Most parents believe they are doing the right thing to protect their children by generously applying sunscreen to our kids every day throughout the summer. We are continuously and appropriately warned that we must protect ourselves from the dangerous rays of the sun. Unfortunately, many sunscreens contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful to our skin and to our health. We should be better informed of the exact ingredients and chemicals we are applying onto our children’s skin as well as our own.
Researchers have proven that key sunscreen ingredients can contribute to certain cancers due to their mutagenic properties and their ability to generate free radicals when activated by ultraviolet light generated by the sun. Also concerning for pregnant mothers and babies, certain sunscreen chemicals have hormone disrupters present. Research has shown that these can interfere with your child’s normal sexual development or cause reproductive problems later in life.
Check your sun cream bottles at home to see if they contain the following chemicals that are categorized as potential hormone disrupters: benzophenone, avobenzone, oxybenzone, diethanolamine, triethanolamine (DEA, TEA), padimate-o, octyl dimethyl, PABA, homosalate, retinyl palmitate, octyl-methoxycinnamate (octinoxate), salicylates, and parabens.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently tested samples from thousands of people using certain sun creams and found oxybenzone lurking in 97% of their urine samples, proving that the chemicals can soak into the bloodstream. Quoted from The Lancet journal, researchers concluded: “It would be prudent not to apply oxybenzone to large surface areas of skin for extended and repeated periods of time, unless no alternative protection is available. There may be an additional concern for young children who have less well-developed processes of elimination, and have a larger surface area per body weight than adults.”
So, what should a parent do to keep their children safe from the dangers of the sun and also the harmful chemicals found in most sunscreens? Using products that are natural and include the ingredients titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or both, is vital. These ingredients sit on top of your skin and literally “block” the dangerous ultraviolet rays from penetrating your skin.
See our full range of Natural Tone Organic Skincare that is natural with organic ingredients.
Comments will be approved before showing up.
