Protect Yourself From the Sun, Not Your Sunscreen

Check your sunscreen label. If the active ingredients include one or more of the chemicals listed in this article, you need to look into a mineral based alternative.

In 1927, 12,745 physicians endorsed smoking Lucky Strike® cigarettes as a healthful activity; by 1999 smoking-related illness had become the number one cause of death in United States. Similarly, the rate of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has been on the rise since the first sunscreen arrived on the market in the late 1960's. Worldwide, the greatest rise in melanoma has been experienced in countries where chemical based sunscreens have been heavily promoted.

While it is important to protect your skin from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation, it may be just as important to protect yourself from the chemicals used in most sunscreens. Chemical-based sunscreens include ingredients that absorb UV radiation from the sun. These chemicals get into the skin and absorb UV radiation which leads to free radical release. Free radicals can damage cells and are believed to accelerate the progression of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and aging.

Health-related U.S. government agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) all have important information about potential dangers of these chemicals.

The good news is avoiding chemical-based sunscreens may be easier than you think. Below is a list of some potentially dangerous sunscreen chemicals.

Oxybenzone Oxybenzone is a chemical that can be absorbed by the body and mimic or block hormones thereby disrupting their normal functions. Oxybenzone was found in 96.8% of human urine samples analyzed as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2008. The same study found a lower birth weight in baby girls whose mothers were exposed to Oxybenzone during pregnancy.

Oxybenzone is a photo-carcinogen, a chemical that can potentially cause cancer when exposed to light. Known as a powerful free radical generator, oxybenzone is used to destabilize chemicals in a number of industrial processes. In addition Oxybenzone has been known to trigger photo-allergic reactions. These allergic reactions are caused by exposure to UV radiation.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), an organization that specializes in environmental research and advocacy, identified nearly 600 sunscreens sold in the U.S. that contain Oxybenzone, including leading brand names like Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone, and Banana Boat, and many facial moisturizers as well.

Avobenzone Similar to Oxybenzone, Avobenzone is a chemical that absorbs UV radiation and is easily absorbed through the skin, potentially releasing free radicals. Avobenzone has been shown to degrade significantly in light, resulting in less UV protection over time.

Octocrylene According to recent studies, Octocrylene, causes bleaching in the algae that lives on coral, often killing the entire structure. The UN World Trade Organization estimates 78 million tourists visit coral reefs each year, releasing between 4,000 to 6,000 tons of sunscreen into the water. Several marine reserves in Mexico have banned sunscreens that use oils and chemical ingredients.

Octinoxate

The little amount of data on Octinoxate noted estrogenic effects as well as disruption of the thyroid hormone and brain signaling. Estrogenic effects can potentially increase cancers, cause birth defects in children, and cause fertility and other developmental problems.

Homosalate

Homosalate is a penetration enhancer that may promote the absorption of other harmful chemicals. Very little data exist on the effects of homosalate exposure, but preliminary data has found it to be a possible carcinogen.

Octisalate

Alone, octisalate may not be harmful. However, similar to homosalate, octisalate is a penetration enhancer and may promote the penetration of other harmful chemicals.

Solution

Although these reports are alarming, safer sunscreens do exist. Most physicians continue to support the use of sunscreen, but now advocate using physical barrier sunscreens instead of chemical based sunscreens. Rather than absorbing into the skin, a physical barrier sunscreen reflects or scatters UV radiation. It's like wearing millions of tiny mirrors. Most physical barrier sunscreens contain either zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. Click on any of the sunscreen ads located in this blog to purchase a safe and healthy sunscreen.

To learn more about safe and healthy products go to http://www.cancer-freeliving.com/

Jenny Jauch

Original article

Prevent Yourself From Being a Source of Skin Cancer Pictures

Skin cancer is a very prevalent condition, especially among fair-skinned people like the Caucasians. If you scan the internet for skin cancer pictures, you will surely be scared and will be looking up ways on how to prevent getting the condition. In this article, I will be talking about the basics of skin cancer and some preventive methods which one can employ to protect themselves from the harmful effects of the sun.

Skin cancer is considered as a collective term for three cancer conditions: melanoma, basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. It is one of the most common types of cancer that is found among humans, and it has been estimated that a million get diagnosed of this disease yearly.

Among the three mentioned above, 90% of skin cancer patients have basal cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinoma is caused by exposure to UV rays that come from the sun and tanning booths. There are tanning booths that are already UV-ray free, but still a lot of these machines make use of UV rays to give you that naturally tanned look.

When looking at skin cancer pictures, basal cell carcinoma will come out like a small bump in the skin with visible blood vessels. It is shiny in appearance and might come out looking like a mole. Actually, in order to diagnose basal cell carcinoma, a biopsy has to be done.

Having fair skin is a big risk factor when it comes to the progression of squamous cell carcinoma. The love for sunbathing and having fair skin is a dangerous combination when it comes to the development of this condition. Squamous cell carcinoma also differs from basal cell carcinoma in a way that squamous cell carcinoma can metastasize to other areas of the body.

Of the three, melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. A lot of deaths have been attributed to melanoma, as compared to those of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. With melanoma, you will have to observe for the development of new moles or a change in the size and shape of an old mole. If this happens, consult your doctor immediately.

So, how do you protect yourself from the development of skin cancer? One great tip would be to avoid the sun. However, we all know that avoiding the sun is impossible. The next best thing that we can do then is to protect ourselves from the sun. To protect your skin, you can make use of umbrellas, light jackets or sweaters, long sleeved shirts and the like.

If you are a sun worshipper, you should always have a good sunblock with you and you should know which hours of the day to avoid the sun. Now, a lot of issues circulate over which SPF amount is best for sun protection. Actually, you have to have a sunblock that has SPF 15 or greater in order to adequately protect yourself. You also would have to reapply it from time to time to reinforce the protection. You also have to avoid the sun during the hours of 11am to 4pm. However, with today's climate change, even the 9am sun is already painful.

