To think that sunscreen is toxic?

[Pitbull]

Some women proudly say they wear sunscreen every day even in the winter. But isn't it kind of toxic? If you think about it sunscreen is loaded with chemicals. The ingredient list is full of long, unpronounceable names. Why would you wear it on your face all the time? When I put spf on my face when it's really hot and sunny I obviously avoid the eye and mouth area. Yet, within about twenty minutes my eyes start watering, and I feel a toxic chemical taste in my mouth. Which means it seeps through my pores deeper into the skin and some of it gets into the bloodstream, and via the blood vessels they go everywhere. Yuk. Why would you wear a toxic mix on your face every day?

I wear SPF50 on my face every single day of the year, rain or shine. Have done for the last decade. I live down under so we get sun safety drilled into us from a young age here.

The plus side is that I don't have skin cancer and also have no wrinkles at age 36.

I don't use shampoo, suncream, cosmetics type stuff. Mainly because ugh, the industry is a bit of a bastard, innit? Locking up bunnies, selling you toxins, poisoning the rivers, making you feel like a fruitcake for not participating...

For suncream you can use coconut oil (it has a low spf) but I use a mix made by a woman on the (naice) marker near me, based on coconut, carrot oil and, um some other stuff you wouldn't be scared of eating. She also makes a deodorant based on that orange ish solid oil that I can't remember the name of and bicarbonate of soda. She has a degree in chemistry and makes 'natural' alternatives to that stuff. I know, I know, cyanide is naturally occurring and the 'pure' water we drink is highly processed...

For shampoo I mix eggs and vinegar and use again oil to condition (and cover the er, idiosyncratic smell of my shampoo). For soap I make sugar and salt scrubs. I feel I am being kind to the rivers and water and being nice to the environment. I don't think the extent of my fruitcakery is public knowledge because I look clean and smell nice, though I don't wear makeup which is giveaway enough for some.

My children are vaccinated fyi

The Nivea suncream leaves a taste in my mouth. My dad didn't use suncream and he got skin cancer.

Apart from the fact that everything is made of chemicals, why don't you just use ones that are paraben/sls/phthalate etc free? Lots of brands like Jason, Green People, Attitude etc. I'm assuming you think the same way about you moisturiser, shampoo, makeup. I've got a whole list of those too...

My dad didn't use suncream and he got skin cancer.

Some people are just unlucky-non smokers get lung cancer too. I hope your dad is ok and they caught it early.

There's no question that wearing sun cream vastly reduces your chances of getting skin cancer.

We tried the Green People sun cream last year. It worked fine. Expensive but worth it.

Green People is good. I tend to get a couple of bottles early in the year when they have discount codes and look after them. I use a Korean facial screen which is SPF 50 and completely non greasy, very watery and fab. When you spend as much time outdoors as we do, and have a massive history of cancer in your family you are careful. My sister is only 35 and had a cancerous skin growth removed last year.

For the kids I tend to keep them covered up over the key hours, or encourage shaded activities but insist on lotion every day.

Good lord, honestly. Step away from the David Wolfe memes. Sunscreen is not toxic. Skin cancer is much worse. And, as PP have stated, the increase in skin cancer is probably due to travel to sunniest climates being easier and cheaper, and overuse of sunbeds.

If you don't want to use chemical sunscreens, there are plenty of mineral sunscreens around.

Some of the posts here are scarily uninformed!

I have lived all over the world, much of my time spent in South East Asia. I currently live in Seattle and it's a source of irony for me to note that the Seattle area has one of the USA's highest rates of skin cancer. It's cloudy nearly all the time, the rainfall is insane - we have broken records every year for the last 5 years and this year we have officially recorded only 5 days of "mostly" sunny weather since January 1, 2017, We are nearly into May! Why so much skin cancer in a rainy, cloudy place? Because people don't think they need UV protection in this kind of weather. They are tragically wrong - to the point where Puget Sound is competing for highest ranking in skin cancer rates.

On the other hand, my dad, who apart from a few (begrudging) trips to London, has never set foot outside of Yorkshire, has had skin cancer twice now.

Go ahead, worry about sunscreen, just please don't endanger your children with your stupidity.

I wear sunscreen all year round - granted, I do live in a part of the world that demands it, but it's such a part of my routine I wouldn't think of doing otherwise. It seems odd to me not to protect yourself where you can. Also, if you are already using other moisturisers, serums, foundations, blushers, bronzes, tanning lotions, etc. etc. that's plenty of 'chemicals' you're applying daily - negating the entire AIBU really.

sparepants

you really have to watch for that. if you do not take proper precautions it can leak into houses as well.

and proponged exposure to the skin makes it go wrinkly.

the solid state and and the gaseous form can also burn the skin.

