Sunscreens or not. The risk versus reward of using sunscreen

Posted on Jun 17, 2016


It’s that time of the year when mothers everywhere get really nervous about their kids being outside in the summer sun. In years past, moms didn’t seem to go to the extreme lengths they do nowadays to keep their kids’ bodies covered up in clothing and/or sunscreen to protect them from the seemingly harmful UV rays.

Indeed, most people just assume it’s a logical choice to cover any exposed body parts with sunscreen if they’re going to spend time outdoors. Their chief motivation? “I don’t want to get skin cancer.”

Skin is your body’s largest organ. Whatever you put on it gets absorbed into your cells, tissues and organs rather quickly. Did you ever stop to consider what ingredients make up sunscreen? Is sunscreen a good thing to use?

A century ago skin cancer was rare, but today it’s all too common. The numbers will scare you: 1 million Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year according to the CDC, and it’s estimated that 1 in 5 people will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

But what about all the people using sunscreen? Shouldn’t their use of sunscreen be bringing those numbers down, helping to protect people from problems like skin cancer?

Here’s the deal: the sun is not your enemy, yet by applying sunscreen you’re inadvertently messing with nature. Normally, when the sun hits your skin your body produces Vitamin D which is then used by every cell in the body and helps prevent all sorts of diseases. Sunscreen, however, blocks the production of Vitamin D– not good!

You’ve heard of UV rays. Specifically, there are UVA rays and UVB rays. Suffice it to say that sunscreens, until recently, only blocked the UVB rays. Exposure to UVA rays, which penetrate deep in the skin and cause free-radical damage, increases your risk of developing skin cancer.

Sunscreens may not do what people expect them to do. Furthermore, sunscreen ingredients can cause skin irritations. If you take a look at your sunscreen and see para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), retinyl palmitate, and benzophenones listed, you should do some research to discover those ingredients may actually be helping to damage your skin and leading you down the path to a skin cancer diagnosis.

Are there natural products that can help protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun? Yes. Look for products with coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil and jojoba oil.

For more information on Sunscreen’s please call Lakewoods Chiropractic at 651¬464¬0800 or send us an email at [email protected]

Submit a Comment

Lakewoods Chiropractic
Lakewoods Chiropractic
385 Google reviews
SALLY DETLEFSEN
SALLY DETLEFSEN
September 26, 2022.
I am amazed at how much better I feel since coming to Lakewoods. The doctors and staff are amazing.
Lukas Drayna
Lukas Drayna
September 21, 2022.
Great friendly staff. They focus on the target area’s to ensure your body is happy and healthy !
Michael F.
Michael F.
September 13, 2022.
Lakewoods Chiropractic is awesome. Friendly, welcoming, and professional Environment. They make you feel comfortable. Definitely recommend Lakewoods. I'm well on the road to recovery. Keep up the good work.
tone2403
tone2403
August 30, 2022.
Definitely recommend Lakewoods. When I went in I was in very rough shape. After a few weeks of adjustments I'm feeling better then ever. Great staff and very knowledgeable. They take the time to really make you understand the process.
Eric Russell
Eric Russell
August 25, 2022.
Jason and his staff are the best. Since my 1st visit, they always informed on your progress and had your health as #1 priority.
Angel L Colon Jr
Angel L Colon Jr
August 11, 2022.
Excellent service, friendly accommodating staff. Awesome family friendly services. Highly recommend!!!
Carrie Davis
Carrie Davis
August 3, 2022.
By far the best chiropractor I’ve ever used. They customize a plan just for you and don’t use a one size fits all approach. I wouldn’t recommend anyone else!! Thank you!!!
Justin W
Justin W
July 28, 2022.
Great place!
Jennifer Thelen
Jennifer Thelen
July 21, 2022.
I have been experiencing low back pain for at least 10 rememberable years and decided on a whim to try chiropractic care at Lakewoods. I had never been to a chiropractor before so I had no expectations that it would work or not but after just my first adjustment I had instant relief for the first time in 10 years. I have since been super impressed with how everything has been explained to me and how my care plan has been formed. The staff are all very kind and have been very helpful as well!