Is Sunscreen Actually Bad for You?

Use the kind with zinc. That is recommended for small children. It sits on the skin, not like the chemical kind.

I will say, however, that ANY sunscreen is better than NO sunscreen. The vitamin D we need is important, but all day in the sun with no protection is way more than needed.

Only if you like melanoma.

Well. This is proof that moms can be wrong on occasion. (Your mom, in this case, if you're wondering.)

Here's a link to a pediatrician/mom's thoughts on sunscreen:http://seattlemamadoc.seattlechildrens.org/why-broad-spec...

A brief excerpt, "Good thing is, most everyone agrees that the ingredients in sunscreen are less risky than any significant sun exposure or burn in childhood." She has other posts on the topic, as well, if you want to search.

In short:
1) The health risks from sun overexposure are greater than the health risks from the chemicals.
2) For Vitamin D, have your kiddo spend a modest amount of time in the sun (maybe 15 minutes) with no sunscreen. Obviously, you can't control outside time at an all day camp, so sunscreen for camp days. Or, just make sure she gets a Vitamin D supplement.
3) You can buy sunscreen with fewer chemicals, if you are that concerned.

One of the stupidest things I've ever seen is "Dr. " Mercola selling tanning beds on his website, presumably so folks can get their Vitamin D. Dumb dumb dumb! Those things are extremely harmful. Hmmm. Greatly increased risk of skin cancer vs. having to take a Vitamin D supplement. Which to choose? No brainer to me. Rant over.

ETA: More on needing sunscreen with different skin colors (or being tan). Most of my family vacationed in Cancun several years ago. My nephew, who is half-black (and has brown skin), did not use sunscreen one day. He got a severe sunburn and had a related fever, headache, chills, etc.. Did I mention that he lived in Vegas and had used sunscreen his whole life (except for here for some reason), and had already had ample exposure to the sun that summer? So, no matter the color of your skin, sunscreen is still a good idea.

ETA2: "Dr." Mercola is a quack and a snake oil salesman. Any "doctor" who wants to sell you a tanning bed with his/her name plastered on it is not a real doctor.

Your mom is both right and wrong at the same time. Her facts are right, her opinions are not good advice.

Sun exposure DOES help with your bodies ability to absorp and process Vitamin D so some brief exposure to the sun without sunblock can be a good thing. That's why so many these days have a vitamin d deficiency (more aware and use of Sunblock). There ARE chemical in sunblock that can/do absorp into your body via your skin. Those chemicals CAN be bad for you (some are worse than others). Additionally, if you don't use a broad spectrum sunblock, you can block some types of sun rays while still being fully exposed to others and still have skin damage (and at risk for cancer) so in the end it wasn't all that effective.

15 minutes a day without sunblock should resolve the Vitamin D issue. Using an effective broad spectrum sunblock with the least amount of chemicals will resolve the other issue the best you can without complete sun avoidance. We use SunShade because it's effective, it feels just like lotion without the greasiness or weird smells and it's non-toxic.

Not using ANY sunblock at camp would be a sure fire way to ensure your daughter would get sunburnt immediately (they spend more than 15 mintues outside at a time and probably more than once a day) and at great risk for skin damage and cancer later on.

I suggest you put a good non-toxic, broad specrum sunblock on your child before she goes to camp and send her with a hat to put on in case she needs it. Then a few times a week, you have her go outside for 10-15 minutes without sunblock (or just a bit after camp is over because by then what you put on in the morning is surely not still working).

I also suggest that you do your own research and make your own informed decisions so you can do what YOU feel is right and best for your child (rather than listening to your mother or anyone else) because this is YOUR child not ours.

**Heidi M **skin color does not matter. Your sons are getting sun damage even if you don't see it right now and even if they aren't complaining about being sunburnt. So while it's still your choice how you handle it (and I agree that the 14 year old should be able to have a say), you should know that the damage is occuring even if you don't see a "sunburn".

**For those that feel that you don't need it once you have a "tan", you may not need the sunblock to prevent a sunburn at that point but you have aquired sun damage of some degree if you have tan and multiplying that when you continue to have sun exposure without sunblock. So it's your choice but I just hope you are making an informed decision. Sunblock isn't just to prevent a sunburn but also to prevent/reduce sun damage/skin cancer.

Absolutely keep putting that sunscreen on her. The "chemicals" are so minuscule. They are hardly even worth mentioning.

Keep in mind that sunscreen does wear off. It is recommended that it be reapplied every 2 to 3 hours. I'm sure your daughter is getting more than enough vitamin D.

