https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:53:42 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1661471 Tue, 27 May 2014 20:51:15 +0000 Boheme 1661471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for this perspective! I agree with PPs that the best sunscreen is the kind you will actually apply consistently! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1661425 Tue, 27 May 2014 20:16:42 +0000 allison 1661425@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree that any sunscreen, if you must be out in the sun, is better than none at all. But I feel like I should make the effort to use (on myself and my family) the kinds that are healthiest. If an ingredient is a carcinogen, I will make all efforts to avoid it. It's really not that big a deal.</p> <p>I agree with @PawPrints:, too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1661412 Tue, 27 May 2014 20:10:44 +0000 PawPrints 1661412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The best sunscreen is a shirt and hat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1661403 Tue, 27 May 2014 20:01:57 +0000 sunny 1661403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It is so true that the best ____ is the one that you'll use/apply/do diligently. Whether that is sunscreen, fitness regimen, financial regimen or whatever else in your life! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1661392 Tue, 27 May 2014 19:55:57 +0000 Weagle 1661392@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Very true. I shouldn't give everyone so much credit to think that people will actually use sunscreen. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1661130 Tue, 27 May 2014 16:41:47 +0000 autumnlove 1661130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for this. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1660087 Tue, 27 May 2014 11:03:11 +0000 kml636 1660087@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for this. I go to the dermatologist regularly and I really trust her. I asked her specifically about the EWG findings, and she stated that the chances of the sun causing cancer are much greater (obviously) than the chances of oxybenzene causing problems. I try to use the natural mineral block, but in a pinch I use the other kind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659983 Tue, 27 May 2014 10:32:44 +0000 looch 1659983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Weagle: actually, the best sunscreen is one you USE! It's great to buy mineral, but if you can't and don't apply it, it's totally useless! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659913 Tue, 27 May 2014 10:05:09 +0000 sorrycharlie 1659913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am having some attention span issues today so I didn't read it all, but glad I don't have to feel like I Need to run out and buy new sunscreen ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659906 Tue, 27 May 2014 10:03:24 +0000 Weagle 1659906@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>People kill me with this sunscreen stuff. And with taking EWG ratings as gospel. The best sunscreen is one that WORKS. Your risk of skin cancer is higher than your risk of cancer from rando chemicals in sunscreen. </p> <p>A little blurb on a consumer report study:<br /> <a href="http://wtop.com/249/3625875/Which-sunscreens-live-up-to-promises" rel="nofollow">http://wtop.com/249/3625875/Which-sunscreens-live-up-to-promises</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659902 Tue, 27 May 2014 10:02:21 +0000 loveisstrange 1659902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Big old thumbs up to this. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659860 Tue, 27 May 2014 09:51:19 +0000 yoursilverlining 1659860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you for posting this; I think this line was especialy important to me: "In March of 2011, researchers at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center2 in New York noted that in the rat study, the levels of Oxybenzone exposure the rats received would never be achieved in humans through normal topical use of sunscreen." Sloan Kettering is legit, and I definitely give weight to their opinion. </p> <p>@spaniellove: I agree. I HATE (cannot say this strongly enough!) the feel/weight of sunscreen on my skin. But, I'm also super duper pale so not using any doesn't cut it. Using only 15 or 30 also doesn't cut it. I finally found Neutrogena's Dry Touch and I love the way it feels, it's not nasty like every other sun screen I've tried. I'm going to stick with it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659690 Tue, 27 May 2014 08:58:12 +0000 blackbird 1659690@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Great article! It's easy to worry about everything being natural all the time. But natural isn't always the best or most practical choice :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659676 Tue, 27 May 2014 08:53:57 +0000 allison 1659676@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: @spaniellove: Try the Badger daily stuff! It's so much easier to apply than the thick active version. Absorbs pretty much the same as traditional sunscreen. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659666 Tue, 27 May 2014 08:51:51 +0000 Silva 1659666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@spaniellove: this is an important point- We have some badger active stuff for LO but it is SO hard to rub in and she and I are both basically in tears by the end of it. I'm much more likely to reapply frequently if I use the Alba stuff we have that rubs in easily. