Practicing Safe Sun
There are hundreds of options for sunscreen. I’m sharing the best kind to buy and other ways to reduce our risk of dying from skin cancer.
What you do today is paying into a health retirement bank for your future. Taking care to practice Safe Sun will help reduce your risk of skin cancers, including melanoma, the most dangerous type, and also will help you looking youthful in your later years.
Why are Cancer Rates Rising?
Cancer rates rising are actually a byproduct of something good! Cancers (of all kinds) are more common the older we get as our cells get sloppy and lose the ability to correct their own mistakes. As the life span gets longer in the US, we are going to see more cancers including skin cancer. The average US person lived 65 years in 1950 and now it’s closer to 76.
Why is melanoma so dangerous?
If diagnosed with late stage 4 melanoma (Melanoma cancer that has spread to another part of the body), the chances of being alive 5 years after diagnosis are only 27%. If you apply sunscreen correctly and everyday, you reduce your risk of developing melanoma by 50%. If melanoma is caught early, there is a 99% chance of being alive 5 years after diagnosis, hence why monthly skin exams are so important, particularly for fair-skinned and freckled folks.
Like all cancers, the best way to treat it is to PREVENT it. If you are diagnosed with cancer, catching it early through EXAMS will give you the best chance of survival.
Physical barriers like hats, sunglasses and UV protective clothing, in addition to applying sunscreen correctly, can help you to look younger and reduce your risk for skin cancer.
How can I protect myself from the radiation caused by the Sun’s harmful rays?
The UV rays are 400x stronger in the summer months and between the hours of 10:00-4:00 and especially amplified in water or snow. Staying under an umbrella, using UV protective clothing, a broad rimmed hat, sunglasses and using sunscreen correctly are great tools to help protect your skin.
A broad rimmed hat is a must for anyone who wants to be outside from 10:00-4:00 during summer hours. This is particularly important for anyone on many medications or using skin care products like retinol. Visit my favorite hat company, GIGIPIP, BY CLICKING HERE for more hats like my favorite Ozzy.
UV protective sunglasses are important to protect your eyes from getting sun damage, including yellowing called pinguecula.
How to CORRECTLY use Sunscreen:
Apply ONE SHOT GLASS WORTH of sunscreen 15-30 minutes before sun exposure. Let it dry completely prior to swimming. Reapply every 2 hours while out in the sun and after swimming. Snow and water amplify the sun’s harmful rays.
You can still get radiation from the sun’s UV rays when it’s cloudy and they are particularly amplified in the water and snow. We love COTTONON kids (and H and M) swimsuits that provide Upf 50+ protection.
What kind of sunscreen should I buy? What about kids?
The best kind of sunscreen to buy is the kind you WANT to use. You can purchase the safest, all organic mineral sunscreen but if you don’t like to use it because it makes your skin look white and pasty, it’s providing you ZERO SPF from our bathroom drawer.
It’s recommended to use SPF 50+.
My Favorite Daily Face Sunscreen to wear as a primer: UNSEEN SUNSCREEN, then I will reapply sunscreen if I’m going to the beach, pool, etc.
I personally love to use Coola because it smells good, reminds me of vacation, and is not greasy. I like to use the Pina Colada spray bottle on myself. We also keep a huge tub of Supergoop in the house (It's expensive, but worth it). It has a great safety rating and because most Americans apply 1/4 of the sunscreen that is actually needed, it’s better to have a big tub with a pump so you can use liberally.
My favorite big tub of sunscreen. Remember, you need to apply a shot glass full for adults and 2 tablespoons per child, so you need a big volume. It’s not greasy and they sell it at Sephora so I feel fancy using it. Buy in bulk and save!
Data has shown that chemical (or “Broad Spectrum”) sunscreens applied to the skin can be found in the bloodstream after application. There is no evidence to support there are any bad effects from this, but to be extra safe, it’s a good idea to use a mineral sunscreen for young kids, for anyone with very sensitive skin or if you are very concerned about clean beauty.
If you are really concerned about ingredients and will actually use sunscreen purchased, you can search for the brand you’re interested in through the Skin Deep search on EWG.org to find the safest options.
Sunscreen can reduce your risk of melanoma by 50%, but your first line of protection is always hats, UV protective clothing and staying in the shade when possible.
Which Sunscreen should I buy for my baby or young kids?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting baby’s exposure to the sun and using barriers like hats and UV barrier clothing instead of sunscreen for the first 6 months of life (although we do not have data about the effects of sunscreen applied to young babies). I love to get the UV swimsuits that have sleeves from places like H and M and CottonOn kids. They have some really cute options!
Mineral Sunscreen is the safest option for kids because it’s hypoallergenic. Remember, “through the SKIN allergies BEGIN, through the diet allergies stay quiet” or in other words, products with natural scents or antigens can create a lifelong allergy when applied to skin.
Reduce your risk of dying from Melanoma from 27% to 99% by finding it early and doing a skin exam!
As my friend’s grandma used to say, “lift up the balloons!” to check under breasts for any suspicious moles.