Hawaii is\nthe first state in the United States to ban the sale\nof sunscreen containing the coral-harming chemicals oxybenzone and\noctinoxate, ushering in a new era of reef-safe sunscreen. The new law goes\ninto effect January 1, 2021, but many visitors and residents are already\ntrading in their non-reef-safe sun protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So\nwhat does this mean for the rest of us\u2014especially in sunny places like Florida,\nwhere skin cancer<\/a> is a concern? Is this the first in a wave of new\nregulations regarding safe manufacturing and development practices for\nsunscreens? Before we speculate on the future of personal and\nenvironmental sunscreen safety, let\u2019s discuss what the difference is between\nthe two categories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultraviolet radiation is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be divided into three subtypes: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC is a clinically unimportant subset due to it being filtered very efficiently by the ozone layer. UVA and UVB are the clinically important segments of the UV spectrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n UVB\nrays are responsible for producing sunburn and play the greatest role in\ncausing skin cancers. UVA rays also play a role in skin cancer formation,\nbut will penetrate more deeply into the skin and play a greater role in\npremature skin aging, otherwise known as photoaging. Traditional chemical\nsunscreen products have been more successful at blocking UVB rays than UVA\nrays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The classical approach to developing a sunscreen is to incorporate enough chemicals that have known properties of blocking segments of the UV spectrum. These chemicals will absorb certain wavelengths of UVB rays, thereby not allowing them to penetrate the skin. Choose enough chemicals that provide a complete block for a given segment of the UV spectrum, and voil\u00e0<\/em>, you have a sunscreen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately,\nmany of the classic chemical sunscreen ingredients provide protection for the\nUVB spectrum only. Interestingly, the SPF factor found on all sunscreens refers\nto their protective qualities for UVB rays only. SPF designations have no\nrelationship to the quality of protection for UVA rays. That brings us to\nphysical sunscreen ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Physical\nsunscreens refer to chemically inert ingredients that block UV rays by exactly\nthat: physically blocking them rather than chemically absorbing them like chemical\nsunscreen ingredients. Think of an umbrella. Since physical sunscreen\ningredients refer to titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, it is clear they are\nmetals and can be better thought of as a suit of armor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some forums have echoed concerns for the health effects of using these metals on the skin, but the fact of the matter at this time is that there is a complete dearth of scientific information suggesting such a risk. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, have a wealth of data showing the deleterious effects on human biology and the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether\nthis data is clinically relevant or outweighs the risks of UV exposure with\nregard to skin cancer development remains to be determined. We do have a\nnational epidemic of skin cancer that is only hyperbolized here in Southwest\nFlorida. People should weigh their risk factors for skin cancer development\nand the alleged concerns with chemical sunscreens. Physical sunscreens remain a\nsafe alternative and provide effective, broad coverage for UVA and UVB rays\nhere in Southwest Florida. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\nanticipate that the regulations set forth by Hawaii will only be a growing\ntrend for future regions, environments, states, and nations. Transition to\na physical sunscreen is not only a safe alternative, but an effective one for\nskin cancer prevention. Some of our favorite physical sunscreens are those made\nby EltaMD\u00ae. They have been ahead of the curve when it comes to the commitment\nfor physical sunscreen development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone\nshould be using sunscreen. So, in summary, make it a physical one and call it a\nday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To learn more about mitigating skin\ncancer risk, as well as protects to protect against and repair sun damage,\ncontact Skin Wellness Physicians<\/a>\nby calling (239) 732-0044 or sending a\nmessage online<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hawaii is the first state in the United States to ban the sale of sunscreen containing the coral-harming chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, ushering in a new era of reef-safe sunscreen. The new law goes into effect January 1, 2021, but many visitors and residents are already trading in their non-reef-safe sun protection. So what does this mean for the rest … <\/p>\nUltraviolet Radiation: Easy as ABC<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Chemical Challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So, What to Do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n