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ARBONNE INTERNATIONAL Regional Vice President |
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How much sunscreen must be applied to get the protection advertised? Much more than you think! The FDA suggests: to get the maximum protection from your sunscreen, apply at least one large handful about 30 minutes before you go outside, and reapply after swimming, toweling dry, or participating in any vigorous activity that causes heavy perspiration. Is there such a thing as a safe tan? No! A tan is a sign of injury. It is the body's attempt to increase sun protection after the skin is already permanently damaged by an overdose of ultraviolet radiation! Up to 80% of the visible signs of aging is due to sun exposure. And that means all sun exposure, because radiation is cumulative. Walking to the mailbox, getting in your car, sitting by the window all count! Unprotected exposure to the sun is like sitting in a time machine on fast-forward. Which are the most damaging rays? UVB rays were once thought to be the culprits because they penetrate and affect the epidermis, but UVA rays are now known to be equally if not more damaging. According to Dr. Madhu A. Pathak at the Harvard Medical School: Many lines of evidence indicate that the primary biological actions of UVA radiation involve DNA damage. UVB emissions from the sun undergo significant seasonal variations; the UVA emissions, however, do not appreciably change. The amount of solar UVA reaching the earth's surface is much greater than that of UVB. Also, UVA is transmitted by most window glass and many plastics that do not transmit UVB. Always check to make sure your sunscreen protects from UVB and UVA, but be aware that regardless of the advertising no sunscreen product screens out all UVA rays, and there is no system to rate UVA protection yet. An SPF factor only relates to UVB protection. The best defense is to try to minimize your exposure between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. But this only applies to UVB rays which fluctuate with the time of day. UVA is almost constant. The effects of infrared rays (felt by the body as heat) are not fully known but according to Drs. Lorraine and Albert Kligman from the University of Pennsylvania, they cannot be ignored in connection with photoaging. What are some of the effects of sun exposure? Lines, wrinkles and sagging are the direct result of sun damage to the underlying collagen and elastin fibers. Hyperpigmentation can be caused or exacerbated by sun irritation to the melanocytes causing over-production of melanin, which is the body's attempt to protect itself. Then add hypopigmented macules, telangiectasias and raised, roughed precancerous actinic keratoses and the result of tanning is not a pretty sight. (See NutriMin C Products to reverse damage and prevent new damage) Didn't I just hear that sunscreens aren't effective against melanoma? No, Dr. Marianne Berwick only said that it is not safe to rely on sunscreens to prevent melanoma. This doesn't mean stop wearing them. Melanoma is now the 10th most common type of cancer in the U.S. The number of cases has risen dramatically, increasing to 42,000 a year. Most dermatologists feel that it takes over 20 years for melanoma to develop. Those with this cancer today had to have been exposed to the sun's damage two decades ago before effective sunscreens had been developed. Dr. Roger Ceilley, president of the American Academy of Dermatology said: "To be most effective, sun protection should begin in childhood and continue throughout life. Overwhelming evidence supports the beneficial effect of sunscreen usage, not only in preventing painful sunburn, but also in preventing photoaging and skin cancer, including melanoma. We believe it would be irresponsible to recommend that regular use of sunscreen be discontinued." Can sun damage be reversed? I'm told that it can be (though not completely) if the skin is always protected from the sun. The excellent skin care products on the market today can substantially aid the skin in reversing sun damage. But they do no good if they aren't combined with sun protection. Months of hard work can be undone in one morning working in the garden with no sunscreen, hat or gloves on. THE SUN MAKES US FEEL SO GOOD, IF ONLY IT WEREN'T QUITE SO..... DAMAGING! SUNBLOCK In the latest monograph issued by the FDA the world "sunblock" is no longer permitted because they consider the word confusing for the public, which I think is true. However, some sunscreens, like ours, really do block UVA and UVB rays. Under the old monograph our powders were considered a sunblock because they not only absorb the light as conventional sunscreens but they also reflect and scatter the sun's rays acting like thousands and thousands of mirrors on the skin. According to the old monograph, to be called a sunblock, the active ingredient must be titanium dioxide and test out at SPF 12 - 30. Our active ingredient is titanium dioxide. We also use zinc oxide and iron oxides. Iron oxides are synergistic with zinc and increase its light-scattering ability. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxides are expensive ingredients, which is why they usually appear on the "may contain" list of most cosmetics. But we believe that the results we get are worth it. Doctors like this physical sun protection because there are no chemicals in it to sensitize the skin. Although it is important to protect skin that has been traumatized (for example, after laser), doctors usually advise against wearing sunscreens in the early healing stages because the ingredients in most chemical sunscreens can cause reactions. For the post-laser patient, our makeup gives essential protection without the risk of reaction. |