The Effects of Sun Inflammation and your Beautiful Health

It's been one HOT summer consumed of sun filled days.   Unless you are out in  a thick layer of sun protective clothing,  chances are - you are suffering sun damage with extended time in the sun.  When you use sunscreens like octylmethoxycinnamate or benzophenone, no matter what level of sun protection, they are reporting (ie SPF 100), you  are sustaining significant sun damage in addition to the added inflammation from the ingredients themselves."Sunburns" are a physiologic reaction to specific DNA changes that can be prevented by chemical absorption of UVB rays.  But please do not confuse a lack of redness with a lack of damage. Collagen/elastin (and other forms of skin) damage occur with extended time in the sun, whereas "sunburn" redness and pain are the direct result of the swelling, increased circulation and an inflammatory cascade that were stimulated by the DNA lesion.

As always Informed Beauty -- we strive to educate our you on a natural and safe alternative as well as the "proper way" to expose yourself to the sun.

Why is Kasia SUNSHIELD  part of only 8% of Sunscreens on the market, considered SAFE?

FACT:  There are few active sunscreen ingredients that effectively block both  UVA and UVB rays.  Kasia uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which are the only ones that are both safe and effective for UVA and UVB protection and  do not penetrate the skin but block or reflect the sun.

Hit List to AVOID!

Sure, avoid Parabens, but take extreme caution in avoiding sunscreens with Oxtinoxate, Octisalate, Oxybenzone or Homosalate. These chemicals are toxic and have high absorption rates through the skin.  They act as either irritants, allergens, hormone disruptors or carcinogens.

Dioxybenzone and oxybenzone are quoted to be of the most powerful free radical generators known to man! YIKES!

Natural and Free from Harmful Chemicals

Good Day Sunshine Sunscreen, developed by local natural health and beauty care leader Kassie Kuehl, is a chemical-free sunscreen optimal for sensitive or traumatized skin and safe for children.

“Losing my 24 year old brother to skin cancer, I have grown well aware of the many underlying potential causes,” Kuehl said. “Unlike chemical sunscreens, I love that nature can provide remarkable ingredients that reflect and scatter away both UVA and UVB rays from your body by forming a physical barrier, without irritating or clogging your pores.”

Additional key benefits that set Good Day Sunshine Sunscreen apart from commercialized sunscreens:

• True broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection
• Safe for toddlers and children
• Non-chemical sunscreen
• Moisturizing and healing properties
• PABA-free and fragrance-free
• Light and smooth formulation ideal for daily use and can be applied under makeup
• Formulated for skin sensitive to traditional sunblocks and post-treatment patients
• Formulation of  5% zinc and 5% titanium

In short, green tea helps protect your skin’s cells by providing antioxidant protection.

• FREE of chemical laden fragrances…NON-zero….zilch.
• FREE of parabens (harsh chemical or any harsh preservatives)..
• FREE of Xenoestrogens!

The Sun and your Beautiful Health.

1. UV exposure to bare skin (regardless of the sun protection) should never exceed 4 hours a day if you can help it because the skin is simply not designed to handle it.
2. Chemical UVB sunscreens inflame the skin while inhibiting the skin's repair response/warning sign that is normally generated (aka sunburn) even though tremendous damage is still happening) and therefore should be avoided.
3. There are an amazing number of drugs that cause sun-sensitivity and you should make every effort to get off of them because they result in an inability for your skin to heal itself after sun exposure which increases aging, damage and cancer risk dramatically.
4. Sun-sensitizing drugs (including birth control pills) affect people differently. UV Protection Water will not stop the sunburn response in those people with substantial immunosuppression from medication but may work fine for many on those medications so a test is recommended.

SUNSCREENS…The good, the bad and the ugly

 

This article looks at some sunscreen agents commonly in use:

Octyl Methoxycinnamate and other cinnamates cause photo and contact allergy and do not effectively block UVA. We must ask, what is the point of using a sunscreen agent that causes allergy in the presence of sunlight?

Benzophenones/oxybenzone/benzoylmethanes do absorb some UVA radiation but have been found to cause photo/contact allergy and most significantly, they tend to imitate and therefore exacerbate existing skin disease (including acne).

Titanium dioxide effectively blocks out UVA radiation and therefore protects against skin cancer. Although this is also a photon scattering agent (UV reflector), it does absorb UV radiation which produces free radicals in the presence of water. Many manufacturers use different methods to “coat” the particles, making them less reactive.

Salicylates commonly cause photo allergy.

PABA (Paramino benzoic acid) is part of the B group of vitamins. Taken internally, it can help prevent UV damage. Used externally, it causes phototoxicity and sensitisation. PABA generates free radicals when exposed to sunlight, predisposing the skin to cancer. It does not effectively block UVA radiation.  It is banned as a sunscreen agent.

Zinc oxide effectively blocks out UVA radiation, has the benefit of being inert on the skin (it does not absorb UV radiation) and has skin healing properties. It does, however, contain large particles and can form a paste when applied to the skin. The finer the zinc particles, the less visible they are on the skin. Micronized superfine zinc is the best choice for minimizing the “paste-effect” without resorting to nanoparticles.

Iron oxide is found naturally in mineral clays.  Due to the large particle size, iron oxide also acts as a UV reflector and is inert in the sun (does not produce free radicals). Natural mineral clays also contain varying proportions of other UV protectors such as titania.

It must also be noted that this discussion of the active constituents in sunscreens is academic without paying respect to the ingredients in the carrier or base formulation. Do they cause free radical damage themselves and in particular, how well do they stand up to sun exposure?

There are instances of people using sunscreens who have reacted to the excipients (base materials/carriers) included in the formulation, such as preservatives, fragrances and emulsifiers, which have caused contact allergies. So there is cause for concern not only about the active ingredients in sunscreens, but about the inert ingredients as well. Ed note: I don’t know about anyone else but standard sunscreens make my eyes sting and water particularly after swimming in the surf. I worked out that for me, it is probably the product fragrance that is causing this effect. In any case, it has been a long time since I have used a conventional sunscreen as I prefer to stick to zinc oxide based products, including GOOD DAY SUNSHINE Sunscreen from Kasia Organics.

There are a number of base ingredients to look for such as antioxidant vitamins C and E at effective concentrations. Vitamins C and E (tocopherol) are known to protect against skin cancer, particularly when applied topically as they prevent free radical damage from UV radiation. Certified organic shea butter, sesame and avocado oils have natural UV protective qualities, primarily due to their vitamin A and E content. Shea butter also protects against burning (UVB radiation) and is an excellent emollient, softening the skin and preventing the formation of wrinkles. Aloe vera, a plant which has been shown to prevent DNA damage to the skin following sun exposure and its use in treating burns of all descriptions is well-known and an excellent inclusion as a base ingredient. Antioxidant medicinal strength herbal extracts of ginkgo biloba, green tea and pomegranate are also excellent for their ability to protect against DNA damage from UV radiation.

Reference: by Tess Dingle ND