It was once thought that UVB rays were the most important contributor’s to wrinkling, skin disease, and skin cancer. The active ingredients (Salicylates and Cinnamates, and Benzophenones) in today’s sunscreens protect well against UVB. However, more recent studies have shown that UVA radiation is equally or even more important in the development of solar damage and skin disease. Ultraviolet radiation wavelengths of 280-320nanometers (UVB rays) and 320-400 nanometers (UVA rays) have been shown to inhibit the function of immune cells known to fight cancer. Products labeled as SPF 15 primarily protect against sunburn from UVB rays, and do not shield the skin from depletion of immune protection caused by UVA rays. For full protection, sunscreens must be formulated to offer full protection from both UVA and UVB rays which means from 280nm to 400nm.
Anthranilates and Benzophenones protect against part of the UVA spectrum-But only a few ingredients on the market in the United States can give full protection against UVA radiation: Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide and Avobenzone (also called Parsol 1789 or Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane)- or Mexoryl SXT (outside of the United States). So if you want to stop wrinkling, sun protection is your only option and it must include at least one of these ingredients that give full protection against UVA radiation. Three ingredients are used in BodyTools Moisturizers (Face Guard, After Shave Repair and Protect, and Citrus Body Armor) which provide complete UVB and UVA protection. OXYBENZONE (Benzophenone-3) 270-350nm, ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE 290-320 nm, and BUTYL METHOXYDIBNZOYLMETHANE (also know as AVOBENZONE or PARSOL 1789)320-400 nm.
As we have said before, it isn't even enough to stay out of the sun because the sun's damaging rays comes through windows and your clothes. And you have got to use a sun protection product that gives you complete protection against both UVA and UVB rays. So really you only have one choice. If you want to avoid painful burns, premature aging, and potentially lethal skin cancer: you have to lather on sunscreen from head to toe, every day, and all the time. The easiest way to do this is to buy a moisturizer or after-shave balm with sun protection factor (SPF) already in it. Don’t bother, however, buying a moisturizer with less than an SPF of 15. SPF measures the length of time a product protects against UVB only. Each level of SPF increases the time you can stay in the sun without burning. Buying a product with SPF 30 provides very little additional protection. Even if you're as pasty as the Pillsbury Doughboy, you should be fine with SPF 15 as long as you re-apply it every two hours. One study showed that it didn't matter weather a product had SPF 15 or SPF 30, what did matter was applying the sunscreen often and going no longer than 2 hours between applications. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has said that people who wait more than 2 1/2 hours to reapply sunscreen have five times the chance of getting sunburned as those who reapply every two hours.
As we have said before, it isn’t even enough to stay out of the sun because the sun’s damaging rays comes through windows and your clothes. And you have got to use a sun protection product that gives you complete protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
You can make a difference! Children are of particular concern since most of the average person’s lifetime sun exposure occurs before the age of 18. To help educators raise sun safety awareness, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed the SunWise School Program, a national education program for grades K-8. SunWise Partner Schools sponsor classroom and school wide activities that raise children’s awareness of stratospheric ozone depletion, UV radiation, and simple sun safety practices. SunWise is a collaborative effort of schools, communities, teachers, parents, health professionals, environmental groups, meteorologists, educational organizations, and others. With everyone’s help, sun protection can grow beyond classrooms to the entire community. By educating ourselves and our children about UV-related health effects and the steps for sun protection, we can ensure a healthy future for the next generation.