(mind you i make my kids clean the windows with acid: (CH3COOH),)

they have protected them from C2H6O though so far.

Even the tinfoil hat your wearing is chemicals

This TinfoilHattie is full of chemicals

I have children who are very pale skinned, with red hair and freckles. Sunscreen is essential. When we go abroad we use gallons of the stuff. It's probably not great for you if you drink it, but hte same could be said about a lot of other products too.

John masters organics natural sunscreen, I use it everyday. I've very pale skin and worry about sun damage.

I don't use sunscreen - have not found one that does not irritate me - BUT that does not automatically mean I take risks in the sun. I wear a hat and long sleeves - even when it is not sunny, I avoid full sun where possible, I am a shade hopper, I work indoors. I am "pale and interesting". (I don't use any other unguents either, but have no wrinkles in my 50s).

I also wear sunglasses EVERY day when outdoors - whether sunny or not (strong family history of macular degeneration and avoidance of sun is the only thing that will slow the onset - also helps with avoiding wrinkles)

Don't need a vit D supplement due to being a redhead

I'm a redhead and (according to my blood tests) need a vitamin D supplement.

I thought most people in the UK (who don't work outdoors) were vitamin D-deficient?

Putdownyourphone
What sunscreens do you use ?
You say you use non toxic ones.
Thanks in advance.

You don't need it in winter in England.

In summer I use it on my face only and just cover up after a little bit of sunbathing (doctor's orders for Vitamin D).

I don't get people lying in the sun for hours and repeatedly slathering, so I see OP's point.

And I think everything you put on your skin finds its way inside even in minute amounts?

In fact I do exactly the same as BeyondThePage.

To those who feel that sunscreen is horribly toxic, do you also use no makeup?

Another redhead here who has been diagnosed deficientbin vitamin D.

I don't use makeup, never felt the need.

I don't think sunscreen is horribly toxic though, just unnecessary if you are a general sun avoider who covers up.

I also think sun-screen is used wrongly. You need multiple bottles of the stuff for a week's family holiday in the sun if you are using it as required. Exposure to the sun is what damages skin and eyes. Why slather on sunscreen instead of wearing sunglasses, a hat and long sleeves and avoiding full sun?

It's absolutely sunbathing/the quest for a tan that's to blame. I grew up in Australia with what felt like the uncoolest Dad in the world as he wouldn't let us play outside or go to the beach between 10 and 4pm. I've followed the same rules as an adult.

At 35 I get annual mole checks. I have no obvious moles despite being redhead and freckly, but my sun loving friends are all onto their 3rd/4th/5th excision.

Well said NowtAbout

There are lots of concerns about the products used on the skin and researchers basically don't know the long term effect of using sun cream daily over years as it is a relatively new fashion
Exactly! The trials are relatively short and we simply do not know what these "safe" ingredients are doing when used daily in the long term. Or how they behave when combines with any one of the miraid other stuff most women slather on themselves. It's always good to have an enquiring mind.

Also, we really shouldn't have such blind faith in the government looking out for our best interests when they are heavily influenced by extremely rich lobby groups such as pharmaceutical companies. And no, I'm not a tin foil hat wearer.

Because it's about weighing up risks.

What are the risks of wearing the product on your face everyday? What are the risks of not wearing sunscreen?

I don't use sun screen in the UK. If eg gardening I would wear a hat/protect my exposed neck or shoulders with clothing if the sun was too strong. Abroad we use Green People because conventional sun screens irritate my skin, make me sneeze and make my eyes water. I'm sceptical about mainstream sun screens

I'm with ChickenMe on this. I don't wear sunscreens in the UK simply because the sun is never so strong as to wear factor 50. I keep out of the midday sun in summer, wear a hat when gardening, plus shades. You can't put sunscreen on your eyes, so you need to wear shades.

We need the sun to synthesise vitamin D in our bodies, especially in these northern latitudes, and need to make the most of sunshine to do this.

If going to the Med or other hot spots, then you are told to acclimatise your body to the heat, not the sun. Walk on the beach in the morning an in the evening and then do the sunbathe gently. I remember being on a Greek beach in the evening with loads of women who had taken off their clothes. They were enjoying the sun, after keeping out of it all day and said it helped with vitamin D production. This was in the early 80s! They knew when to sunbathe. Their children played happily in the warm sea.