Sunscreen-- what's the deal?

[alexsam]

So, I'm looking at my kids in awe this summer. I've taken a slightly less neurotic stance on sunscreen and the two of them have turned glowing, golden colors . My little one has a darker kind of complexion and he has turned a little nut brown. My older one is gold from hair on down. They have never burned (I do sunscreen for prolonged exposure and we wear widebrimmed hats when out and about and we hang out in the shade when possible, so the tanning is just from casual outside life, which we are a lot, though). They look like they are pictures of health and vibrancy and good living- active, strong, outside...

So, what is the deal with sunscreen anyway? All the sun reports are just dire- slather the kids or face extreme health consequences.

Is a bit of a summer tan really setting them up for increased risk of skin cancer?

[nj's_mom]

I hope not!

I use sunscreen on DD (who is just turned one) when I feel it's actually neccessary. In the beginning of the summer when she was super-pale from winter and also a lot littler, I used it a lot more- always organic sunscreen, though. But as she grew older and on the days I forgot she got this lovely nutty kind of tan on her arms and legs- and so now I use it liberally on her shoulders, face, and upper back if we are at, say, the beach where wer are in direct sunlight, especially if she is in just a diaper or something. But I don't bother with her arms and legs anymore, to be honest, except in extremely hot, direct sunlight.

And she is a lovely little healthy tanned baby, same as yours only her face remains a bit lighter!

[Ms Apricot]

I used to be pretty casual about sunscreen. Since moving to Australia, I've taken a different view. I've always tanned, never burned, so it's hard for me to remember to use sunblock. I didn't enforce it with the kids - partly because DD is like me, she just tans.

Australians are rightly concerned about melanomas - it's a leading cause of death here. What really persuaded me is that I haven't attended a single social event here where someone hasn't arrived with a huge bandage covering some part of their face or arms - due to recent excision of a cancerous or pre-cancerous mole.

"Slip, slap, slop" is the mantra - slip into long sleeves and pants (linen and cotton, of course), slap on a hat and slop on the sunscreen.

Hats are a mandatory part of the school uniform. Everyone is sun aware, which is a good thing. Seeing the number of people suffering from skin cancer has really changed my attitude.

[newmum35]

If you're avoiding sun (or wearing sunscreen outdoors) you might want to make sure you are getting enough vit. D. Recent studies have shown kids and adults are dangerously deficient in vit. D. There is even a vit. D. theory of autism, which I thought was extremely interesting.

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health/autism/

Also don't forget, while overexposure to sun may promote melanomas (skin cancers), sensible sun exposure actually prevents many other forms of cancer. (could be the vit D benefit)

http://www.naturalnews.com/021892.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/025495_ca...st_cancer.html

I've even read about some sunscreens that actually promote cancer by allowing one type of radiation to pass through skin, but not another type.

Here's a free book to read online

http://www.naturalnews.com/rr-sunlight.html

ETA: On page 8 of the book linked above (The Healing Power of Sunlight & Vitamin D) An exclusive interview with Dr. Michael Holick, this is what it says about melanomas:

Adams: Wherever I go and talk to people, I inevitably mention sunlight and vitamin D, and I have not run into a single person yet that is aware of the health benefits of ultraviolet radiation.

Dr. Holick: The problem was that over the past 20 years the dermatologists have basically been in control of the media regarding the role of sunlight in health. And all they’ve looked at is the negative effect. And there’s no question that chronic, excessive exposure to sunlight increases risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer, which is Basal or Squamous cell cancer.

..But there’s very little evidence that sensible, moderate sun exposure increases your risk of the most deadly form of skin cancer, melanoma. In fact, there’s good evidence to suggest that it may decrease your risk.

I believe it mentions elsewhere in the book how milk is not really a good source of vit. D as you'd have to consume 10 glasses a day to get adequate levels. (which is 1000 IU per day) It's certainly better than nothing, but its just inadequate, as the level of vit. D for optimal health is much much higher than previously believed.

There are other sites and other doctors who believe in the health giving properties of vit. D. One is Dr Eisenstein his website is http://www.homefirst.com/ and I believe he says to take 5000IU of vit. D a day for most adults. Pregnant or nursing ladies would need 10,000. He does advise getting your blood level checked to make sure you are in the right range. Adequate vit D levels also help ward off influenza and help your immune system remain strong.

You don't need to bake in the sun all day to get adequate levels. 10-20 minutes of mid day sun for fair skinned people is all you need. Dark skinned people do need a lot more, I haven't found a recommendation there.

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by newmum35

If you're avoiding sun (or wearing sunscreen outdoors) you might want to make sure you are getting enough vit. D.

