Sunscreens: Carcinogenic? Types, Benefits And Recommended

As everything in excess is, in general, harmful, it is known that high exposure to the sun can cause uncomfortable and even dangerous burns on the skin, producing in very extreme cases: cancer. That is why the use of sunscreen is essential to avoid these consequences. These protectors are nothing more than a set of products that you can find in different presentations (cream, spray, gel or bar) and that you must apply to your body before and during sun exposure . They have substances called “filters” that have the ability to stop the negative action of these radiations.

When going to the beach, the mountains, living day to day or simply going for a walk outdoors, your body is exposed to ultraviolet A (UVA) rays , responsible for tanning , and ultraviolet B (UVB) responsible for burns , whether for a long or short time. That is why it is recommended to complement the use of sunscreen with items such as hats, caps, sunglasses, etc. Avoiding exposing yourself more than you should is extremely important to protect your body.

Do you like what you are reading? enter here and you will find more information: Sun Protection Creams, Dermatosis, Skin Phototypes, SPF …; EVERYTHING

Uses and benefits of sunscreens

The usefulness and positive aspects of sunscreens are very varied and we list them as follows:

  • It helps to prevent or delay the manifestation of wrinkles , blemishes on the face , the sometimes despised lines of expression and everything that has to do with the evolution of aging.
  • It gives you protection against UVA and UVB rays , the latter causing some diseases such as skin cancer.
  • For its use it is essential that you take into account the type of skin you have before choosing your bronzer . In the same way, you should consult a dermatologist which products you should use in case you suffer from a special condition or quality in your skin.
  • How consistently should you apply it? Try to create a routine in which you use it every day , preferably in the morning, 30 minutes before going out to do your daily duties and you can reposition yourself a little in the afternoons. Remember that even if you have a hectic life, your body is always exposed to the sun.
  • Make sure your body and skin are completely dry when putting it on, you can avoid parts such as the scalp, lips and dark circles.
  • If your exposure to the sun is continuous (as we mentioned before, such as a day at the pool or outdoor activities) you should put it on several times to strengthen the effect with other applications.

There are special areas and protections that you must always take into account and we present them below:

Protect your face from the sun’s rays

Your skin reflects health and your face is the calling card in all areas of your life . We know that there are mixed, oily and dry skin types and a large number of people have sensitive skin , so it is important to allocate a generous amount of sunscreen to avoid rashes, red veins, acne, burns, dehydration, spots, among others . dermatological conditions.

The ideal is to become aware from youth so that this practice becomes routine , because in many cases these damages and injuries appear many years after having exposed this part of your body to the sun’s rays.

If you are one of the women who has dark circles, you should avoid emphasizing them and this is achieved with the use of sunglasses that match the shape of your face.

Do you have a sensitive skin? enter here: Facial Hydration: Benefits, Tips and Homemade Recipes

Protect the skin of babies

The skin of a baby is much more sensitive, thin and delicate than that of an adult and for this a sunburn can be very painful, so much so that it can lead to dehydration and fever. Even on a cloudy day, the sun’s radiation levels are high and it can also bring negative effects, although at a lower level.

In the case of sunscreens for babies and children, these are made in a special way, because although they have basically the same components as protective creams for adults , they do not have any type of fragrance or smell and, in addition, the results are softer.

It is proven that making them sunbathe occasionally gives them benefits, but it is essential never to do it in excess, doing everything possible not to expose them to the sun at noon and part of the afternoon and choosing the bronzer that has the highest level of protection, in addition of moisturizing elements.

Avoid applying gels and lotions to your baby or child , as they have alcoholic elements that can dry out and mistreat their skin. These types of protectors are recommended for adults with oily skin or who have a tendency to suffer from acne.

In addition to the toys and food, inside your bag of objects for the beach you can never miss the umbrella and hat for your little one. Avoid causing unnecessary and painful harm.

It is important that you read about Do moisturizers with sun protection work?

Protect hair from sun rays

If we take extra care of our skin, why not do the same with our hair ? That extension of our body that can even define our personality and make us have a more or less unkempt look.

