We can’t use normal sun cream?! Feel like everything is ‘bad’ for you now!

[whenimetyouinthesummer]

It feels like in the last few years we’ve gone from realising the (obvious) dangers of things like smoking to now, every tiny little thing is ‘bad for you’. We used to have a wood burning stove and had it removed because I saw (on here) about the links to cancer, particularly in children. Stopped using normal deodorant and switched to natural stuff because I read it wasn’t good for you, which really you can’t imagine spraying an aerosol on your skin daily is going to be that great for you. Found it doesn’t really work though and if I’m going to the gym I will end up going back to my old one.

Last week I read an article claiming sun cream is causing skin cancer and not the sun. Dismissed it really but tonight I’ve read an article that’s popped up about mineral sun creams, creating a physical natural barrier to UV rays rather than using chemicals in sun cream to block the rays. It says you should be using these instead of chemical sun creams (all the normal popular ones). Again, makes sense but there doesn’t seem to be all that much research into them yet. What if they don’t actually block the harmful rays? It feels like every single thing is going to end up being labelled as harmful, when all you’re trying to do is protect you/your kids as best you can 🤦🏻‍♀️ Do you go along with these things or think they’re nonsense?

I’ve heard spooky things about chemical sunscreens on science podcasts

I am sure there is article that says sheep have a camera so they can spy on goats, as in there will be articles on anything and everything

Does not make it true

Were the writers of the article trying to flog mineral sunscreen?

Gah, sorry, didn't mean to quote the OP, hate when people do that

Ive posted about the sunscreen before. It’s not totally a crock of shit with a tinfoil hat on it, but more research is needed.

Yale Medicine link on sunscreen

But I hear you with your general complaint. I wish we lived in simpler times when we didn’t know things could be bad for us when we are just doing our best to live right.

To add, my dermatologist (not at Yale) is advising hats, spf clothing, staying in the shade and mineral sunscreen when sun exposure cannot be avoided.

There will always be a new thing that is bad for us. Some of them will stick, others will not. Be sensible do your best without tying yourself up in knots about it.

Can someone recommend a good factor 50 mineral suncream? Need something for the whole family and I've never used one before, normally just buy Nivea or Garnier

Think of it as a continuum rather than A is good and B is bad. This is how I feel about shopping local and single use plastic and recycling. I will try my best but there is a point where it becomes impracticable. So a mineral sunscreen seems doable assuming they aren’t horrendously expensive. There are natural deodorants that are effective - (my husband uses some kind of crystal )but in any case you don’t need to use an aerosol and there are other less bad options among the continuum. Find the point of compromise

Mineral suncream is very expensive. And looks white when you first put it on.
I have sensitive skin and find it better for my face especially, but have to take a deep breath before droping a chunk of cash each spring.
It does work though. And sometimes there are special offers.
JASON and Green people are two brands I can think of right now. But not all of their sun products are mineral based - have to note the package.

It is zinc based usually. Like the thick block stuff surfers use.

Forget that it’s Joe Rogan (in case you have some particular preconception about him). The man he’s speaking with is a well-known neuroscientist. Have just done a quick google as I recalled seeing him speak about sunscreen somewhere else

Totally, it’s like you try to feed your kids healthy meals but one thing after another just keeps popping up saying that’s now dangerous. Everyone does seem to follow it quite quickly too but haven’t heard much about the sun cream thing so going to use my poisonous chemical one today again

I use a least harm approach- try not to use anything that isn’t essential.

For the sun, clothes are better than creams.

Don’t deliberately expose yourself, as in lay in the sun for hours. Use scarves and hats

I find that staying vertical means you don’t need sunscreen or cover except on shoulders and forearms.

Kids can have those coloured surfer/ski blocks on the high point of their face- cheekbones, forehead, nose- and down the high point of their arm.

The only time I've ever been properly sunburnt in the UK was when I was wearing mineral suncream.

Are you reading this on social media?

Stick to trusted sources.

You're actually doing the right thing to think about healthy lifestyles, but it's about keeping it in perspective.

That is referring to a particular chemical used in sunscreen in America. It's a known carcinogen that has been banned in the EU and UK for many years.

@AGlinnerOfHope but if you go on holiday do you not lie by the pool at all? I’m not a big lover of the sun anyway so will generally sit in the shade for most of the day and will always keep the kids in the shade. It’s also amazing how much you hear about covering kids up in the sun but then you go to buy a covered up swimsuit and they’re all the tiny short sleeves and shorts version. I eventually found a full arms and legs one in next but my toddler is in and out the pool all day and would be so burnt in one of the short ones

Buy a rash vest if you want them covered up.

But honestly, the internet can find an article telling you anything is dangerous if you look hard enough. Apply a little bit of critical thought.

Have you seen the articles about the dangerous chemical dihydrate monoxide? It's in everyone's home, and if you take too much of it can kill?

When you read these articles look firstly to what's in it for them, peer reviews and also your own risk assessments.
It could be that sunscreen has an ingredient in it that can cause cancer. It may be that eating it is unwise. Or it could be that wearing sunscreen has a 0.001% chance of causing cancer... But getting burnt has a 0.1%, (figures made up) and never going out in the sun increases your chance of other types of cancer by 0.01%.
Then your best chance is still wearing sunscreen.

No, we don’t! Sit in the shade, play/swim in the water which is the hardest to manage the sun for. DH burnt a few years ago despite me telling him repeatedly he needed to come out/use more sunscreen.

We’re all very fair and overheat easily, so have to actively manage it anyway.

When I burn it’s because I’ve been caught out somewhere unexpectedly- DM insisting on watching some display so we stayed still for an hour, or visiting MiL and sitting still in the garden. If you keep moving the sun never stays on one part of you long enough to burn! 😅

If you keep moving the sun never stays on one part of you long enough to burn!

Um, only if you keep moving in and out of shade!

I've used mineral sunscreen on my face for years because chemical ones make my eyes stream and stream. Chemical on the body, though: mineral is far too expensive to use everywhere!

This made me laugh. Thinking you can trick the sun into not burning you by walking very, very fast🤣🤣

My SIL is a dermatologist and says we should all use mineral suncreams. They work well for us.

The issue is you can't avoid anything but you can minimise.

I am big on recycling but I am not punishing myself if I buy something plastic. I try to cook from scratch but on the other hand I don't die if I eat a ready meal.

Sun cream - don't forget you need sun on your skin to create Vit D. There are already studies that we overapply, especially on children, and there are deficits. Yes we can take supplements but we can also re-learn that a bit of sun each day without smoothered in cream is not a dead warrant.