Yes, this is a concern, and people should be careful about it. I believe that most people will obtain sufficient Vitamin D with approximately 10 to 15 minutes daily of sun exposure on face and arms. Sitting outside for lunch or a short walk should be more than enough.

There are other ways to get Vitamin D - if your family drinks milk, most commercial milk producers supplement with vitamin D.

I don't think it's a good reason to forego sunscreen entirely though. No tan is a good tan. A tan, no matter how mild, is an indication of the damage that the skin has suffered from the sun's radiation. It's akin to a scar, just prettier.

[SuburbanHippie]

Although milk is fortified in Vitamin D, it's not a complete source. An 8oz glass of milk contains 40 IUs of Vitamin D3 which is a teeny fraction of what you should be getting. 10-15 minutes of unfiltered sunlight at peak hours (10-2) at 40% body exposure for light skinned people is enough.

Some say that for optimal health kids should be getting 2,000-3,000 IUs per day of Vitamin D3. Milk just isn't going to cut it.

[Sileree]

Originally Posted by newmum35

sensible sun exposure actually prevents many forms of cancer.

:

I think moderation is key.

[Magali]

I do not use sunscreen for myself or my son. If we are going to be in the sun for an extended time where we would be sure to burn, we cover up. Slathering ourselves with chemicals so that we can stay in the sun for a long period of time isn't something I feel comfortable with.

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by Magali

I do not use sunscreen for myself or my son. If we are going to be in the sun for an extended time where we would be sure to burn, we cover up. Slathering ourselves with chemicals so that we can stay in the sun for a long period of time isn't something I feel comfortable with.

That sounds very sensible - and quite do-able in a place like New Brunswick, as opposed to the Caribbean or Australia or South Africa where there's quite a few more hours of sunshine year round and much more intense heat.

This summer I've invested in some long sleeved "rashies" - rash guard shirts for everyone to wear at the beach and swimming pools. I wish we all started wearing them years ago. The teens are resisting them a little. I think it's like seatbelts - if you've always worn them, you don't think twice about buckling up when you get into the car.

[Magali]

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree

That sounds very sensible - and quite do-able in a place like New Brunswick, as opposed to the Caribbean or Australia or South Africa where there's quite a few more hours of sunshine year round and much more intense heat.

This summer I've invested in some long sleeved "rashies" - rash guard shirts for everyone to wear at the beach and swimming pools. I wish we all started wearing them years ago. The teens are resisting them a little. I think it's like seatbelts - if you've always worn them, you don't think twice about buckling up when you get into the car.

Yes, I like the idea of the rashies. My son has a NoZone swimsuit that he wears when we are in the pool. When I lived in the tropics, it was the same kind of deal...cover up or burn. Like before there was sunscreen...around 1940 or so...people had to cover up.

[amcal]

Also don't forget, while overexposure to sun may promote melanomas (skin cancers), sensible sun exposure actually prevents many other forms of cancer. (could be the vit D benefit)

Sensible sun exposure does not include enough unprotected sun exposure that it results in a tan.

Sun exposure helps your body make vitamin D and this is a good thing but, you really need very little sun exposure to do that. You certainly don't need enough exposure that you tan or burn. So, I think that statement that "sun exposure prevents cancer" needs to be qualified.

I recently had a melanoma removed from my arm. I have a lovely 4 inch scar to show for it. What I've learned is that NO TAN is a good tan. A tan means that your skin has been damaged. It means that UVA rays have penetrated your skin to the lower layers triggering your body to produce melanin.

Those UVA rays are damaging your skin. If your skin is brown from a tan it's because your skin has been deeply penetrated and has been damaged.

I just can't understand in this day and age anyone thinking suntans are ok.

It is the sun damage that we receive as children that leads to skin cancer later in life. That sun burn/ sun tan we get as kids may show up in 20 or 30 years as melanoma.

It's terrifying and so easy to protect yourself and your children.
http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/sa.../tanning.html#

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by Magali

Like before there was sunscreen...around 1940 or so...people had to cover up.

Yes - but they also had a thicker ozone layer that helped "cover up" environmentally. In a lot of places in the world the thinning ozone layer has removed a protective barrier.

Blocking UV radiation using clothing is sensible. For people who are irritated, get heat rashes, or feel overheated by covering up with clothing, sunblock is a better alternative than tanning/burning - no matter how mild. There is no safe tan - it's a sign of radiation damage to the skin.

How many people would deliberately burn their fingers in order to induce thick scarring so that they don't need to use potholders while they are cooking? It's just not considered a bright solution to the problem.

My SIL just had a cancerous lesion removed from her face this year. Cancer can be beaten - but it's better to prevent the war in the first place.