If you like to wear your hair loose, collected, straight, wavy or colored, it is important that you know that just as with the skin, the sun’s rays affect your hair and much more than what is believed or spoken. Its negative effects reduce its softness, dry it out and break it because UV rays modify its elastic properties and leave the hair fiber unprotected.

If your hair is dyed, the situation becomes more complicated, since the natural appearance is altered and then with a day of walking to the beach you can end up with dry, fragile hair with modified coloring.

And you must be wondering how you should protect your hair, here are some interesting tips:

  • Make use of special sunscreens for hair , here the options are also varied: gel, oil, spray or foams that have the advantage of working as a filter to avoid damage. You can select the one that is most suitable for your type, tastes or lifestyle.
  • If you are going to expose yourself to the sun on days out or in daily activities such as gardening, jogging or going to a park with your children, you should wear a hat, scarf or any accessory that matches your personality. Completely preventing the rays from penetrating each hair fiber if it is damp or wet, as the damage is greater and more if the time contemplated is from 12 noon onwards.
  • To get rid of traces of sand, salt or chlorine in the pool, you can wash your hair with plenty of cold water .
  • If swimming is part of your daily activities, it is essential to use a special hat to practice this sport, as chlorine tends to discolor your hair and seawater dries it out strongly.
  • Let your hair dry naturally , avoiding (as far as possible) the use of dryers, irons or any tool that exposes it to heat.
  • Last but not least, you can use masks, sun oils, reconstructive conditioners so that your hair regains that lost shine when exposed to multiple factors that harm it.

You may be interested in this article about The 5 best Hair Repair Masks: do you know what they do?

45 Best Sunscreens for Every Skin Type

The description of the perfect sunscreen could be as follows: it does not allow UV rays to cause burns on the skin, nor does it cause free radicals. Its effectiveness would last a few hours in a single application and it would not be produced with elements that harm nature, thus avoiding the toxicity of the environment and its physical filter would be made of zinc oxide.

However, it is difficult to find a protector that meets all the above requirements, so it is recommended to go for those that have natural, biodegradable protection filters and their cream version.

Types of sunscreens

You can find an infinite number of options and types of sunscreens, but you must choose the one that suits you , depending on the objectives you have, what you really want to protect and the characteristics that your body demands.

For oily skin

These are designed for people who may have a chance of redness, rash, and burning. The fact that your skin is classified as oily cannot lead you to reject the idea of ​​using this basic and important product for the care of your skin.

A correct selection of a sunscreen that is light must be taken into account , which means that due to its texture and composition it is not heavy on the skin.

It has been used to using bronzers with strong and pasty textures, however thanks to innovations and advances from laboratories and brands that offer infinite options, today the most recommended for this type of skin are mattifying gels and fluids.

If you liked the previous article, you will like this one more: Sun Protectors for Hair: Benefits, how to choose them and the best options

Of natural origin

Nature always helps to take care of our body if we choose the right elements and the case of sunscreen is no exception. These are some naturally-derived oils that can protect you:

  • Avocado oil: it has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 and is beneficial due to the presence of its mono-saturated fats that, when placed on your skin, create a protective barrier that reduces the penetration of the sun’s rays.
  • Coconut oil: placing it after bathing and before exposing yourself to the sun will provide an SPF of 8. The incredible thing about this element is that it has infinite functions in the kitchen, to shower, protect your skin and also your hair.
  • Carrot seed oil: you will not believe it, but it is the natural oil that provides the best protection against the sun’s rays, providing an SPF of 40 and having the additional function of serving as an antiseptic avoiding infected wounds.
  • Almond oil: it has an SPF of only 5, but it has vitamin E that is responsible for giving softness and shine to your skin.
  • Olive oil: it is not just a dressing for your healthy salads, its uses are very wide: taking care of your skin from UV rays , providing antioxidants that help restore previous damage, also give health to your heart, nourish your hair and soften your skin.
  • Raspberry seed oil: it has fatty acids, omega 3 and omega-6 and with an SPF of 30 it is almost comparable with carrot seed oil for its effectiveness in offering protection against the sun.
  • Wheat germ oil: Although it is not as well known as the oils mentioned above, it has an SPF of 20, it has high amounts of vitamin E and antioxidants that repair any damage that the sun has caused to your skin.

