I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I figure this affects just about every one of you, so here goes. Your sunscreen sucks…and so does mine. I think.
Let me rewind: my mom died of malignant melanoma in 1993. She grew up on a farm (tons of UV exposure as a kid) and was originally diagnosed (’87) in the days before most people knew the sun could kill you. Bad combo, tons of sun and lax check-ups. But we’re wiser now, right? I wear SPF 50 everywhere I go, everyday, and I bet you do, too.
Problem is, our sunscreen might be complicating things a bit. The Food and Drug Administration has been studying sunscreens, their efficacy, and their side-effects for some time. Since ’78. While they haven’t written conclusively on the matter, other groups have taken a stab at getting more complete information out there. The Environmental Working Group is a consumer/kids-advocacy group that works to keep toxins out of our environment and bodies. Their latest work on sunscreens is a bit concerning.
Visit https://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/ to read their latest on skin care and sunscreen, and to investigate your own brand’s effectiveness and toxicity. The results are going to surprise you.
