Articles Body and Being articles are no longer being written. We leave these in place for your reading enjoyment. The healing power of touch – February 2006 Chromium effective for common mood disorder – January 2006 The Bach Flower Essences® – December 2005 Natural solutions for stress, mood and sleep disorders – November 2005 Sytrinol™ A breakthrough in cholesterol management – October 2005 Beyond echinacea – September 2005 Stevia: A natural choice for sweetness – August 2005 Choosing a multivitamin for your child or teen – July 2005 Choosing a sunscreen – June 2005 The flames of inflammation – May 2005 Cleanse away your allergies – April 2005 Seasonal allergy relief – March 2005 Fish and your health – February 2005 Taking a closer look at vitamin E – January 2005 Wintertime aromatherapy body care – December 2004 The truth about coconut oil – November 2004 Bringing a little "calm" to children's active schedules – September 2004 Summer smoothies – August 2004 Homeopathy for PMS and menstrual cramps – July 2004 Vitamin C and pregnancy risk – June 2004

Body and Being
NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR HEALTH AND BODY CARE

Monthly articles are supplied by guest writers who explore natural solutions to health and well-being issues.

Choosing a sunscreen

by Laura Genoway, Avalon Natural Products

(June 2005) — According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer — with over a million cases reported each year. A combination of the UV Index, skin type and sun exposure time are evaluated in determining individual risk for skin cancer.

The American Cancer Society projects that half of all Americans who live to age 65 will develop skin cancer. Such health trends have resulted in sunscreens becoming a common household item; however, it is important to remember that sunscreens only help increase the recommended exposure time. Your skin type and the UV Index cannot be changed.

Sunscreens are used to diminish the amount of sunrays that reach the skin; they do not totally block sun exposure. The SPF (sun protection factor) value indicates the level of protection against the sun’s UVB rays. UVB rays are responsible for burning and are a contributing factor in skin cancer. A sunscreen with broad-spectrum protection also offers protection against the sun’s UVA rays, which are a contributing factor in both skin aging and skin cancer.

To calculate the appropriate SPF for your skin type, estimate the amount of time it takes for you to get sunburned without a sunscreen, and then multiply the number of minutes by an SPF.

For example, if you typically burn in 10 minutes, SPF 18 sunscreen will protect against sunburn for 180 minutes or three hours. This doesn’t mean that at one minute past the three-hour mark you will instantly sunburn, or if you reapply sunscreen just before the three-hour mark, you will stop yourself from getting a burn. Be cognizant of how long you are in the sun and exercise caution even when wearing a sunscreen.

For maximum effectiveness, sunscreens should be applied liberally 20 to 30 minutes before sun exposure, and reapplied a minimum of every two hours while you are outdoors. It is important to remember that all sunscreens require reapplication following towel drying, extended water activity or perspiring.

The average adult will use approximately one ounce per application for full coverage. That is three to five ounces per day for continuous exposure. Routine application and reapplication to face, top of ears, neck, arms, hands, feet, top of shoulders, upper back and under thin clothing offering poor sun protection is necessary.

The era of choosing a sunscreen based solely on the SPF rating is gone. Since we’ll be wearing them more often, it makes sense to choose a sunscreen that is more than a SPF rating. Sunscreen can also be a lotion that nourishes the skin and works with your lifestyle whether you are going to work, gardening or hiking in bright sunshine. When selecting the most appropriate sunscreen, you may also want to consider:

• That lotions are preferred by dermatologists because they provide even coverage.
• A hypo-allergenic sunscreen will use ingredients that are least likely to cause an allergic reaction.
• Wearing a daily facial sunscreen is important since frequent sun exposure can cause signs of premature aging such as wrinkles and skin discoloration.
• You can also protect your children from the sun using a sunscreen specifically formulated for kids.

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