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[ the truth about sunscreens ]
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the truth about sunscreens

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The Sunscreen Myth

Does Sunscreen Protect Against Skin Cancer?
This may go against everything you’ve told by dermatologists and unscrupulous cosmetic companies, but sunscreen does not protect against skin cancer. How do we know this? Because there seems to be a correlation between the use of chemical sunscreen and the incidence of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Worldwide, the greatest rise in melanoma has been experienced in countries where chemical sunscreens have been heavily promoted. The rise in melanoma has been exceptionally high in Queensland, Australia where the medical establishment has vigorously promoted the use of sunscreens. Queensland now has more incidences of melanoma per capita than any other place on Earth. (Garland, Cedric F., et al. Could sunscreens increase melanoma risk? American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 82, No. 4, April 1992, pp. 614-15).

Chemical Sunscreen and Free Radical Damage

Chemical sunscreens give users a false sense of security because they prevent burning. Although burning doesn’t occur, hidden damage is taking place on a cellular level. According to Dr. Loren Pickart, whose website outlines the dangers of chemical sunscreen, scientists have known all along that chemical sunscreens produce dangerous free radicals:
It is not that these compounds were ever viewed as benign substances. Organic chemists have been long aware of the dangers of compounds in chemical sunscreens. Such chemicals are widely used to start free radical reactions during chemical synthesis. These chemicals are the dangerous types that one carefully keeps away from your skin while working in a laboratory. To use them, you mix them into a combination of other chemicals, then flash the mixture with an ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet absorbing chemicals then generate copious amounts of free radicals that initiated the desired chemical reactions. Source: www.skinbiology.com/toxicsunscreens.html

Chemical sunscreens include:

  • Benzophenones (dixoybenzone, oxybenzone)
  • PABA and PABA esters (ethyl dihydroxy propyl PAB, glyceryl PABA, p-aminobenzoic acid, padimate-O or octyl dimethyl PABA)
  • Cinnamates (cinoxate, ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate)
  • Salicylates (ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl salicylate)
  • Digalloyl trioleate
  • Menthyl anthranilate

Chemical Sunscreens and Photoaging

In Canada, the possibility of developing melanoma is relatively low. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, melanoma will account for approximately 1.3% of all cancers in Canada in 2006. So if melanoma isn’t the problem, why should Canadians be concerned about using chemical sunscreen?

Although melanoma is the most deadly outcome of the interaction between chemicals and UV rays, there is another more widespread reason to be cautious – a form of premature aging called “photoaging”. Photoaging is characterized by leathery texture, wrinkles, skin folds, sagging skin, benign growths called keratoses, freckling, and yellow discolouration due to abnormal elastic tissue. Ironically, instead of preventing sun damage, chemical sunscreens accelerate photoaging by increasing free radical activity in the skin, causing a premature breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers, the glue that keeps the skin smooth, supple and young.

Responsible Sun Protection

The sun is not the culprit we’ve been made to believe. In moderation, it’s vital to our health and is needed by the body to produce Vitamin D. The smartest sun protection strategy is to cover up or avoid the sun during peak hours (10 -4).

SeaBuckthorn the Natural Sun Filter
For those seeking an alternative to chemical sunscreen, we offer a number of SeaBuckthron oil blends that provide chemical-free sun protection for daily use. SeaBuckthorn is a remarkable oil which was used by after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster to treat burns and reverse radiation damage. It was also used by Russian Cosmonauts to protect the skin from radiation damage in space.

How Does SeaBuckthorn Work?
According to Russian and Chinese scientists, SeaBuckthorn contains 190 bio-active components. Of these, the most significant for topical sun protection are Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Beta Carotene. These powerful anti-oxidants help to neutralize free-radical activity in the skin, thereby, preventing oxidative damage.

Disclaimer: SeaBuckthorn products do not prevent burning and should not be used instead of chemical sunscreen while sunbathing. Our SeaBuckthorn sun protection products are designed to prevent daily, long term, cumulative sun damage and photoaging.

SeaBuckthron Sun Protection Products

Daily Sun Filter
Ingredients: Organic SeaBuckthorn Seed Oil, Organic SeaBuckthorn Fruit Oil, Organic Rosehip Seed Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil and Organic Shea Butter.
1oz $39.00