skintranslation

It suprises me to learn that, until June 2013, we lacked longitudinal research showing sunscreen’s actual, long-term effects on the appearance of skin. We, both the general public and dermatology professionals, have long deducted through observation that sunscreen (as well as other UV protective measures like wearing sun gear) prevents skin-aging effects, such as wrinkles […]

Forgo Bakin’ It Public awareness of the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun and tanning beds has grown substantially over the past two decades. Programs like The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Go With Your Own Glow campaign stress the beauty of one’s natural skin color, and many celebrities promote untanned skin. But there needs […]

Since posting Natural Sunscreen Review, Part 2, I’ve seen an upcropping of posts about and pictures of terrible skin reactions to Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Sunscreen – a sunblock that I favorably reviewed. The recent influx of circulating testimonials, some written in 2010 and now reappearing, about rash caused by Pure & Free raises […]

A continuation of Part 1. Yes to Cucumbers Lotion   Woo Hoo Factors Contains organic and sustainably grown ingredients UVA/UVB broad-spectrum protection Titanium dioxide 6.2% and zinc oxide 11% Cucumbers, green Tea and aloe (“soothing,” “cooling,” anti-oxidant) Non-invasive formula, hypoallergenic Non-comedogenic (non-acne forming), thus meant for body AND face Non-staining, washes out of clothing Free […]

The title of this post alone suggests this inquiry is not a fair fight. Most of us would choose a so-called “natural” product over a chemical one. But when it comes to sunscreen, there is a lot more to it. For this post, let’s assume that a “natural” sunscreen is, in fact, “natural” as you […]

In Part 1 of this series on natural and chemical sunscreens, I covered the basics.  Here, we see that relatively minor shifts in priority between efficacy and potential health risks yield starkly different results in evaluating sunscreens.  To show this, I compared product recommendations from Consumer Reports and Environmental Working Group.  These two organizations consider […]

What is a “natural” sunscreen?  What is a “chemical” sunscreen?  Does it matter? Is sunscreen safe? Is it effective? I got these questions a lot when practicing, and I continue to get them from friends and family. Over the next few weeks, I will be putting up a series of posts providing some insights that […]