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You Need to Know
About Sunscreen

01

Why Do We Need them?

Photoaging refers to premature aging of the skin due to exposure to ultraviolet rays. This can significantly accelerate normal biological aging of
the skin. UV light exposure leads to free radical activity which causes oxidative stress in skin cells. This creates inflammation and leads to
degradation of collagen and elastin in the skin. UVB rays lead to sunburnsand skin cancers while UVA rays promote skin aging and skin cancers.
This is why broad-spectrum SPF is recommended. 1 in 5 Americans willdevelop skin cancer in their lifetime.

02

How Do They Work?

What are known as physical sunscreens are preferred to chemical sunscreens. This is a literal barrier layer on the skin that physically blocks harmful UV rays. Formulations have improved greatly over the years, so we no longer need to fear sticky, visible, pore clogging formulations.

03

How Often Should I Apply It?

SPF breaks down when exposed to light and air, so you do need to re-apply every couple of hours. And the SPF in your makeup or lotion doesn’t count! You need SPF of 30 or higher for every day. Yes, even indoors! Clear glass allows around 75% of UV rays to pass through, while reflective or tinted glass allows about 20-25%. Therefore, even when you're indoors, you can be exposed to hazardous UV rays. Get in the habit of using your SPF daily, even on cloudy days because UV light still passes through
clouds.

04

The SPF Ingredients You Want!

Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide provide the best barrier protection. These mineral sunscreens physically reflect UV radiation and do not react
chemically to UV radiation. They are more stable and reduce the risk of unwanted chemical reactions. However, please avoid aerosol versions which can lead to inhalation of nanoparticles of these substances into the lungs.

05

Ingredients to Avoid

In order to reduce the overall toxic burden that our bodies are required to manage, it is important to read labels. The number one hormone disrupting
ingredient to avoid is Oxybenzone.
The top 5 others to avoid include:
Octinoxate
Retinyl Palmitate
Homosalate
Otocrylene
Parabens
The Environmental Working Group website and app are great resources to check for the safety of specific sunscreens.

https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/bestsunscreens/best-beach-sport-sunscreens/

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