Sun damage to the skin is responsible for 80% of the skin aging. Anyone who is over 50 yrs of age should compare the skin on their face with skin on those parts of your bodies which has not been much exposed to sun such as the skin in your medial upper thighs or medial upper arms near the axilla. You will notice that the skin on parts of your body not exposed to sun looks so much younger, free of wrinkles and free of discoloration as compared to the sun exposed skin. Anyone who wants to prevent aging of skin has to protect themselves from the sun, otherwise it’s impossible to prevent skin aging. What is the harmful radiation from the sun? It’s not only the ultraviolet light but also the sunlight itself. Most of the sunscreens in USA don’t protect the skin from UVA radiation since they are designed for UVB radiation. UVB causes skin cancers and sunburn but UVA also causes skin cancers but no sunburn. People think since they didn’t get sunburn, they are protected.
Since UVA doesn’t cause sunburn but causes most of the skin aging, people will spend all day in sun being protected from sunburn by the common sunscreens under the false understanding that no sunburn means they are protected from sun induced aging.
SKINMEDICA – Essential Defense Mineral Shield
Broad Spectrum SPF 35
This sheer, lightweight, mineral sunscreen gives you the highest level of UVA protection available, along with UVB coverage to protect you from damaging rays.
Appropriate for post procedure and sensitive skin types.
Skin Pen Skinfuse Mineral Shield
I always use broad spectrum mineral shield composed of Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as sun block anytime I am out in sun!! My hobby as a mountaineer exposes me to high intensity UV radiation at high altitudes. Despite being a mountaineer, I have beautiful skin without any sun spots, spider nevi or evidence of UV damage!!
Types of sunscreen agents available in market:
| Sunscreen | Range of Protection |
| Organics | |
| PABA Derivatives | |
| PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) | UVB |
| Padimate O (octyl dimethyl PABA) | UVB |
| Cinnamates | |
| Octinoxate (octyl methoxycinnamate) | UVB |
| Cinoxate | UVB |
| Salicylates | |
| Octisalate (octyl salicylate) | UVB |
| Homosalate | UVB |
| Trolamine salicylate | UVB |
| Benzophenones | |
| Oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) | UVB,UVA2 |
| Sulisobenzone (benzophenone-4) | UVB,UVA2 |
| Dioxybenzone (benzophenone-8) | UVB,UVA2 |
| Others | |
| Octocrylene | UVB |
| Ensulizole (phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid) | UVB |
| Avobenzone (butyl methoxydibenzoyl methane, Parsol 1789) | UVA1 |
| Ecamsule (terephthalylidene dicamphor sulfonic acid, Mexoryl SX)* | UVB,UVA2 |
| Drometrizole trisiloxane (Mexoryl XL) | UVB,UVA2 |
| Meradimate (menthyl anthranilate) | UVA2 |
| Bemotrizinol (bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenol triazine, Tinosorb S) | UVB,UVA2 |
| Bisoctrizole (methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol, Tinosorb M) | UVB,UVA2 |
| Inorganic | |
| Titanium dioxide | UVB,UVA2,UVA1 |
| Zinc oxide | UVB,UVA2,UVA1 |
What to look for and avoid in Suncreens?
| Ingredients | Products | |
Avoid | Oxybenzone Vitamin A Added Insect Repellant | Sprays Powders SPF above 50 |
Look for | Zinc Oxide Avobenzome Mexoryl SX | Cream Broad Spectrum Protection Water Resistant SPF to suit your needs: 15-50 |
Sunscreen Facts:
1. There’s no proof that sunscreens alone prevent melanoma.
2. Don’t be fooled by high SPF.
3. The common sunscreen additive vitamin A may speed development of skin cancer.
4. European sunscreens provide better UVA protection.
5. Sunscreen doesn’t protect skin from all types of sun damage.
6. Some sunscreen ingredients disrupt hormones and cause skin allergies.
7. Mineral sunscreens contain nanoparticles.