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Sunscreens basically consist of cream or lotion, to which has been added one or more 'active ingredients' – these are what actually blocks out the sun's rays. These active ingredients fall into two distinct types – chemical sunscreens, which absorb the UV light and keep it from penetrating the skin, and mineral sunblocks, which reflect the UV light away from the skin.
Many conventional sunscreens rely on chemical sunscreens for UV protection. Critics claim that – they are more easily absorbed into the skin, they are powerful free radical generators, they can be absorbed into the body where they can accumulate with unknown consequences to health, that they are often strong hormone disruptors, mimicking the effects of estrogen in the body.
We can find no substantiated research to support any of the above claims, but in any case, it seems preferable to us to use naturally occurring mineral sunblocks which sit on the skin and act as a mechanical sun barrier rather than synthetic chemical sunscreens. Mineral sunblocks contain either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and since these are both inert compounds, they also tend to be less irritating to sensitive skin than chemical sunscreens. One point to note about mineral sunblocks however is that although titanium dioxide is a naturally occurring mineral, the purification process used to refine it uses a lot of energy, and so it has a certain impact on the environment, so you might like to consider sunscreens that rely on zinc oxide instead.
Another potential problem with mineral sunblocks is that, as well as being inert, they are also opaque and look white when applied to the skin. One way to make the minerals transparent when applied to the skin is to include them in the sunscreen in very small particles. These are listed by many manufacturers as 'micronised' minerals. Which is misleading, since they do not explain exactly how small the particles of minerals are. They may be as large as 1 micron (which cannot be absorbed into the skin) or they may be as small as a nanometer (nm), which is very small indeed – a human hair is 80,000 nm in diameter. There is some concern that nano-sized particles of minerals may be absorbed through the skin where their effect on the body will be unpredictable. It is always advisable therefore to check with the manufacturer of any sunblock to check how small the particles of 'micronised' minerals are.
Aside from the issues above, there are the usual issues concerning any commercially available personal care products – we would always recommend avoiding any product containing 'perfume' or 'fragrance' since you can never be sure exactly what these are. And of course, other ingredients in sunscreens that crop up time and again are parabens. British researchers have found traces of parabens in tissue taken from women with breast cancer, and although there is no evidence that parabens cause cancer, researchers have asked for the use of parabens in personal care products to be reviewed, as these studies suggest that these chemicals may accumulate within the body after having been applied on the skin. We have discussed parabens elsewhere on Scene Green and would advise people to avoid using any product containing them.
Commercially available sunscreens may also contain synthetic preservatives of various types or mineral oil, which you may wish to avoid if you prefer not to use petroleum derived ingredients in your personal care products.
Remember though – the best way to minimise risk of sun damage is to take sensible precautions - avoid the sun when it is at it's hottest (between 11 am and 3 pm) and cover up with long-sleeved shirts and hats if you intend to stay out in the sun for prolonged periods, particularly if holidaying in hotter climates.
Scene Green recommended products
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Bali Aftersun Balm - Badger |
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Silky Shimmer Aftersun Lotion - Lavera |
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Sun Lotion SPF15 - Badger |
