From Amy Myers MD
As we head into a holiday weekend and the peak of summer, you’ll likely find yourself stocking up on sunscreen, finding comfort in the fact that you’re protecting yourself and your family from skin cancer and premature aging. However, the sunscreen that you’re about to buy and slather on yourself and your children likely contains harmful and toxic chemicals that might actually cause more harm than good.
As I always remind my patients, what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it! Your skin is your largest organ, and it’s your body’s protective barrier against the outside world. Our skin can absorb much of what we put on it, so this means that harmful chemicals in body products, including those in sunscreens, can enter your bloodstream and circulate throughout your body, wreaking havoc on your immune and endocrine systems. This is crucial to think about when it comes to putting something on your child’s skin. Children are smaller in size, which means that their skin presents a large surface area relative to their body weight for absorption of environmental substances. In addition, their endocrine system and in some cases, immune system, are still developing.
Like many body products, popular sunscreens contain an alarming number of toxins. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released its 2015 Guide to Sunscreens, which includes a “Hall of Shame” of the most toxic brands to avoid. This year, Neutrogena took the top spot for its widespread use of toxins and false advertising, but the list was filled with products from household brand names. To make safe and educated buying decisions this season, check sunscreen labels for the most common and concerning ingredients below.
6 Toxins to Avoid in Sunscreen........
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