives, peanuts, and cotton seed can block 20% of these rays. Red raspberry and carrot seed oils are also good alternatives with 28-50 and 38-40 SPF respectively. However, these oils are not regulated in terms of standardization, thickness, formulation, absorption capacity, and protective properties.
Clothing
This is not in the top five list but wearing the proper clothes can be your most effective protection against sunrays. Appropriate clothing absorbs or reflects the sunlight keeping your skin safer. Wear some clothes while on the beach this summer after about 20 minutes of continuous exposure under the sun. Go for white-colored clothes which reflect sunlight effectively and make you feel cooler during summer.
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