Your mother is right about the chemicals. Chemical sunscreens are absorbed by the body. Recent studies had people use chemical sunscreens give samples of their urine. Not surprisingly, their urine had the sunscreen chemicals in them.

This is the reason why my family uses only physical sunblocks. Physical sunblocks contain zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide, which are not absorbed by the body. Zinc oxide provides better protection since it blocks a significantly longer portion of the UVA rays. Look for those ingredients when purchasing a sunblock for your daughter.

A person can get enough vitamin D by exposing their arms and legs for 15 minutes in the sun. However, the sun is not necessary for vitamin D. Your daughter can get vitamin D from a number of sources, including milk, OJ, cereal, etc. Dermatologists recommend use of sunscreen to protect against skin cancer.

She's kinda right, and kinda wrong.

If your daughter is going to be exposed for longer than 15 minutes, she needs sunscreen. And 15 minutes is really all she needs to get her daily dose of vitamin D.

Here's a great source for safe and effective sunscreens: http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/

ETA: Also: Mercola is a quack. Please pick a source of trustworthy medical information that doesn't cite himself and articles from ABC, CBS or Time as medical fact. He is a shill for every ridiculous, unproven "remedy" out there, and the BBB has rated his site with an "F".

Go to ewg.org to check the list for the safest sunscreens without chemicals. They research and update their list annually.

Incidental daily exposure is enough for vitamin D purposes in most climates. For any prolonged outdoor activity, sunscreen is needed to avoid the risk of skin cancer.

Yes, you need vitamin D daily. 15 - 30 minutes of sun exposure per day without sunscreen is good for us. Coppertone Waterbabies is actually quite a good sunscreen and rated by EWG (that someone mentioned below) as a 2 on a scale of 10 as far as toxicity goes (10 being the highest toxicity). We use Waterbabies at our house. Oh and I would definitely send you child to camp wearing sunscreen!

BTW, Dr. Mercola recommends sunscreens that don't have chemicals and nanoparticles in them, which does lead to deep absorption of the suncreen into our bodies, which isn't good. (He likes zinc-based sunscreens that don't absorb, but sit on the skin). He also recommends about 30 minutes per day of sun exposure without sunscreen.

Increased sun exposure does indeed increase the chances of skin cancer. I have nursed people who have died from this, and it is not a nice way to go. These people spent a lot of time in the sun. Each subsequent exposure increases the chance of developing it more. The cancer starts as a lesion on the skin, but then gets into the blood stream, and lesions can end up anywhere - behind the eyelid, in the vagina, in the brain, liver - places that never see the sun. To be safe, use long sleeved sun protection factor shirts, wide brimmed hats, stay in the shade, and yes, sunscreen.

Melanoma is really serious.

Just shop around for "safe" sunscreens.
Go to places like Whole Foods etc.
Research it.
There are safer types.

Now, no matter what...if a person is going to be out in the sun outdoors, and mostly all day even if that is in and out all day... a person can and/or will, get sunburned. EVEN in cloudy weather, people can get sunburned.
Even if they are in the sun for ONLY 15 minutes. And depending on skin type or sensitivity.
I am in Hawaii, the tropics. People here are very careful about using sunscreen. Kids who don't use it, get burned to various degrees. Even if they are out on the playground at school for only 10 minutes. Repeated sunburn on skin, can lead to skin cancer. It takes just one... bad sunburn to then, damage the skin. For example.
So some kind of skin protection should be used.

ALSO there are clothing options which prevent sun damage. It is called "Rash Guards." Typically used by surfers, but now it is more mainstream and everyone uses it. Just Google Search "Rash guards for kids." Here in Hawaii, children AND adults, use this. It is very, common. There are long sleeved types or short sleeved types. It protects against sun burn and damage.
If a kid or adult is going to be out in the sun, people here use this all the time. AND hats.

Again, even if a person is out in the sun for even 15 minutes, they can get burned. So, tell your Mom. Because she said your daughter does not need sunscreen unless she is "outside for a few hours...."
And again, even in cloudy weather, people can get sunburned. And reflective heat, also causes sunburn, too.

Call me crazy, but I just use a screen without all the chemicals she's talking about. Look into Alba Botanical and Badger Blam sunccreens.

Yes, sunscreen does block the absorption of vitamin d. Think of all the times we are caught outside without any sunscreen on. Walking to the mailbox, walking to the car. Those times when then kids are running outside for 5-10 minutes when we get home. Etc. I've read you need 5-30 minutes of screen free sun time, twice a week. I easily get that, without even trying. Not only that, I eat plenty of foods high in vitamin d. (NOT added, but naturally in the food.)

