Can Natural Sunscreens Protect Your Skin?

Anna writes:

“I’ve been seeing articles about making your own natural sunscreen from plant oils. Are these really enough to protect my skin from UV damage? What about supplements that are supposed to act as internal' sunscreen?”

Thanks to extensive messaging campaigns from the American Academy of Dermatology and others, most of us are well aware of the dangers of UV radiation.  Unprotected exposure to the sun's rays can lead to potentially lethal skin cancers, as well as accelerated aging.  But before I dig into Anna's question about skin protection, let me take this opportunity to dispel a couple of dangerous skin cancer myths.

Skin cancer does not just affect fair-skinned people. People of all skin colors can get skin cancer--and skin cancers in Black and Hispanic people are more likely to go undiagnosed until they are in a late stage, when treatment is more difficult.

Another common misperception is that skin cancers only form on areas of the body that are exposed to sunlight.  When checking your skin for suspicious moles or spots, be sure to check the soles of the feet and other areas of the body that are typically covered. 

Finally, if you do find a suspicious mole, you shouldn't wait until your next annual physical to get it checked. Melanoma, which is the most deadly form of cancer, can become life-threatening in as little as six weeks. 

Skin cancer does not just affect fair-skinned people. People of all skin colors can get skin cancer.

Are chemical sunscreens safe?

Covering your skin with clothing or shading your face with a hat can offer protection from the sun's rays. For skin that's regularly exposed to the sky, diligent application of sunscreen is the best protection. But recent studies have raised concerns about the chemical sunscreens that are most widely used in commercial sunscreen products.

A study published in JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association) in 2020 found that the chemicals found in these products (avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate, and octinoxate) are absorbed into the body when applied to the skin.  After three weeks of daily sunscreen use, these compounds could be detected in the blood of subjects. Although we don't know for sure what the consequences of having these chemicals in our blood might be, there are concerns about effects on the endocrine system.  It's quite clear, however, that these chemicals are harmful to ocean life. (Just this year, Hawaii banned the sale...

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