Getting skin cancer is no joke. You may not realize it now because you are young, but UV rays accumulate over time, and you should therefore limit your sun exposure to the bare minimum. And never forget to bring with you your trusty sunblock.

For more information on Different Types of Diseases, Symptoms and Diagnoses, Please visit: Skin Cancer Pictures and Melanoma Symptoms.

Original article

Skin Cancer: What Really Causes It and How Can You Protect Yourself?

When you were a kid, there was probably not much said about sun protection. Most of us remember long, sunny days at the beach or on vacation where we got very badly sunburned, and had to sit things out for a day or two afterwards. This seemed like just a harmless regular childhood experience, until we grew up and found out that not only does sun exposure cause skin damage and skin cancer, but that the damage is cumulative, meaning that every bit of exposure to the sun's radiation we've had over our lifetimes has added onto the last. This lifetime amount along with several bad burns during childhood is said, along with certain hereditary and lifestyle factors, to put some at higher risk for skin cancer. The three most dangerous skin cancers are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer and the more commonly known melanoma.

In recent years, the prevailing wisdom has been that it is essential, especially for fair--skinned individuals and those out during peak hours and/or in the tropics, to wear a protective sunscreen lotion. Based on the advice of doctors and dermatologists, billions of people began buying sunscreen lotions for themselves and their kids, as skin cancer rates, even among children, began to skyrocket. But what is the cause of all this skin cancer? Is it all due to our thinning ozone layer, as most of us commonly believe? Could it be that the chemicals in sunscreens themselves have contributed somehow?

When I first heard the theory that sunscreens cause skin cancer, I, like so many, was so indoctrinated in the 'sunscreen as protection' camp that the idea seemed almost heretical. The gentleman who told me about it, however, was a very thoughtful, intelligent and well-read doctor whose word I trusted. He was a curious and voracious reader, and he cited the situation in Australia as evidence and suggested I read further myself (a good sign in my books). Sunscreen was first introduced en masse, he told me, in Australia, and the ensuing climb in skin cancer rates when represented on a graph looks almost identical to the graph expressing increasing use of sunscreen. Many, many scientists, he told me, are beginning to make a connection between the harmful chemicals in most commercial sunscreens which get absorbed through our skin and the formation of skin cancers so prevalent today. This same doctor went on to tell me that sunburn allows our body's natural defences against the sun to build up, and it was the sun blister on his nose, in fact, which prompted the conversation. He will never allow his children to wear sunscreen. So what are we to do?

Until the air clears, so to speak, there are other precautions we can take to protect ourselves from the strongest and most damaging of the sun's rays. We can wear protective clothing such as light, long sleeves and wide-brimmed hats, and quality sunglasses; we can stay out of the sun when it is at its strongest, and limit the duration of our exposure. We can choose natural, chemical-free sunscreen lotions.

While getting some sun is undoubtedly good for us - essential in our formation of Vitamin D and vital for the health of our hearts and minds - we can choose to take reasonable precautions as discussed and keep our skin beautiful and healthy for many years to come.

Shauna writes about a variety of health issues for her vitamin website, including the benefits of various vitamins, and the exciting new connection between astaxanthin & Alzheimer's prevention. Visit today and get your health on track!

Original article

Skin Cancer Prevention - Ten Ways to Protects Yourself From UV Rays

Skin cancer is considered one of the most widespread form of cancers accounting for about 50% of all cancers. It is associated with life-time exposure to ultraviolet radiation, therefore most skin cancers appear after age 50. It is actually more widespread than you may think, one in every 5 Americans will develop it during their life time. It is the leading cancer in the United States, which affects two million people each year.

According to recent reports, 40 to 50 percent of US citizens who survive until age 65 are going to have skin cancer at one time or another. High-risk groups consist of farm owners, laborers, mariners, campers, athletes, individuals going through military training, beach lovers, and picnickers. Research indicates that extreme sunburns during childhood maximize the chance of developing skin cancer later on in life.

The most effective method to prevent developing cancer of the skin will be to protect your skin by keeping yourself away from afternoon sunlight, applying sun screens when out under the sun and also to stay away from sun tanning beds. But besides early diagnosis, you can and really should try everything within your capacity to protect against cancer of the skin from ever happening to begin with.

Top Ten Ways to Protect Yourself From UV Rays

1. Use sun screen lotion that has a Sun-protection Factor (SPF) that is at least 15. Ensure it is water-resistant and re-apply every 2 hours, specially right after swimming or excessive sweating.

2. Apply sun screen lotion 30 minutes prior to going outdoors so that your skin has a chance to absorb it.

3. Be generous in use of sun screen lotion. One ounce of sun screen lotion ought to cover the face, neck, legs and arms of the average adult.

4. Dress in protective clothing, like hats, sun glasses, pants and long-sleeved shirts

5. Look for shade whenever possible, specially during the hours of 10:00 am to 4:00 pm when the sun rays are strongest.

6. Steer clear of sun tanning beds as ultra-violet light can result in skin cancer and wrinkles. Use a self-tanning product but also use sun screen lotion with it.

7. Safeguard small children by reapplying sun screen lotion frequently with an SPF that is at least 15, having them play in the shade and dress in protective clothing.

8. Children younger than 6 months should never ever be in direct sunlight and should always dress in a hat and clothes that safeguards them from ultra violet rays.

9. Adults ought to perform regular self-exams. It's a good way to detect abnormalities

10. Consult with your dermatologist and have a full body scan once per year.

Please visit Cancer Survival Stories if you are a survivor of skin cancer and would like to share your story.

Original article