Feeling very frustrated with all of the information out there about sunscreen. I've studied several lists of the "best sunscreen" and still don't feel too comfortable slathering it all over my munchkins when we go out. I do so only because I'm more afraid of the alternatives. I do my best to find the one's with the least health concerns. Those are usually the natural/mineral suncreens. They are free from Vitamin A/Retinyl Palmitate which may actually increase your chances of getting skin cancer! The EWG (Environmental Working Group) which claims to "work to protect kids from toxic chemicals in our food, water, air and the products we use everyday" has a "best sunscreens" list. Even their list contains sunscreens with "low" and "moderate" health concerns. Unfortunately, the EWG also reports on their website, http://www.ewg.org/, that the FDA failed to finalize their 1978 sunscreen safety standards. As a result, there is a lot of confusion about what is safe to use and what is not. Europe seems to be way ahead of us on this one. Their website has some very interesting articles if you're interested in reading more. I have to say though that even if the FDA did finalize their safety standards I don't know that I would trust them. The FDA has approved many things I wouldn't use on my kids. I've chosen to go with Aveeno's Mineral Block and Abaca Botanicals Mineral Block and hope that I'm not doing damage to my family's skin in the process. What do you use?
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Sunscreen. What to use? What to use?!
Feeling very frustrated with all of the information out there about sunscreen. I've studied several lists of the "best sunscreen" and still don't feel too comfortable slathering it all over my munchkins when we go out. I do so only because I'm more afraid of the alternatives. I do my best to find the one's with the least health concerns. Those are usually the natural/mineral suncreens. They are free from Vitamin A/Retinyl Palmitate which may actually increase your chances of getting skin cancer! The EWG (Environmental Working Group) which claims to "work to protect kids from toxic chemicals in our food, water, air and the products we use everyday" has a "best sunscreens" list. Even their list contains sunscreens with "low" and "moderate" health concerns. Unfortunately, the EWG also reports on their website, http://www.ewg.org/, that the FDA failed to finalize their 1978 sunscreen safety standards. As a result, there is a lot of confusion about what is safe to use and what is not. Europe seems to be way ahead of us on this one. Their website has some very interesting articles if you're interested in reading more. I have to say though that even if the FDA did finalize their safety standards I don't know that I would trust them. The FDA has approved many things I wouldn't use on my kids. I've chosen to go with Aveeno's Mineral Block and Abaca Botanicals Mineral Block and hope that I'm not doing damage to my family's skin in the process. What do you use?
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