Don't listen to your mother. And Mercola is indeed a complete and utter whackadoodle quack.

You can use an SPF that's full spectrum. There's no need to use one higher than 50 or 75 SPF. The difference after 70 SPF is minimal. But you DO need to use sunblock or sunscreen. Either are effective, they just work a little differently.

http://cancer.about.com/od/skincancermelanoma/f/Sunscreen...

http://www.family-health-and-nutrition.com/sunblock-vs-su...

http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/08/07/28543.aspx

EDIT: I don't know why the links are broken. Sorry. :-

EDIT AGAIN: It only takes ONE BAD BURN to get skin cancer. You don't even need multiple "accumulative" exposures. Just like it only takes one time to get pregnant, it only takes one bad burn to get skin cancer.

Today, everything is bad! What is your alternative? Sunburn.

As others have said, there are 2 kinds of sunscreens: physical ones that sit on the skin and are made with titanium or zinc, and chemical ones that absorb into the skin like oxybenzone and others with hard to pronounce names. Zinc and titanium are safe, but the chemical sunscreens are the ones linked to cancer. I always cringe when I see people spraying chemical sunscreens on their kids' faces because they're inhaling the fumes and chemicals. I use California Baby or Badger brand sunscreens. They're made with good ingredients and you can get them at Whole Foods. Target also has California Baby. To avoid nasty chemicals, check the ingredient list. The fewer ingredients, the better, and avoid ingredients you can't pronounce.

My kids wear a long sleeve rashguard and swim shorts in the pool. I put sunscreen on their faces but other than that, I don't use it unless we'll be outside for a long time. At the park, we wear big brimmed hats.

Also, it doesn't take long for your body to make vitamin D. Maybe 10-15 minutes. If you'll be out for hours, definitely go for the sunscreen.

I would rather wear sunscreen and risk it than end up with a bad sunburn.

We do sunscreen between the hours of 10-3. Otherwise, no sun screen. I also use natural stuff, with limited chemicals.

There are so many safe sunscreens available now (including a hat, umbrella, long sleeve shirts, ect) that there is not a reason to weigh pros/cons - protect yourself and your kids.

My SO who is 3 years older than his brother looks younger and healthier. Why? The first thing that comes into mind is my SO always wore sunscreen, (he used to be in the CA sun surfing, loves gardening - being outdoors), hats, and long sleeves 99% of the time he was/is out in the sun. His brother opposed sunscreen. He wanted to absorb as much Vitamin D as possible and he thought the same as your mother. Not only does he have more wrinkles but he also has developed aged spots (hopefully nothing cancerous) and his skin looks rough and saggy. He's only in his mid-30s.

I have two LOs and I don't want to take away their choice to have healthy, beautiful skin when they get older so I've always used sunscreens with
Zinc Oxide and encouraged them to wear hats. This year I think I might get them some cute parasols =)

If she is outside for more than 20 minutes-even on a cloudy day-she should wear sunscreen.

We use "natural" sunscreens (with zinc and/or titanium dioxide) because my son is sensitive to the chemicals in regular sunscreens (even the ones dubbed "baby" or "kids"). The risk of sunburn and skin damage is far greater than the risk of vitamin D deficiency from sunscreen use. They will get enough vitamin D from getting in and out of the car in a normal day. Slather that kid up before sending her to camp, and ignore your mom for this one.

Hi,
I always try to go for the "natural", "organic", and "healthy" route, but the use of common sense is another very important factor here. Keep putting sunscreen on your daughter. Avoid those with PABA (oxybenzone, dioxybenzone, sulisobenzone, etc), and choose those with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.
I have two relatives in my family who always give me the "look" when I am putting sunscreen on my kids.They believe it is not safe and they always give me hundred of reasons to avoid sunscreen. I say nothing and keep putting it on my children. I know it is safer than allowing them to go out exposed to the sun and get skin cancer. Many people do not know that skin cancer is accumulative and it may come later in life.
I think you are doing the right thing.

yes, your mom is right. You can buy safer sunscreen from places like whole foods or other natural markets. I also agree with the vitamin D comment. The best way for your body to get vitamin D is through the sun. Sunblock with block the vitamin D. I do not wear sunscreen unless I am outside for over an hour. I am very fair. If your daughter is going in and out of the classroom all day then I don't see any reason to have it on her unless she burns with in 10 minutes of being outside or unless you know she will be outside for over an hour. Also if you put the sunscreen on her in the morning, it's not going to still be working by mid day. Sunscreen needs to be re applied every hour or so to work.

