Alison Odey

I have always felt that many popular sunscreens are more dangerous to your skin and well being than is reasonable amounts of sun exposure.
My long held belief is that it is safer to ‘cover up’ with light clothing, wear a hat and use a basic Zinc Oxide type of sun-screen rather than fancy chemical ones and to be sensible about how long you stay exposed to the sun.

My own experience of noticing skin sensitivity to many chemical sun-screens has strengthened this view.

Now days it is common for people to come to the clinic with skin rashes, inflamed areas, itchiness and other sensitivities after using skin care products.

Chemical ingredients such as octyl methoxcinnamate, 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor, benzophene-3, PABA etc are now known to be possible causes of ADHD, asthma, allergies, skin sensitivity, and can cause further cell damage by creating free radical damage.

I also wonder about the excessive use of Titanium dioxide (the shimmery ingredient) as I have found excessive levels in hair samples from people using skin cosmetics containing
this chemical.

International studies have now found that melanoma rates are highest in countries where chemical sunscreens have been heavily promoted.

This could be due partly to the chemical ingredients and partly due to people erroneously
thinking that they are completely safe when covered in sun-screen and staying exposed even longer than is applicable.

Our sun-light (in New Zealand) is definitely becoming more dangerous and can cause damage to the deeper levels of the skin even while using sun-screens.
Every-one needs to be careful about when and how long they stay in the sun.

However there are times when we all find our-selves out-side for longer than we intended or many of us work out-side and have little choice in the matter.

We are fortunate now that naturally derived sun-screens are starting to appear on the market. Most are Zinc Oxide based, but are now lovely and soft to use unlike the old Zinc creams that left a dense white splash across the nose!!

The best of these natural sun blocks that contain many natural oils and anti-oxidants and blend nicely into the skin and are also reasonably water proof.
This type of sun-screen is not only safer to use but also lets essential Vitamin D find its way into the skin and are suitable for all skin types.
I usually have sunblocks of this type available in the clinic. Go to On-line shop.