SUN SAFETY
Keeping safe in the sun isn’t always as straightforward as simply following the summer’s oldest adage of ‘slip, slop, slap’. We take a look behind the bottle to try to decipher the jargon and bust some of the biggest myths associated with sunscreen.
Deciphering the jargon and busting the myths associated with sunscreen.
As the temperatures begin to soar and summer graces us with its presence, Australians of all ages flock to the beach in droves to lap up the sun, sand and surf. But all of our sun-worshipping comes at a cost. Approximately two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they reach the age of 70. Tragically, more than 2000 Australians die each year from some form of skin cancer.
“Most skin cancer is as a result of too much sun exposure, especially when we are young,” says specialist GP Dr Ellen Selkon.
She explains that when we are overexposed to harmful UV rays, we damage our DNA on a cellular level. The sun emits UVA and UVB rays, which are both harmful to the skin.
“UVA rays penetrate the lower layers of the skin, and the UVB rays penetrate the upper layers of the skin,” states Tracey Beeby, global skin educator for Ultraceuticals.
UVA rays are generally linked to visible long-term sun damage such as wrinkles, while UVB rays are the main cause of sunburn. Both types damage DNA and can cause skin cancer. The sunburn that we see is actually a result of inflammation.
“The redness that occurs, which we all know as sunburn, is the skin responding to this trauma and trying to repair the damage that has been created by UV,” states Beeby. If our DNA cannot correct or repair itself when overexposed, Selkon says that this is when skin cancers can occur.
Those who think they’re lucky to tan rather than burn should reconsider their sunbathing habits, as according to both Beeby and Selkon, there is no such thing as a healthy tan. “Often people diagnosed with skin cancer will say they have never been burnt, but they’re farmers or outdoor workers and incur excessive amounts of UV exposure,” says Selkon.
With Australia’s alarmingly high rates of skin cancer in mind, most Australians are well- educated about the importance of applying sunscreen before we step into the sun. But Beeby and Selkon both agree that most of us could still do a lot to improve on our sun-safe habits.
The main thing that most of us are still getting wrong, says Beeby, is simply not applying a sufficient amount of sunscreen to actually protect us from harmful UV rays.
“Most people don’t apply enough sunscreen,” she explains. “In order to provide adequate protection, you need half a teaspoon of sunscreen for the face, neck and ears; one full teaspoon per arm; and two teaspoons per leg. You should apply approximately one cupped handful of sunscreen for an adult body.”
Spray- on sunscreens might seem like a convenient, easy-to-apply option, but it’s often harder to get the correct amount of protection you need. Just the hint of a summer breeze in the air can mean your sunscreen doesn’t end up where you need it to be.
Selkon says another problem we tend to have with sunscreen is forgetting to reapply during the day. “We apply too little, too infrequently and we don’t reapply after swimming,” she says. It’s a common misconception that you can just slather on sunscreen once in the morning and be protected all day. “We believe if we are using SPF 30+ that we are protected and safe for the day,” says Selkon.
This is far from the truth.
As Beeby explains, the SPF (sun protection factor) of a sunscreen tells us how long a sunscreen will protect us for. “To figure this out,
“We believe if we are using SPF 30+ we are protected for the day.” DR ELLEN SELKON
you multiply how long it takes you to burn by the SPF factor,” she explains. Because everyone has a different skin type and burn time, it’s important to make sure this is worked out for the individual. “For example, if it usually takes you five minutes to burn, that is multiplied by the SPF: if you are using an SPF 50, you will have 250 minutes or just over four hours of accumulative sunscreen during the day,” Beeby says.
While reapplication is crucial – especially after swimming and perspiring – it does not mean you can stay safe in the sun all day long. “If sunscreen is reapplied every two hours, it’s not going to give you an extra two hours of protection,” says Beeby. “After that time, you need to cover up or take cover.”
DECIPHERING THE FORMULATIONS
Sunscreens fall into two categories when it comes to how they protect skin from UV rays. Selkon explains that they’re divided into synthetic sunscreens – which will tend to use ingredients such as oxybenzone or octinoxate – and mineral sunscreens, which use ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
Some formulations contain one or the other, and other formulations contain both chemical and mineral ingredients. Deciding on what kind of sunscreen is best for you largely comes down to personal preference and your skin type, as both types of formulation provide adequate protection against the sun’s rays.
