Sunscreen Causes Cancer? What You May Not Know About Sunscreen
Who would think that sunscreen causes cancer? It has been only a fairly recent development, but it still could cause some serious shock and awe when everyone figures out that conventional sunscreen found in drugstores nationally could be a potential risk factor for skin cancer. Sunscreens are made to protect and help your body, so why are we finding out that sunscreen causes cancer? It could be simply widespread ignorance, or it could be that the FDA has kept this secret under wraps for at least a decade.
Sunscreen Causes Cancer?
Studies conducted indicate the dangers of certain chemical compounds within sunscreen could be causing a variety of skin damaging ailments, especially when reacting with the sun’s intensive heat. Though the FDA had supervised and funded the studies showing key ingredients related to vitamin A as carcinogenic, they knowingly prevented the information from being released to the public whatsoever – up until recently.
The synthetic vitamin A compound found in many sunscreen brands contain retinol and retinyl palmitate, both found to react negatively in the sunlight, becoming toxic to the system. This isn’t to be confused with the health-enhancing vitamin A that is found in many foods – it is a purely synthetic and ultimately useless ingredient. When combined with the extensive use over time, this kind of sunscreen can lead to skin damage in its users.
These aren’t the only things to be worried about when applying your doctor-recommended photocarcinogen, though. Oxybenzone and other vague mystery chemicals are found amongst a wide variety of name brand sunscreens, with many of these having yet to be proven as safe to use at all. About 8 percent of all sunscreens have been quality tested by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to be both safe and effective for the intended use, whereas the other 92 percent contain at least one (if not many more) of the ingredients designated as detrimental for human use, further adding to the worry if sunscreen causes cancer.
This means the public not only has been encouraged to buy something that is known to be detrimental for at least a decade, but is only left with a selection that is 8% safe. Not only that, but the sunscreens widely credited as preventative cures for skin cancer are also the root cause of a widespread vitamin D deficiency – a vitamin shown to slash flu risk and fight cancer. There has also been a connection made between vitamin D and weight loss. Vitamin D production is extremely limited when sunscreen is used to protect the body from natural sunlight.
So, now that there has been some research showing sunscreen causes cancer, the question remains: what will people do about it? On a larger scale, it must be demanded by enough people for the harmful ingredients to be omitted from sunscreens. Until then, tell the companies using these ingredients that you don’t want their toxic products. Spend your dollar on a safe sunscreen with safe ingredients.
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If you need a sunscreen, badger all natural sunscreen is the way to go.
Actually Steve Badger sunscreen was rated as one of the worst sunscreens to use by Consumer Reports. Price and an "all natural" label don't always equal quality.
People think I'm nuts, but I never use sunscreen, never used it on my children or grandchildren. I think the reaction with the chemicals in people's bodies from all the crap people they eat is the main problem, it's not that all of a sudden after thousands of years the sun is dangerous to the skin. And, yes, slathering your skin with chemicals is not a good idea. Sunscreen has turned into a hopeful quick fix instead doing some research, not falling for the advertising or the "experts", and changing to a healthy diet.
please put in the 8% that are safe so that we can start buyin these
Funny thing. Up until I was 40 years old, I couldn't spend 20 minutes in the sun without frying to a crisp. All my life I was susceptible to sunburns and I had no choice but to avoid sun or use high SPF-value sunscreen lotion. Then, I turned 41 and starting eating healthy. Yeah, everyone's got their own definition of "eating healthy"–I know. BUT, one day after having mowed the back yard, I got in the shower and was blown away by the fact that the hot water wasn't burning my skin like it usually does. What the hell? Warm water on a sunburn ALWAYS brings discomfort–what's going on? For the first time in years, I spent significant time outdoors in direct mid-day sunlight and I didn't burn AT ALL! All I had done was to remove hydrogenated fats and oils from my diet and replaced them when possible with good fats containing EFAs, I reduced sweets and I began taking just those few vitamins that support fat metabolism and wa la! It's been 13 years now and I haven't needed sunscreen one time since! And that's only ONE health benefit of adding good fats to your diet!
I tell you why you are not burning: you don't eat any refined sugar. The secret is to stay away from the sweets and you won't get any sunburn, or skin cancer for that matter. People who don't eat any sugar also don't get freckles. Look it up! Say goodbye to sweets and you won't need any sunscreen!
Out of curiosity, I started researching this 6 years ago and there are plenty of data published in the medical community. Do the research, decide for yourself, it's pretty obvious when you do.
