Protection from the Suns Rays
It’s getting into springtime and flowers wont really bloom without adequate sunshine. Great for the earth and growing plants but not so much for those of us that are trying to ward off the signs of aging.
Over our evolution scientist have developed Sunscreens that help to protect the body from the suns harmful UVA and UVB Rays. The bad news is that often these sun screens are filled with more toxic and endocrine disrupting ingredients that…. well, if you are outside a lot in the warm months, the continual application of these toxic compounds can build-up causing a dramatic effect on your overall body health.
Thought our bodies can detoxify from several toxic compounds, the overall body toxic load can become too much for the body to take especially considering how often we apply sunscreen over the course of a lifetime. Maybe we are better going without it OR Maybe we can find a brand that aligns with your desire NOT to introduce harmful additives into your family and your bodies.
What are typical SunScreens Made from?
There exist today 2 main forms of sun screen:
Chemical (absorbed by the skin), go on the skin easier
Mineral (sit on the skin surface) often difficult to rub in
You could see how chemical forms may pose a higher risk for toxic exposure because anything that is absorbed into our skin needs to be metabolized. And if our bodies don’t recognize an ingredient (meaning it doesn’t have DNA that our body cells read) then it is deemed a toxin that needs to be destroyed. I’d rather not go into the deep waters of how our bodies engage with foreign toxic invaders but the long and short is environmental pollutants and other toxins become trapped in lipid cells and are stored in fatty tissue known as adipose tissue. #toxinsarestoredinfat Which is great, rather have persistent organic pollutant (POP) engulfed in fat then travel and do damage to my vital organs [s].
Our adipose tissue is a metabolically dynamic organ that functions strongly under endocrine influence and it plays a role is to regulate diverse processes, such as energy storage/expenditure, appetite control, glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, inflammation and tissue repair. When you add too many toxic compounds throughout the day there is a vast accumulation of lipophilic POPs that increase the bodies overall total toxic burden. As fat is lost/used for metabolic reactions, accumulated POPs are slowly released into the bloodstream (more so during weight loss) which has a very detrimental effect on our bodies function causing metabolic and endocrine disruption. In the bloodstream they become lipotoxicity (aka toxic lipids). For example, POP are highly damaging to our cells mitochondria, the energy production centers [s]. If you are a person that feels fatigued often, it could be because your mitochondria are not operating at their best due to ”lipotoxic effects on mtDNA, RNA and proteins of the mitochondrial machinery, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction.”
For mothers, we make lipid rich breast milk from our adipose tissue/fat storage. The more our bodies have a toxic burden, the more POPs and other xenobiotic chemicals our infants consume! This is due to POP release from fat storage tissue in humans has been provided by breastfeeding studies[s].
Seeing as though our Adipose Tissue is so involved in making our bodies sex steroids hormones (estrogen and testosterone), you can see how the presence of POP are a big factor for reproductive disruption.
Okay, maybe I went too deep into something so let’s do a Quick recap - toxins are really really bad for our bodies which can negativly impact our bodies energy production and reproductive systems.
Typical active ingredients in chemical sunscreens include oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxate.
Typical Ingredients in Mineral/Physical sunblock are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
Which Ingredients are bad/toxic?
Per the EWG.org :
Oxybenzone: The main issue is that on labels, oxybenzoner ius really benzophenone-3. Benzophenone is easily absorbed through the skin. The CDC have found benzophenones in the urine of 97% of people tested. and is estrogenic (meaning that it mimic estrogen in the body. Benzophenone is more strongly estrogenic than bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical found in certain plastics. And is potentially “of greater harm to to children (FDA 2019).” Researchers found that adolescent boys with higher oxybenzone measurements had significantly lower total testosterone levels. Three other studies reported statistically significant associations between oxybenzone exposure during pregnancy and birth outcomes. Female exposures to oxybenzone and related chemicals have been linked to an increased risk of endometriosis [s].
It is also very damaging to our water ecosystems. Oxybenzone is a photo-toxicant and its adverse effects are exacerbated in the light (in the sun). Studies showed an increasing rate of coral bleaching in response to increasing concentrations of oxybenzone [s].
Octinoxate: banned in Several countries and Hawaii for its effect on coral reefs. Linked to skin allergies, and in animal studies showed an effects on the reproductive system and thyroid function with some evidence for other endocrine targets, including androgen and progesterone signaling.
Avobenzone: can disrupt the endocrine system and has been shown to block the effects of testosterone in cellular studies. Avobenzone is not sun stable, it must be paired with other ingredients that act as stabilizers to prevent it from breaking down.
Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide
Mineral sunscreens are made with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, usually in the form of nanoparticles. The FDA proposed that both titanium dioxide and zinc oxide be classified as safe and effective. Evidence suggests that few if any zinc or titanium particles penetrate the skin to reach living tissues (Gulson, 2012, Sadrieh 2010).
What to use?
Choose a mineral base Sun Screen. The ingredients, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, are both deemed safe and effective by the FDA. Also mineral formulas are much less irritating, even for sensitivity skin.
Now I’m not a dermatologist or skincare expert, I am only a person that is concerned about ingredients and preventing unwanted ones from entering and causing damage to my body. I like to find brands that have integrity, review the ingredients and make a decision. When I find a brand that I know I can trust, I tend to stick with them.
What I’m going to be using this year is Arbonne’s FunSun Mineral Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 30. It’s main ingredients are 19% Zinc Oxide and Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax for adherence to skin and water resistances properties. It goes on smooth and is formulated with Zinc Oxide technology to offer more effective UVA protection. This blends easily and leaves skin feeling silky smooth without a greasy or with a white cast. It’s recommended to reapply after 2 hours (or 40 minutes after swimming or sweating).
Course, I haven’t tried too many other mineral sun screens. For more info I would recommend visiting the EW Guide or there are some beauty expert picks of sunscreen with hand on experience Option 1 Option 2.
Add’l Sources:
https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-019-0230-6
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3569688/