ETA: I wanted to add on that if you want your daughter to wear sunscreen, then don't worry about what anyone else says. You can buy natural sunscreens that are safer than the ones at regular stores. I am actually allergic to coppertone. I break out in an itchy sandpapery rash and my daughter is allergic to banana boat. She breaks out in big red welts. So, we do buy our sunscreen from whole foods. Also even though I wait to put it on myself for about an hour, I do put it on my kids who are half white and half Filipino (they have much darker skin than I do).

Sorry M. - I disagree with your mom.

I personally would rather have small amounts of chemicals being absorbed into my child's body than them have skin cancer or get burned.

does your mom want to care for your daughter when she has water-filled blisters on her shoulders and back and maybe even her face? Will your mom pay for the doctor bills as the skin falls off and creates an infection?

Sorry. The risk of sunscreen "chemical" damage is far less than the effects of having skin cancer. PUT THE SUNSCREEN ON!!

If you want to find one with less chemicals? I am sure there is an organic brand out there....yeppers! By Golly there are!!
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/na...

More than ONE MILLION cases of skin cancer every year! Do you want your daughter to be part of that statistic?

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/na...

I use a barrier lotion instead and I only use it when there is a chance of burning so that we can get our vit D.

You just have to switch to a sunscreen that does not cause cancer. There are websites that will tell you what brands you can buy. We like Cotz and California Baby. My dermatologist who was giving me a skin cancer check this year highly recommends Cotz. I now order it online to save a little money. There are a bunch of brands you can buy that are not going to be bad for you but if no stores near you carry them you should probably just order them. I would not worry as much about the vitamin D because they say you need 15m of sun exposure a day and sunscreen starts wearing off after a couple hours. Surely she is getting some time in the sun without sunscreen.

Actually Kristen W., Mercola is ahead of the curve on this and other things and always has been. But go ahead and dismiss him if you'd like. One of the ironic things about skin cancer is that many of the worst cases are in body parts that are not exposed to the sun. The idea that sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancer is a myth - people who live in northern climates are much more at risk for skin cancer than those who live closer to the equator - not because we burn, but because we are deficient in Vitamin D.

Back to you, M. W! I agree with your mom to a certain extent. Vitamin D is important, but during this time of year, your kids can get their full day's supply from just a few minutes in the sun, like 10 or 15. Beyond that, there is not need to needlessly expose them to the discomfort of sun burns if your kids are prone to them. To that end, I would use a non-toxic sunscreen on their day camp days - my favorite is California Baby, which you can get at Target. It's pretty expensive, but when you consider that skin is our largest organ, it's worth the extra money to not be slathering my kids in chemicals. Target now also carries BabyGanics sunscreen, which was less expensive than California Baby. Both are highly rated by the Environmental Working Group, which rates the toxicity of sunscreens and other cosmetics:

http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/best-sunscreens/best-bea...

I have my kids use sunscreen pretty regularly early in the summer but my boys all tan, so after a while we only use it when we'll be at the beach or pool during peak hours. When they were really small, I used to have them swim with a swim shirt on to reduce their sun exposure. My step-daughter burns to a crisp all year, so she has to wear sunscreen religiously.

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/sun/sun-safety-sunscreen-and-...

Hope that answers your questions, otherwise call her pediatrician see what he/she thinks.

Skin cancer and sun poisoning are way more serious to get, if no sun screen at all is used. As for the Vitamin D...Just use a 15 instead of a full block. Sun burns can be very painful and peel as raise the risk for skin cancer later on. Kids are outside most of the time at summer camp. It's not like she's going to spend hours inside.

Yes there are chemicals in them that will get in the system. But you have to decide if you would rather her be in pain or have a little stuff in her system. There are some kinds that are natural that are better than others. I have some that is all natural but it's not cheep at all. I use it not because of chemicals but because it's the best sun screen I have ever found. But you have to order it from an Arbonne rep you can't get it in the store. I think putting sun screen on her is fine. My oldest has decided at 14 he really does not want to put it one even when swimming I make him put it on if he's going to be out there for hours but other than that I don't cause I know he tan's and he's old enough to understand the consiquences to not wearing it. I put it on my 11 year old but lightly because he's even darker than his brother so I don't feel the need the lather them with it. If they where WHITE like me and I mean blinding white they would take a bath in sun sceen before going in the sun. But they are not.