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659650 Tue, 27 May 2014 08:45:38 +0000 Foodnerd81 1659650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@spaniellove: Finding something you don't mind using every day is SO hard! I'd stick with it too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659637 Tue, 27 May 2014 08:41:49 +0000 spaniellove 1659637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks...I finally looked up my sunscreen this morning and realized it has oxybenzone. But it's the only thing I've found that works for my sensitive skin and is a texture I'm willing to use every day. So for me, if it's something I'll use consistently it's the right sunscreen for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659622 Tue, 27 May 2014 08:35:40 +0000 Foodnerd81 1659622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for posting this. I have found, through personal trial and error, that anything with '-benzone' in it makes my face sting and burn really badly, so I avoid it anyway. I agree with their overall point, though, that while some sunscreen/block ingredients MIGHT be bad for you, sun exposure DEFINITELY is. </p> <p>That said, I spent probably a few hours deciding on the best sunscreen to get for C (and me) this summer. Meanwhile, DH uses whatever aerosol spray is on sale. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659621 Tue, 27 May 2014 08:35:36 +0000 Silva 1659621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for posting this! I sometimes get caught up in the tidal waves of "natural" or "chemical free" products. Fortunately I have a very practical husband who reminds me frequently that known risks (skin cancer from sun damage) are far more dangerous than potential or hypothetical ones. Also that avoiding the "unnatural" for the sake of doing so is pointless and even dangerous. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659567 Tue, 27 May 2014 08:20:46 +0000 looch 1659567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I read an article over the weekend in Real Simple magazine, it seems there are unknowns to all types of sunscreens (chemical and mineral). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/suncreens-sunblocks-and-chemicals-oh-my#post-1659563 Tue, 27 May 2014 08:19:10 +0000 MsLipGloss 1659563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>While researching yet another sunscreen/sunblock (they are different!), I came across this data and thought it was worth sharing, for the purposes of a more complete view of the information currently floating around . . . </p> <p>Sunscreen Safety Concerns<br /> Last update: April, 2014</p> <p>RMS Manufactures Safe Sunscreen </p> <p>Is Oxybenzone safe?</p> <p>In recent years, the media has widely publicized reports by a Washington, DC environmental group (The EWG)1 that warns consumers to avoid sunscreens containing organic compounds—including Oxybenzone. These reports have understandably caused confusion—even fear— in the minds of many consumers. Will the sunscreen you've been using really give you cancer or interfere with your hormones? To help you feel more confident in your choice of sunscreen, let's look at some FACTS.</p> <p>History of Oxybenzone</p> <p>Oxybenzone has been an FDA-approved sunscreen ingredient since about 1980. Being effective against both UVA and UVB radiation, Oxybenzone works by absorbing UV radiation and then dispelling it as heat. Our sunscreen lotions containing Oxybenzone also bond with your skin to help it breathe and perspire naturally—keeping you cooler during outdoor activities. So if Oxybenzone is so effective, and remains an FDA-approved ingredient after decades of use, why is the EWG telling you to avoid it?</p> <p>There are two main reasons why the EWG says to avoid Oxybenzone: 1) it may interfere with your hormones; and 2) it may cause cancer. This is understandably a scary-sounding statement. But before going further, note that they (the EWG) are not saying Oxybenzone DOES disrupt hormones or cause cancer, only that it MAY. Let's dig a little deeper to find out where they get these claims.</p> <p>A Hormone "Disruptor"</p> <p>To justify this claim, the EWG cites a 2001 study of immature female rats that ingested Oxybenzone placed in their food. In some rats estrogen levels were affected—leading to abnormal uterine growth. To take this bit of research and say that the sunscreen you use will disrupt your hormones seems a stretch. In March of 2011, researchers at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center2 in New York noted that in the rat study, the levels of Oxybenzone exposure the rats received would never be achieved in humans through normal topical use of sunscreen. In fact, to absorb levels equal to the rats in the study, an average adult woman would need to apply sunscreen to her arms, hands, face and neck every day for 277 years3. Although there are a few other studies referenced by the EWG targeting Oxybenzone, as far as we can tell, the extrapolations in all of them seem to be about the same.</p> <p>Oxybenzone Causes Cancer</p> <p>The second warning by the EWG is that Oxybenzone can cause cancer. This statement comes from a 2006 study at the University of California, Riverside, where Oxybenzone and other similar chemicals were tested on "laboratory" human skin, or skin grown in a lab. The report suggested that under certain conditions, UV absorbing ingredients found in sunscreen COULD release free radicals, POTENTIALLY causing damage to nearby cells and in THEORY lead to skin cancer. What the EWG fails to mention from the study is that the danger from free radicals could only happen when UV radiation reached sunscreen that had actually "penetrated" the skin. Authors of the study noted that applying sunscreen at regular intervals during sun exposure (like we're supposed to), would avoid this free radical scenario entirely. Kerry M. Hanson, the senior research scientist and lead author of the study also stated: "At this point, I don't think there's enough evidence to firmly claim that sunscreens containing Oxybenzone are unsafe"4. As an added safety measure, Rocky Mountain Sunscreen also includes antioxidants in our formulas as a protection against potential free radical damage caused by UV exposure.