Homemade

We have already explained all the benefits of each oil that comes from nature, now we want to tell you that it is possible to repair your own sunscreen at home and put aside the excuses for not taking care of your skin before any exposure to the sun no matter how small. be.

This is also important information: Best Face Scrubs: Tips and Home Remedies

This is what you will need:

HOW TO PREPARE HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN?

This is how you are going to prepare it:

  1. In a bain-marie melt the chosen oils, the beeswax and the butter.
  2. Allow that mixture to cool, then add the wheat germ oil, zinc oxide, and essential oils. Stir until the zinc oxide dissolves.
  3. Find a container with a dispenser and place that preparation there. You will see how it solidifies when it cools.

Ready to go out in the sun well protected, in a homemade, economical and totally natural way!

Biodegradable

This type of protector degrades quickly without chemicals that pollute the environment, but it fulfills the same function and has the same objective of caring for your skin. They are made up of elements that do not have permanent chemicals or harmful oils.

There are many substances that you must take into account to discard a product in this category, but if it contains one of the following you will already know that it is definitely not biodegradable : Benzophenone, Octocrylene, Dimethyl apramid, Methylparaben, Hexilodecanol, Polyethylene, Cetyl dimethicone, Propylparaben, Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, and Butylcarbamate. If you know that it has titanium oxide and zinc oxide, don’t think twice, it’s the right one!

But as the industry always helps to make life easier, nowadays it is only enough to verify that the packaging has the “biodegradable” label . This also applies to organic cosmetics.

Anti-allergy

This type of intolerant and sensitive skin is the least that should be exposed to the sun for a long time (if not ever). Luckily, there are bronzers that provide excellent protection avoiding the appearance of red areas, burning, discomfort, discomfort from sunburn, spots , allergies, acne, among others.

They come in an oil-free gel or cream that is placed on the skin and absorbs very quickly , without feeling greasy on the skin, but rather feeling fresh. They do not have preservatives, chemicals, flavors, fats, or PEG emulsifiers.

With bronzers

We know that sunscreen absorbs UVA and UVB radiation and prevents your skin from being damaged, but bronzers speed up the process of obtaining a darker and more uniform color on your body. These have carotenes and vitamins that hydrate the skin and make the color intensify.

But its SPF is very low, so it must be remembered that high exposure can lead to negative effects such as severe skin burns, burning, and severe pain.

The ecological ones

Much is said that the protectors of daily use are polluting and toxic to the environment, thus affecting the sea, corals and reefs. That is why it is important to select a product that takes care of your skin, that of your family and does not harm other living beings.

Avoid those protectants that on their label contain the following components: parabens, cinnamate, benzophenone and derivatives of camphor.

Make sure that the container has the organic certificate label , so you guarantee that their use will not harm the environment and that they are really natural and ecological. Also choose those free of oil.

Those that do not contain parabens

Let’s first start by explaining what this is: parabens are preservatives whose use is intended for a large number of cosmetic and industrial products that are used daily. Its use comes from the 1920s when the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry took it to produce shampoos, toothpastes, any type of gels and topical medications.

We leave you important information here: Parabens: List of Prohibited, symptoms, consequences and Benefits in Babies and cosmetic products

These preservatives have among their properties to function as bactericides and fungicides, in this way it prevents an infection from being caused by the presence of any fungus, microbe or bacteria. However, various organizations and groups speak out against its use, since the long-term effects it produces are not known for sure.

Several studies have led scientists to conclude that these preservatives can have the effect of changing the hormonal balance of the body, thus causing cancer tumors. In addition to stimulating phototoxic reactions that increase the skin’s reactivity to UV rays, that is, it can cause spots or lesions on the skin.

Some countries prohibit its use mainly for products intended for young children under 3 years of age. While in other parts of the world its use is common, as long as it does not exceed 0.4% concentration for each product.

