Never Burn Again – Protect Your Skin

Never Burn Again

Protect Your Skin Against the Sun’s Fury

By Tina Cantelmi and Randy Lieberman

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., with more than one million Americans diagnosed each year, according to the American Academy of Dermatologists.

And while most people are well aware that sunbathing has an adverse effect on the health and appearance of their skin, many are unaware of the accumulation of incidental exposure received during the day. This exposure happens every day, whether walking the dog, driving a car or sitting in an office with lots of windows.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests daily use of a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15. Many doctors, including Dr. David Vasily, a board certified dermatologist, prefer to err on the side of caution, suggesting an SPF of 30 for patients. Dr. Vasily suggests sunscreen to be part of the morning regime, applied to the face, neck and upper chest, if exposed. The hands, may also age a great deal due to the sun, and, the sun’s harmful rays are a noted cause of many skin cancers.

There is no golden standard among sun-screen brands out there, but thankfully, sunscreens overall have improved greatly in the last decade by adding more protection against UVA radiation from the sun. From easy-to-apply powdered sunscreens to flawless spray-on-tans that allow five to seven days of wear, ongoing research and development means a cache of new and safer options for that healthy glow, minus the risk of skin cancer and premature aging from the sun.

New research has brought an over-the-counter sunscreen to store shelves that has an active ingredient never used before in the United States. The FDA recently approved Anthelios, made by L’Oreal, to prevent sunburn and protect against ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. The new product has an SPF of 15.

According to WebMD Health News contributor Miranda Hitti, Anthelios SX contains a mix of three active ingredients, one of which is ecamsule. Ecamsule has not been marketed in the U.S., but it’s been marketed in Europe and Canada as Mexoryl SX since 1993.

Mexoryl SX is “particularly effective against short UVA waves” and doesn’t degrade when exposed to the sun for long periods of time, unlike other UVA filters, said a L’Oreal news release.

Currently, most sunscreens, according to dermatologist Dr. Vasily, need to be reapplied every two to four hours for highest maximum protection against UVA and UVB radiation. Longer-lasting formulas that wear and remain stable throughout the day, say in the future, look for new mixtures of botanicals, including colloidal oatmeal, turmeric and antioxidants soon on drug store shelves.