</p> <p>How Others View the EWG</p> <p>In a 2009 poll of 937 members of the National Society of Toxicology (people who ought to know about toxicity), 79% said the EWG "overstates" the risks of chemicals—including those commonly found in sunscreens. Almost 100% of those same members surveyed also said that the MEDIA (the publicity engine of the EWG) does not distinguish good studies from bad ones.5</p> <p>In the most recent US Department of Health and Human Services report on carcinogens, which is a list of known or REASONABLY ANTICIPATED human carcinogens, none of the popular sunscreen ingredients black-listed by the EWG are included. 6</p> <p>Finally, according to the American Skin Cancer Foundation, dermatologists who review the EWG report say their biggest problem with the data is that it lacks scientific rigor. They are critical of the EWG's arbitrary rating system that is "without basis" under any accepted scientific standard. Dr. Warwick Morison, Professor of Dermatology at John Hopkins believes they (the EWG) are "developing their own system for evaluating things" and that relying on their rating scale to say whether a sunscreen is good or bad is equivalent to "junk science".7</p> <p>What to Conclude</p> <p>We hope you have found this information helpful. What we've presented to you here is by no means exhaustive information on Oxybenzone. If you still want to know more, we encourage additional research on your part. If you find any information contrary to what we've presented here, please let us know. Our toll-free number is: 1-888-356-8899. We love hearing from our customers.</p> <p>At Rocky Mountain Sunscreen we believe in our products. And as a whole, our industry is all about sun safety and protecting people from the health risks caused by too much sun exposure. In the future, Oxybenzone may indeed give way to an even better sunscreen ingredient. When that happens, we will embrace it. But until then, the bottom line is that after decades of use, no studies prove, or even suggest that Oxybenzone causes cancer. However, overexposure to the sun over time DOES cause cancer! The most important thing you can do according to skin and cancer experts is to adopt wise sunscreen habits—which of course includes wearing sunscreen. </p> <p>SOURCES:<br /> 1Personal Care Products Council statement— "Response to the 2010 EWG Sunscreen Report" (<a href="http://www.personalcarecouncil.org/newsroom/20100524" rel="nofollow">http://www.personalcarecouncil.org/newsroom/20100524</a>).</p> <p>2 New Your Times health article— "The Claim: A Sunscreen Chemical Can Have Toxic Side Effects" (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/14/health/14really.html?_r=1&#038;" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/14/health/14really.html?_r=1&#038;</a>).</p> <p>3 Study comparing Oxybenzone rat exposure to real life sunscreen use— "Safety of Oxybenzone: Putting Numbers into Perspective" (<a href="http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1105240&#038;resultClick=3" rel="nofollow">http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1105240&#038;resultClick=3</a>).</p> <p>4 Skin Cancer Foundation article— "When Sunscreen Safety is Called Into Question" (<a href="http://www.skincancer.org/news/sunscreen/sunscreen-safety-is-called-into-question" rel="nofollow">http://www.skincancer.org/news/sunscreen/sunscreen-safety-is-called-into-question</a>).</p> <p>5 Society of Toxicology (SOT) member survey— "Are Chemicals Killing Us?" (<a href="http://stats.org/stories/2009/are_chemicals_killing_us.html" rel="nofollow">http://stats.org/stories/2009/are_chemicals_killing_us.html</a>).</p> <p>6Cancer Council of Western Australia article— "Cancer myth: Sunscreen and Cancer" (<a href="http://stahttp://www.cancerwa.asn.au/resources/cancermyths/sunscreen-cancer-myth/" rel="nofollow">http://stahttp://www.cancerwa.asn.au/resources/cancermyths/sunscreen-cancer-myth/</a>).</p> <p>7 Skin Cancer Foundation article— "When Sunscreen Safety is Called Into Question" (<a href="http://www.skincancer.org/news/sunscreen/sunscreen-safety-is-called-into-question" rel="nofollow">http://www.skincancer.org/news/sunscreen/sunscreen-safety-is-called-into-question</a>).</p> <p>ORIGINAL CONTENT: <b>(NOTE: These sources have links to the data on the original page, the link to which is at the bottom of this post)</b><br /> •2009 Toxicologist Survey<br /> Survey document where Toxicologists say EWG overstates chemical risks and does not distinguish good studies from bad ones. </p> <p>•Real life Comparison to Rat Study<br /> Study illustrating of the daily sunscreen application required by an average US woman to reach systemic levels of Oxybenzone per unit of body mass equivalent to those given to immature rats. </p> <p>•Sunscreen and Cancer Fact Sheet<br /> Covers the list of sunscreen ingredients not listed in the "Report on Carcinogens". This document includes links to relative articles and the actual report data. </p> <p>•Sunscreen and ROS-UC Riverside 2006<br /> Preliminary study document of the University of California Riverside study on Sunscreen Enhancement of UV-Induced Reactive Oxygen Species in the Skin. </p> <p>Independent, respected organizations and experts disagree with claims connected to Oxybenzone: Food &amp; Drug Administration, Health Canada, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel, European Union Cosmetic Ingredient Authority, Skin Cancer Foundation, American Academy of Dermatology, Personal Care Products Council, &amp; Household and Personal Products Industry.<br /> Who should you trust for advice on product safety: the above credible scientific sources or an activist group with exaggerated and hypothetical concerns?</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg9bEZX2_cA&#038;feature=player_embedded" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg9bEZX2_cA&#038;feature=player_embedded</a></p> <p>Here is a link to the original page: <a href="http://www.rmsunscreen.com/sunscreensafetyconcerns.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.rmsunscreen.com/sunscreensafetyconcerns.aspx</a> </p>