I imagine if you sprayed SPF50 on your outdoor plants, they wouldn’t last long. Would it inhibit photosynthesis?
Don't put this stuff on your kids, use common sense and limit their time in the sun. As they tan more, they will be able to sustain more sun exposure…like we did when we were little. We've walked the Earth for how long? Now all of a sudden we need sunscreen to survive?
It's does seem that people with certain types of skin do need some type of protection.
Mike: Dear Lord… tanning is STILL radiation burn. It doesn’t protect you, it’s just a different type of UV ray causes your skin to cook.
Don't put sunscreen on your kids because there's no proof that it harms them, but go ahead and let them cook their skin because it ‘protects them’ even though it's been proven otherwise… YEAH RIGHT. It's people like you I want to slap.
Funny how people say that we've walked the earth all this time and have never needed sunscreen until now but, our planet and ozone has never been abused the way that is has been either. When, we destroy our ozone what do you expect?
A money grab? Possibly. I lost a family member to skin cancer and she ate whole foods, rarely if ever drank alcohol and exercised daily. I think there's something to be said about common sense. Eat healthy AND use sunscreen. Bases covered.
Bases covered? Well, only if you are using physical sunscreens and not all the time. The article above just spoke to the issue of the toxicity of sunscreens owing to breakdown of chemicals in the hot sun and the necessity of gaining vitamin D throught sun exposure, so sunscreens as a rule are dubious.
I have known this information and have been avoiding going to the beach and etc. Does anyone know of any products that are not harmful for the skin and really prevent sunburns?
yes …Clothes!
I use unrefined coconut oil.
Agree with above, organic coconut oil for sun protection and aftersun skincare, say bye bye burns hello awesomely healthy lovely skin
Did you know that the b vitamin Paba was taken out of the sunscreens? Paba pills prevent sunburn. I know from experience. I gave my kids paba pills in Mexico when they were 5 and 6 years old. They did not get a sunburn. They were in the sun on the beach for hours. That is why the companies took paba out of their sunscreens. That is why melanoma cases have increased so greatly, not from sunburn but from the ingredients in sunscreens.They just want to make money.
I don’t believe anything that the pharmacutical companies put out including all pills. The side effects are worse than the cure. It is a shame that this is such a pill culture.
Vitamin D is the bodies way to fight and destroy dangerous cells.. A body guard if you will. Take out the body guard and you have will major health issues… read up on vitamin d deficiency
You know, my mother has an olive complexion, has eaten well all her life, doesn't sunbathe but has had plenty of sun exposure doing gardening, washing etc. Guess what? She's had dozens of skin cancers and pre-cancerous lesions removed, and now has to cover up all over when she goes out in the sun. My great-uncle was a farmer, fit, healthy, always wore a hat, ate mostly what he grew himself. He had a large invasive skin cancer removed from his face. You people who think that because you suffered no damage as children, you're safe, are fooling yourselves and putting your kids at risk. Get a brain!
Guess what any thing they cut off your body they call it cancer. Guess what over 90% are not cancer. Your body needs sun so wake up. Most melanoma shows up on places sun never sees.
Tanning gives you NO PROTECTION AT ALL from skin cancer.
One other thing. A dermatologist knows that labeling something on the skin as skin cancer gets him/her paid
First off… TANNING IS STILL A RADIATION BURN. Sun burn? RADIATION burn. What part of RADIATION is hard to understand? Tanning does not protect you from a radiation burn because it IS a radiation burn.
Sunscreen prevents the radiation burn (which causes skin cancer as the cells are damaged).
As for the Vitamin D thing, take a supplement. Even in high altitudes you have to take a supplement regardless of sun exposure because the atmosphere is too thin to synthesize the natural vitamin D properly. Humans don't need sunlight, they need the vitamin D, and it's readily available in other forms.
These people who sit on here and bash others for wearing sunscreen (or putting it on their kids, like I sure as hell do) are those who must justify not using it themselves or on their kids in order to make themselves feel better.
Stop cooking your kids in the sun. Radiation burns won't protect them from anything.
The only sun screen I use besides light clothing is Astaxanthin. It will
protect me from ultraviolet radiation, and help reverse the visible
signs of aging, as well as protect my immune system.
Her damage has to do with the whole skin health and the kidney health believe it or not. Look into Chinese medicine. I am an acupuncturist and 5 elements Chinese medicine nutritionist and this is what we learn.. 🙂 blessings