Both mineral and synthetic sunscreens come with a variety of advantages and disadvantages. Mineral formulations work by giving skin a protective barrier, so that both UVA and UVB rays are scattered and reflected off the skin. Formulations that are mineral-based will work immediately, but because of the way they work – and the fact that they tend to be denser – you need to be more liberal with your applications.
One of the most common downsides to mineral sunscreens is the fact that, traditionally, the formulations have been difficult to rub into the skin, and have left skin with a ghostly white covering.
Fortunately, formulations are evolving all the time. Selkon says many mineral sunscreens now use nanoparticles – minuscule molecules that are measured in nanometres (one nanometre is the equivalent of a millionth of a millimetre) – and this makes the sunscreen transparent.
There has been concern that nanoparticles could penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream, but studies have found that nanoparticles in sunscreen pose very little risk to human health. In 2017, the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that on healthy, unbroken skin, nanoparticles remain on the surface of the skin. The study also revealed there is insufficient data on inflamed skin and the use of nanoparticlebased sunscreen. It concluded that care should be taken in applying nanoparticles in sunscreen to skin with an impaired barrier function.
Closer to home, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration updated its review on the safety of mineral nanoparticles in early 2017. After assessing both in vitro and in vivo studies, the TGA found that the majority of studies concluded that nanoparticles either didn’t penetrate or minimally penetrated the skin.
On the other hand, synthetic sunscreens are absorbed into the top layers of the skin and work by absorbing harmful UV rays and converting them into heat to deactivate them. Most synthetic sunscreens will use a combination of ingredients to protect skin from the sun. They tend to be less dense, and are therefore easier to apply.
Synthetic sunscreens will also work immediately – although, as Beeby advises, it is always best to apply sunscreen 20 minutes before sun exposure. This helps to ensure sunscreen is absorbed and provides maximum efficacy, no matter which type of formulation you settle on.
It is easier to add additional skincare benefits – such as hydration – to synthetic sunscreens. Therefore, if you are looking for more than just protection from the sun, a synthetic formulation might be better suited to your lifestyle.
Recently, some consumers have chosen to avoid synthetic sunscreens because of fears that oxybenzone
– a common synthetic sunscreen ingredient – and other synthetic UV absorbers are endocrine disruptors. But although studies have indeed found some detrimental effects on animals, a dermatology paper in the Archives of Dermatology found that the average woman would need to use oxybenzone-based sunscreen continuously for 277 years to get the equivalent hormonal effect, as animals are often fed unrealistic amounts of synthetic ingredients during in vivo research.
Over the summer months, a substantial amount of sunscreen inevitably ends up in the ocean, and research is being done into the impact that sunscreen ingredients have on marine life. Recently, the Republic of Palau announced a ban from 2020 on a number of sunscreen ingredients, including oxybenzone. Hawaii will also ban all sunscreens containing oxybenzone and oxtinoxate from 2021. Researchers have found oxybenzone is harmful to corals, algae and sea urchins in a number of studies.
However, most marine scientists believe more studies need to be done to reveal the impact that all sunscreen ingredients are having on ecosystems.
More recent studies have demonstrated that nanoparticles in mineral-based sunscreen could also have a devastating impact on marine life. A study from May 2018 found that zinc oxide causes severe coral bleaching, damaging hard corals and their symbiotic algae.
Due to the sheer amount of information and misinformation out there, it can be tricky to decide which formulation variety is the best for you. But sunscreen is a non-negotiable skincare essential – and if you’re going to be outside, any sunscreen is better than none at all. Just remember that sunscreens do come with a shelf life.
“All sunscreens should display a use-by date on the box and on the product itself,” Beeby says. “The shelf life unopened is generally three years.” What this means is that you can’t keep reaching for the same jumbo-sized bottle of sunscreen year after year. Beeby says that once sunscreen is opened, it must be used within six months or it cannot be guaranteed effective. Storage is important, too.
“If it is stored in a cool, dark place, you shouldn’t have a problem with the efficacy of your product,” says Selkon.
And remember, at the end of the day, the best step you can take to protect your skin is to avoid the sun when UV rays are at their highest – and always cover up with a hat, clothing and sunscreen whenever you’re outdoors.
“The redness that occurs, which we all know as sunburn, is the skin responding to this trauma and trying to repair the damage.” TRACEY BEEBY