Sunscreen: Dangers

Photoaging, i.e. sunlight, is one of the Big Three Wrinkle and Sagging Generators (free radicals, advanced glycation end products and sun damage). (Smoking would be a fourth!)  So it is a good idea to both stay out of the direct sunlight on your face and use sun screen, because all sun exposure can do is accelerate aging (and cancer). Staying out of the sun can have a "Botox-like" effect from my experience, because it gives your skin a chance to heal without further damage from the sun's radiation. Plus, if you're using Retin-A, sun screen is a must as Retin A plus the sun can lead to "discoloration" on any treated areas.

NOTE:  If you stay out of the sun, be sure to supplement Vitamin D, critical for heart health and cancer/autoimmune disease protection.

Sounds easy, right?  Unfortunately, the active ingredients in most sun screens are nasty, toxic chemicals that any person trying to live a healthy lifestyle would normally avoid.

Let's start with oxybenzone (or benzophenone/dioxybenzone).  What they don't tell you about this substance is that it is a significant free radical generatoral generator when hit by sunlight. [11] [ 12] Neat, huh?  You are trying to protect your skin from skin cancer and aging by rubbing in a chemical that generates DNA-altering free radicals and is likely mutagenic (cancer-causing)!  In fact, one 2007 study said described it as an almost time release effect: "oxybenzone formed a concentrated depot within the skin and delivered the content slowly over the time". [10]  In addition, researchers have found that significant amounts of this are excreted into the urine. In other words, this stuff is definitely penetrating the skin and getting absorbed systemically. Even worse, some animal studies show that it does not protect in many cases the key UV-damage pathways. [13]

However, the most popular sunscreen (active) ingredient in the U.S. at this time is avobenzone (also known by Parsol, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, Eusolex, etc.).  This appears to be a somewhat more safe product than oxybenzone but still is a free radical generator [14] and excreted in the urine. More specifically, the problem with avobenzone is that after it has been on the skin for a period of time, it could actually lead to increased reactive oxygen series (free radical damage) from what has penetrated a little deeper into the skin. [14]

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Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are also common and both are relatively safe.  However, the problem with both of these products is that they give a white, ghost-like appearance and highlight wrinkles.  To get around this, manufacturers have come up with micronized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. However, these ultramicroscopic formulations look just as dangerous:  one animal study found that titanium dioxide particles lead to increased disease. [15] Another study has shown similar results with beryllium microparticles and showed that they penetrated the skin. [ 16]  Moreover, these particles may also induce extra free radical production similar to avobenzone and oxybenzone.

All of this may explain one study where researchers found no protection against skin cancer (melanoma) due to sunscreen use. [17] It is likely that sun screen was actually creating as much DNA and other cellular damage as it was protecting. Another potential melanoma-promoting property of sunscreen is their suppression of NOS (Nitric Oxide Synthase) leading to decreased NO production in the skin. [18]

This creates quite a dilemma.  On the one hand, we want to look good and avoid skin cancer and, on the other hand, we are forcing ugly chemicals into our skin and blood stream.  And on still (mysterious) hand, the safest chemicals make us look pale and sickly (which can't be good for one's sex life). 

Sunscreen: Practical and Safe Solutions

1) Mexoryl.  Mexoryl is a good UV blocker and is photostable (unlike some of the above messy ingredients).  Furthermore, it appears to be the safest chemical sunblocks because it is a) not absorbed for all practical purposes [19] and appears not to actually cause skin cancer. [20] In fact, numerous studies show it to be non and even anti-mutagenic. (It's pathetic that, as a consumer, you even have to worry about that!) 

2) Fallene Total Block.  This is probably one of the best compromises as far as chemical sunscreens go.  The manufacturer has gone of its way to make it as safe as possible.  For a more in-depth analysis, read Dr. Todorov's discussion here. 

3) Tinted Zinc Oxide.  This is a very safe route to go:  simply buy (non-micronized) zinc oxide formulations that are tinted slightly. All you need to do is buy one that roughly matches your own skin color of course.

4) DIY Zinc Oxide. This is another very safe route to go.  You can also make your own tinted zinc oxide.  Just buy some of the standard and cheap zinc oxide and add a little caramel food coloring, a common ingredient in self-tanning creams.

5) Hair. If you happen to have a bushy mane - you bastard! - you have a natural SPF of about 10 just from the hair alone. [21]  Some guys may not realize that shaving their head may affect protection from the sun.

6) Foods. Many foods have some - not enough mind you - sunscreen-like protection in small but significant quantities.  For example, the lycopene in tomato sauce, tomato paste and ketchup has been shown in one study to be very protective of your skin from sun damage. [7] Researchers gave participants the equivalent of 5 tablespoons of tomato paste per day and noticed 33% less damage from UV radiation, which is roughly the equivalent of SPF 1.3.  CAUTION:  Be cautious about eating any tomato product from a tin can:  it can leach out a nasty xenoestrogen.

REFERENCES:

7) Brit J of Dermatology, Apr 2008, 158(4):885-886, "Lycopene protects against biomarkers of photodamage in human skin":

9) http://insciences.org/article.php?article_id=770%20

10) Toxicology and Applied10) Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Sep 2007, 223(2):187-194, "Percutaneous characterization of the insect repellent DEET and the sunscreen oxybenzone from topical skin application"

11) Free Radical Biology and Medicine, Oct 15 2006, 41(8):1205-1212, "Sunscreen 12) J of Investigative Dermatology, 1996, 016:583-586, "Oxybenzone Oxidation Following Solar Irradiation of Skin: Photoprotection versus Antioxidant Inactivation"

13) Archives of Dermatological Res, Dec 1990, 282(8):526-531 "The effect of UV radiation and sun blockers on free radical defence in human and guinea pig epidermis"

14) Free Radical Biol and Med, Oct 2006, 41(8):1205-1212, "Sunscreen enhancement of UV-induced reactive oxygen species in the skin"  NOTE:  Octocrylene is a blend of Parsol and another chemical.

15) Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 1999, 277:L975-L982, "Induction of fibrogenic mediators by fine and ultrafine titanium dioxide in rat tracheal explants"

16) Environ Health Perspect, Jul 2003, 111(9):, "Skin as a route of exposure and sensitization in chronic beryllium disease"

17) Ann Intern Med, 2003 Dec 16, 139(12):966-78, "Sunscreen use and the risk for melanoma: a quantitative review"

18) Melanoma Research, Feb 2005, 15(1):3-6, "Sunscreen ingredients inhibit inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS): a possible biochemical explanation for the sunscreen melanoma controversy"

19) J Cosmet Sci, 2005, 56(2): 135–48, "A new long-chain UV absorber derived from 4-tert-butyl-4'-methoxydibenzoylmethane: absorbance stability under solar irradiation"

20) Photochem Photobiol, 1996, 64(4): 688–93, "Mexoryl SX protects against solar-simulated UVR-induced photocarcinogenesis in mice"

21) New Beauty, p. 92.