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Sunscreen Warning

AHacker'sHacker

AHacker'sHacker

Who is John Galt?
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The golfer’s tan thread made me think of a new study my wife mentioned this morning. Apparently there is a new study that shows some of the more popular sunscreens could actually be accelerating cancer…

Study: Many Sunscreens May Be Accelerating Cancer


Find the best sunscreen for you (Environmental Working Group)

Not sure yet what to think about this new info but I thought I would at least pass it on. I didn’t use any type of sunscreen for a large part of my life but I have been religious about it for the last ten years or so. Who else uses or doesn't use sunscreen?
 
I actually just finished watching a video about this! Creepy!!

I do use sun screen, but sometimes I do forget, and get burned accordingly. This is a scary thing if sunscreen isn't helping us, or even making things worse....
 
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I was just reading about this on a fishing site. Someone posted who professed to have some knowledge about about the EWG.

Here's the post. It was anonymous so I think it's fair game. It was posted on Muskiefirst.com. Like golfers, fishermen get a lot of sun. Some of these guys will fish for 12 to 14 hours straight.

"Actually, the EWG is completely useless. They’re a fringe group from CA that knows very little but professes to know a lot. They base none of their findings on science. They definitely play to the ‘uninformed’ consumer. The mentioned findings of the FDA need to be taken with a grain of salt. Yup, Vitamin A might cause cancer….when lab animals are exposed to 800X the normal dosage. Just about anything you get exposed to at an exaggerated dosage will cause cancer. Vitamin A in sunscreens is in there at such a small level, it is hardly detectable. Usually about 50ppm in a typical formulation. I work in the industry and have developed sunscreens and I get emails all the time from concerned friends, coworkers, marketing all freaked out when EWG launches some new findings. I have to keep from laughing most of the time as most of it is a complete misrepresentation of the truth."

Kevin
 
I use the spray on stuff religiously. My dad had a form of localized skin cancer because he got burnt so much when he was younger. Dont want the same to happen to me (and the peely/leper nose).
 
I use it religiously. I'm a little shocked by these links.

I'll have a little talk with my dermatologist the next time I see him.
 
Thanks for the response Esox....

I'm going to take that assumpted route, because burning the crap out of myself by not wearing it can't possibly outweigh wearing it.
 
Thanks Esox. I thought this might be the case. That’s why I wanted to make sure I pointed out I wasn’t sure what to think about this yet. I don’t know if the posting you posted is accurate but I wouldn’t doubt it. Many of these types of studies totally blow things out of proportion.
 
AHacker'sHacker said:
Thanks Esox. I thought this might be the case. That’s why I wanted to make sure I pointed out I wasn’t sure what to think about this yet. I don’t know if the posting you posted is accurate but I wouldn’t doubt it. Many of these types of studies totally blow things out of proportion.
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Yeah, take it for what it was, an anonymous post on a fishing site, but there's a lot of good stuff posted on that site by many different "guests". You don't have to register to post there.

Kevin
 
There are some natural or organic sunscreens you can use. Some don't stay on well in the water. But hopefully most of you aren't getting wet while golfing. I use a couple different brands. They do cost more but its worth not putting all those chemicals in your are your childrens skin.
 
K-Rob said:
There are some natural or organic sunscreens you can use. Some don't stay on well in the water. But hopefully most of you aren't getting wet while golfing. I use a couple different brands. They do cost more but its worth not putting all those chemicals in your are your childrens skin.
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K-Rob you clearly don't live in a humid climate! :smile-big:
 
I really only use it when it's REALLY, REALLY hot outside and I'll be outside for 2.5+ hours.
So if I golf in the dead heat of summer, I'm putting it on.
That's about it.

I burn somewhat easily, but when I burn, I don't peel or anything, so I don't care that much.
 
I wont get onto too much of a soap box here- but please be weary of the first article that is posted on this thread.

A couple things I want to mention:
The use of the hormone-disrupting chemical oxybenzone, which penetrates the skin and enters the bloodstream.
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There is VERY little absorption of any chemical in sunscreen into your blood stream. It is also important to note that it is a naturally occuring chemical in the body and is readily detectable in the urine of most healthy people. The amount you would absorb is less than naturally occures in the body and will have very little (read: no) effect on hormone synthesis.

Regarding the vitamin A- we give massive oral doses to treat acne in kids and teenagers (Acutane) and we have NEVER seen an increase in malignency. These patients have an increased risk of sun burns but there is not an overall increase in cancer rates. If pumping our body full of the stuff doesnt cause cancer when exposed to the sun, including trace amounts in the suntan lotion you use will not be an issue either.

Regarding the organic sunscreens, I will tell you the same thing I will about herbal medications- Feel free to use them if you would like, but ultimately there is very little difference between organic/natural products and commercial/drug products. Organic sunscreen will still have the same benzene derivatives (oxybenzone's) and will even have more hormone-like chemicals (phyto-estrogens) than commercial sunscreen.
Final note:
There is no reason to buy sunscreen above SPF 35- anything beyond that wears off well before you see any extra benefit from it. That said- the SPF factors, in general, are reliable ways to meassure effectiveness of sunscreen. What most people forget is that you still need to reapply ever 4 hours (or more often if sweating/swimming/etc). Even water proof sunscreen should be reapplied every 4 hours.

I am doing my best to get an original copy of the cited article, and if I can find one I'll update with my professional opinon regarding the study (dose, control group, external validity, etc). I have a feeling that the authors of this article have done a lot of "twisting" of the study to get it to prove what they want it to prove.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Pharmacist,
RxGus
 
Ive seen those claims that some sunscreens cause cancer but Ive also seen sources that despute those claims, so who knows.
As for sunblock, Im a redhead, so I have to use sunblock. I wont go outside in the sun for anymore than 30 minutes without sunblock and even that is pushing it. I used to almost never wear sunblock and Id get burnt pretty badly. This year Ive been really good about wearing sunblock and havent burnt myself yet. Im currently using Walgreen's SPF 100 sunblock.
 
Thanks RxGus. It's amazing the types of experts we have on so many subjects at THP. :clapp::clapp::clapp:
 
its now on nbc news
 
Good thing I don't use sunscreen then!
 
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