Anti-stain

These products help the skin tone to be even to prevent the accumulation of sun damage that the body is exposed to every day. Remember that these negative effects can be seen over the years.

Hence the importance of implementing a routine where bronzer is used throughout the year if possible. Choose one that is pleasant, that your skin tolerates it, that is of quality and good texture. You will not necessarily have shiny and oily skin when using sunscreen, science advances and with it the formulation of your products with the appropriate sun filters.

Check out our articles on if what really works to lighten skin blemishes?

Those water-based or water-resistant?

Water-based sunscreens are basically recommended for people who suffer or suffer from acne . Therefore, they should use those that are oil-free and water-based, since these do not clog the pores of your skin.

The water and sweat resistant bronzers guarantee that they protect you while you are submerged in the water (pool, beach, etc.), since they remain longer on the skin while it is wet. However, it is important to emphasize that it must be reapplied after 40 minutes from the first application, because the water does not protect from the sun’s rays, on the contrary it enhances its negative effects.

For more information, here is an article about Water: Contraindications, Benefits, Components and alkaline water

Based on zinc oxide

By using this component a greater protection to the skin is enhanced. Remember that this ingredient can be used when preparing your homemade sunscreen and its goodness is that it reflects the sun’s rays in a more efficient way. You can manage to give it an SPF between 10-12 according to the amount of zinc oxide you put on it, according to your needs and that of your family environment.

But if you do not dare to prepare it, there are natural cosmetic products that are made with this compound. You should only avoid having vitamin A and Oxybenzone.

Broad spectrum

To ensure that your skin is well protected from the sun’s rays that damage it, you should select a protector that is classified as broad spectrum.

This label and category is assigned to those that protect from UVA and UVB rays (those that are most harmful to the skin, since they can burn it seriously).

The fact that it is broad spectrum does not mean that it has SPF (sun protection factor), since the SPF indicates the time in which the person can be exposed to the sun without burning their skin.

So make sure the packaging is labeled “broad spectrum” and has an SPF of 50+ to ensure true protection.

Depigmenting

It is very common for women to have spots on their skin, especially in the mature stage due to hormonal changes, for this reason it is essential that during youth they have a care routine especially for those who suffer from acne or use some treatment on the face.

However, there are always products and sunscreens that help prevent melanin from being produced, suppressing certain lodged pigmentation and in turn exfoliates every part of the skin.

Don’t miss this article about skin blemishes.

Different presentations of sunscreens

Sunscreens are produced in countless presentations according to the objectives that are had and the use that they want to give. The most common come:

Gel

They are quickly absorbed into the skin and do not leave an unpleasant greasy feeling.

In aerosol

Although it is a practical and comfortable product for its application, it is little recommended for children , since it contains chemicals that are harmful, damaging the respiratory tract due to its inevitable inhalation. In any case, it is recommended to place a little of the spray in the palm of the hands and then apply it directly to the child’s body.

On the other hand, this type of product is flammable and must be kept away from intense heat sources to avoid risks and unwanted accidents. In addition, its effectiveness when in contact with water or sweat has not been proven.

In bar

A fairly comfortable protector to carry in your bag or purse, there are several sticks that are easily placed. They are made to be used all over the body, but especially for sensitive places on the whole face (nose, ears, lips) and it is very common to use these in people who play sports. It is very similar to a lip balm, without gloss and some with pleasant smells.

If you are one of the women who has tattoos or would like to get one, this product is highly recommended to protect you from the sun, since they can have an SPF of 50+.

Are sunscreens carcinogenic? Why?

Several recent studies affirm that the continuous use of these products are those that produce cancer cells in the long term due to the compounds and chemicals they possess. However, this has not been proven to be true , nor is its disuse recommended, especially if it is in contact with the sun for a long time.

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Kathie Sand always saw the world of beauty as the terrain on which to build her professional career, a goal that was clear to her when she was only 15 years old. Her great concern to expand knowledge led her to settle in Paris where she studied hand in hand with the best beauty professionals and with the most advanced techniques for skin care.

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