Sunscreen Updates

Hi all!

I just came across an interesting info about my favorite Anti-aging product of all time: Sunscreen.
You can find the full article on Webmd.

1. Do some sunscreen ingredients and products really work better than others?

"A definite yes," says Rebecca Sutton, PhD, a staff scientist for the EWG and an author of the report.

Two ingredients favored by EWG scientists are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, for two reasons, Sutton says. "They protect us over this broad range of ultraviolet A (UVA) and UVB." And these ingredients don't tend to break down as easily as other sunscreen ingredients, according to the EWG.

UVB rays cause sunburn and skin cancer; UVA rays cause aging and likely skin cancer. Because both cause damage to the skin, Sutton says, it's important to pick a sunscreen with broad spectrum protection that shields out both types of rays.

Many active ingredients in sunscreens break down in the sun, wiping out protection, according to the report. And some sunscreens only provide protection against ultraviolet B.

Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are classified by experts as physical blockers, which work by reflecting rays away from the skin. Other sunscreen ingredients, such as oxybenzone, are chemical blockers, which work by absorbing rays and preventing them from penetrating.

"The physical blocking sunscreens are by far the better sunscreens vs. the chemical sunscreens," says Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, MD, a dermatologist in Danville, Calif.

Newer sunscreen formulas include the ingredients avobenzone and Mexoryl SX. "These are considered improvements because they provide excellent UVA and UVB protection," says Dina Began, MD, a physician at Montefiore Medical Center and assistant professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Mexoryl (ecamsule), a UVA blocker approved in 2006 by the FDA, was judged as effective in a report on the sunscreen ingredient in a study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2007.

But the EWG found in its literature search that as much as 40% of Mexoryl can degrade within two hours, Sutton says.

Another new sunscreen addition, Helioplex, is a stabilizer used in sunscreens that combine avobenzone (a UVA sunscreen) and oxybenzone (a sunscreen that blocks UVB and some UVA). While they may be more stable, Helioplex products trigger the same concerns from EWG scientists as do other chemical blockers -- the risk of upsetting hormonal balance, Sutton says.

The bottom line: Physical blockers work better on both UVA and UVB rays, according to experts interviewed by WebMD.

I have always favored physical blocks over chemical sunscreen. I only carry physical suncreens at my studio because many of my customers (and myself) are sensitive to them. I have also found if I am not extremely careful about reapplying chemical screens, I will end up with a nasty burn. This article definitely reinforces my views and I hope it answers some of your questions as well. Be sure to follow the link at the beginning of this post to check out the rest of the article for other helpful tips!