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sunscreen dangers, wasn't this obvious?

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 8:13 am
by CAMERONM
There have been some minor discussions in this forum about sunscreen and LNT. I jump into lakes all the time. When walking I keep covered up and only use sunscreen on my face and wrists, so there is not a lot I need to clean off before jumping in a lake. As a swimmer with a hyper-sensitive nose I absolutely know how and when the others swimmers pollute the water, I can smell them! Now Florida is beginning to pay attention.

Funny how coral damage and coastline destruction can make even a red-state pay attention to pollution and climate change issues.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/201 ... oral-reefs

Re: sunscreen dangers, wasn't this obvious?

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 10:17 am
by freestone
Sunscreen has become a very interesting topic lately. Not only the environmental effects, but now the wisdom of slathering it on has come into question. The perfect sunscreen will not pollute, offer protection from damaging rays and better allow the skin to interact with sunlight for the benefit of vitamin D.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2380751/s ... er-science

Re: sunscreen dangers, wasn't this obvious?

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:16 am
by Wandering Daisy
It is also a very individual thing; some skin types are simply much more prone to UV damage. I prefer to cover my skin and wear a brim hat than use sunscreen. I prefer sunscreen designed for babies- I figure that if it is safe for babies it is better for me. Not sure if that really is true. At least the baby sunscreen does not sting my eyes.

No mention was made in the article that UV at high altitudes are different than sea level. Also no mention of the variation of UV levels caused by solar variation or upper atmosphere conditions changing over time. Not sure that we can say that our paleolithic ancestors were living in the same UV environment that we are today.

Does anyone know why Chapstick no longer has any lip balm with over SPF 15? Or is it just that my local stores do not carry it.

Re: sunscreen dangers, wasn't this obvious?

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:34 am
by rlown
Wandering Daisy wrote: Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:16 am It is also a very individual thing; some skin types are simply much more prone to UV damage. I prefer to cover my skin and wear a brim hat than use sunscreen. I prefer sunscreen designed for babies- I figure that if it is safe for babies it is better for me. Not sure if that really is true. At least the baby sunscreen does not sting my eyes.

Does anyone know why Chapstick no longer has any lip balm with over SPF 15? Or is it just that my local stores do not carry it.
https://www.consumerreports.org/sunscre ... -with-spf/

Note that the tests of actual SPF came in low across the board.

And on the chapstick site: https://www.chapstick.com/products/sun-defense
but you can search for the product you desire. Might even be a storefinder on this site.


I use blistex medicated SPF 15 but I've been known to use Banana boat SPF 50 when I can find it.

Re: sunscreen dangers, wasn't this obvious?

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:43 am
by gary c.
It's been some time ago that I read an article that seemed interesting to me but I have seen not anything again. It stated that most sunscreens did very little to help prevent long-term UV damage and only prevented the body from immediate sunburn from sun exposure. They were basing there statement on the fact that most sunscreens just filtered out part of the light spectrum but did nothing to protect the skin from the suns radiation exposure. Never read anymore about it but like I said it did sound interesting.

Re: sunscreen dangers, wasn't this obvious?

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 1:00 pm
by freestone
Maybe I'm incorrect on this but constantly wearing sunscreen and protective clothing interferes with the body's ability to utilize Vitamin D and low Vitamin D levels is associated with a host of ailments so I think there is value in removing some clothing and letting sunlight strike the skin for a reasonable period of time. Skin cancer and especially melanoma are complicated diseases that often appears in areas where the sun doesn't shine.

Re: sunscreen dangers, wasn't this obvious?

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 4:28 pm
by rlown

Re: sunscreen dangers, wasn't this obvious?

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 9:05 pm
by AlmostThere
I use zinc based 50spf to avoid blistering and peeling like a shale hillside. Also to avoid the inevitable precancerous spots that I have had removed in the past. I wear long sleeves, long pants, and big hats. Sunglasses with good polarized lenses. I do not suffer vitamin D deficiencies. Vitamin B, yes, but I have a supplement for that. I base my regimen upon the fact that if it didn't work my doctor would see me a whole lot more as I am out every weekend.

Re: sunscreen dangers, wasn't this obvious?

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 9:19 pm
by Jimr
I don't use sunscreen. I haven't for decades. I guess I have enough melanin in my skin that I tend to tan rather than burn. In the '80's, I spent every working day working in the street without a shirt. Sun's out, guns out. I always had a deep farmer's tan. Any skin damage from the sun happened long ago. In the Sierra, I wear long pants and long sleeve shirts. No hat and usually no sunglasses. I carry highly polarized clip-ons for fishing or when I'm in a lot of snow, but otherwise, I don't bother. Sometimes, I use lip balm. I have no idea what SPF it is. I use it if I feel my lips are going to start cracking if I don't. That rarely happens.

When I was young, I hiked in shorts and tee shirt and still didn't use sunscreen, because I was tan. I did, however, use a lot of DEET. My decision to go long pants and long sleeves almost eliminated my need for DEET. It also greatly reduced the battle scars on my legs from bushwhacking. Give or take a quart.

Re: sunscreen dangers, wasn't this obvious?

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 10:32 pm
by rlown
My ex-boss surfed alot down in Southern Cali. He's had bouts of melanoma. Fair skinned. He re-thought his approach after the diagnosis.
I chose the long sleeve/long pants approach about a decade ago, to reduce the slathering of sunscreen except where i needed it. As I am also mostly bald, the hat comes into play and I slather my face with sunscreen as well as my hands and neck.

I agree with your DEET concept though.