Are there safe sunscreens?

I've been getting a lot of questions lately about sunscreens. This is a very complicated issue with many varying opinions a lot of misleading information about what ingredients are safe. I hope the following information will help you make a choose which products are best for your family.

It's important to understand that there is difference between sunscreen and sunblock . Sunscreen helps filter sun and prevent sunburn (UVA), sunblock physically blocks out UVA and UVB. Both contain synthetic ingredients so there’s really no such things as a ‘natural’ sunblock or sunscreen. It’s generally believed that mineral sunscreens are safer. These products typically contain Zinc oxide (ZO) and Titanium dioxide (TO) and contain very small traces of minerals (often called nanoparticles) that can penetrate the skin and have been linked to cellular damage and free radical formation. The horrible irony is that though mineral products block damaging UVA and UVB rays, the combination of sunlight perpetuates the formation of the free radicals when combined with the ingredients. Excess free radicals ae known to cause cancer. So...you either don’t use and risk skin cancer from exposure, or use and risk the potential cancer and other health problems from use of synthetic chemicals right?

My recommendation if you decide to use Mineral based products, be sure it does not say “micronized’. Also be sure whatever you choose be sure you do not see any of the following ingredients listed:

Any “paraben” (butyl, methyl, ethyl, propyl)
Octyl-methoxycinnamate
Octyl-dimethyl-PABA
Mexoryl SX
Parsol 1789
Benzophenone-3
Homosalate

Visit http://www.purealternatives.net/ for safer sunscreen alternatives.