[newmum35]

Everyone should also be familiar with the link between antioxidants and skin health and skin cancer risk. I've read some information to indicate that the less antioxidants you consume, the more likely your skin is to be damaged by the sun, and the more antioxidants you get may protect your skin from sun damage. I did a quick search and pulled up a few links to get you started:

http://healthfitness4life.blogini.co...in-cancer.html

Antioxidants are those much-lauded nutrients that have captured the medical eye. Practicing good sun sense is one of the most important things you can do to protect your body from skin cancer. But it now appears that antioxidants can also give you a big boost. New research indicates that good skin health begins on the inside. Consuming a good amount of antioxidants, including the right kinds of fats and vitamins, can help protect your precious epidermis from sun damage, photo aging, wrinkles, leathery texture, sunburn, and most importantly, skin cancers. That old adage—"you are what you eat"—appears to hold true when it comes to your skin health.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0903092015.htm

“Vitamin C was by far the best quencher,” she said. “There are natural enzymes in your skin that cleave the phosphate group and form a reservoir of vitamin C. The best results were achieved after multiple applications of the antioxidants when a significant amount of vitamin C accumulated within the skin. Any free radicals that are generated will be quenched by the vitamin C stored in your skin.”

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/skin...g-skin-cancer/

An exciting new batch of studies is showing that antioxidants can help protect against thymine dimers and consequently reduce your risk of getting skin cancer. Research has found that the powerful antioxidants Vitamins C and E can both reduce the severity of sunburns and significantly reduce the incidence of thymine dimers. Green tea has also been shown to have protective qualities.

[SunShineSally]

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree

No tan is a good tan. A tan, no matter how mild, is an indication of the damage that the skin has suffered from the sun's radiation. It's akin to a scar, just prettier.

I wish two of my friends would listen to me when I tell them that! They go tanning all the time I have an aunt also who has melanoma.

I use very low spf 20 on ds and I and organic sunscreen I believe that we do need the exposure to the sun for health but I also believe if we are out in the sun for more than an hour we need to lather up for health.

[mk12]

Originally Posted by amcal

Sensible sun exposure does not include enough unprotected sun exposure that it results in a tan.

Sun exposure helps your body make vitamin D and this is a good thing but, you really need very little sun exposure to do that. You certainly don't need enough exposure that you tan or burn. So, I think that statement that "sun exposure prevents cancer" needs to be qualified.

I recently had a melanoma removed from my arm. I have a lovely 4 inch scar to show for it. What I've learned is that NO TAN is a good tan. A tan means that your skin has been damaged. It means that UVA rays have penetrated your skin to the lower layers triggering your body to produce melanin.

Those UVA rays are damaging your skin. If your skin is brown from a tan it's because your skin has been deeply penetrated and has been damaged.

I just can't understand in this day and age anyone thinking suntans are ok.

It is the sun damage that we receive as children that leads to skin cancer later in life. That sun burn/ sun tan we get as kids may show up in 20 or 30 years as melanoma.

It's terrifying and so easy to protect yourself and your children.
http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/sa.../tanning.html#

Interesting lecture on skin cancer and sunscreen use - UCSD School of Medicine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeXtGHSt-5o

[sunnysandiegan]

Originally Posted by mk12

Interesting lecture on skin cancer and sunscreen use - UCSD School of Medicine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeXtGHSt-5o

I got through the first 30 minutes before it froze. The most 'interesting' thing the professor said, from my perspective, is that there are no randomized trials showing that sunscreens prevent melanoma and in fact it may be the opposite. If it were pills that we swallowed, then perhaps the FDA would require that proof.

[PaulaJoAnne]

Originally Posted by Ms Apricot

Australians are rightly concerned about melanomas - it's a leading cause of death here. What really persuaded me is that I haven't attended a single social event here where someone hasn't arrived with a huge bandage covering some part of their face or arms - due to recent excision of a cancerous or pre-cancerous mole.

.

I would like to know what else is tipping the balance here.......what chemicals are being used daily, what processed foods are super popular......
pesticides for crops, etc.
Sun exposure on its own cannot be the main cause of such a huge problem.

The more the body is compromised in diet and chemical exposure, the more likely cancer is going to be a problem.

[PaulaJoAnne]

[QUOTE=ollyoxenfree;14274490]Yes - but they also had a thicker ozone layer that helped "cover up" environmentally. In a lot of places in the world the thinning ozone layer has removed a protective barrier.

Blocking UV radiation using clothing is sensible. For people who are irritated, get heat rashes, QUOTE]

Did you know that heat rash is a strong sign that the body is not getting enough Vitamin D, nor is it utilizing the little bit its getting very well?