Comments on: Sunscreen Choices Redux

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:16:57 +0000

I’ve been debating this for awhile, though it’s not a major concern in the grey land of England! We tend to use a hat for the kids and some SPF 15 if we are going to be out in full sun. I prefer to cover up or stay in the shade, but as we are sun-deprived, we need as much vitamin D as we can get. Though I will look into some of the SPF with fewer chemicals.

By: Jordin

Jordin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:48:36 +0000

I love all the information on the post and the comments here! There are some really amazing links. i have been trying for years to look into making my own sunscreen, and i have so excited to see the link for it.

One thing that no one has mentioned is the shirts (among other clothing) that is SPF protective. There are some great companies such as Please Mum for kids http://www.pleasemum.com/search_results.php?keywords=spf+sleeve
and Billabong for adults. I know that sometimes they arent ideal, but they prevent the need for sunscreen, no need to reapply, it is reusable.

By: Jean

Jean — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:57:01 +0000

Cetaphil Daily Moisturizer– SPF 15… inexpensive, non greasy, great for everyday use!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 06:11:05 +0000

This is something I’ve given a fair bit of thought to, as I live in the southern part of Australia, right underneath that big ol’ hole in the ozone layer, where we just survived a summer of record high temperatures (including 5 days in a row of temps above 45 degrees celsius). Skin cancer is a huge problem here – some of our leading oncologists estimate that 1 in 3 Australians will have at least one skin malignancy in their lifetime. On the other hand, people are becoming so hyper-aware of the problem that the opposite effect is also being experienced, with a large number of Australians now vitamin-D deficient due to sun avoidance.

With my fair-skinned children, and a family history of skin cancer (fortunately non-fatal in every case), I tend to err on the side of protection, but that doesn’t actually mean a lot of sunscreen. In the summer, we live a “Middle Eastern” life – very active and outside from 6:30am breakfast until about 10am, then inside, in the shade, or indoors at another venue until after 4:30-5pm, then outdoors again for the late afternoon and dusk (and often eating dinner outside). That way our sun exposure is limited to the gentler light of morning and evening. When outside at other times, we wear long sleeves and wide-brimmed hats and try to stick to the shade.

If circumstances dictate that we *must* be outside and unshaded in the heat of the day, we sunscreen up. I tend to use Banana Boat Kids 30+ (it’s an Australian line: http://www.bananaboat.com.au/FAQ.asp). It doesn’t irritate our skin or activate my 4-year-old’s dermatitis, it works well, and it washes off easily. Also, it’s not too expensive – about $15AU ($12US) for a bottle that lasts us a summer for the whole family.

By: Jenn

Jenn — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:01:24 +0000

My father and his siblings grew up just out side of Los Angeles county in the 1950’s (Irish/Scotch/Polish/German heritage). With the exception of my father, my relatives on that side of the family have all had moles and spots removed. While these procedures have been relatively minor, I do think it is important to acknowledge that the sun DOES pose a real threat.

That being said, I am a non-product person. If I do use a product, I require that it have 5 pronounceable ingredients or less: pure aloe vera gel and Vit. E oil for facial moisturizer, rosemary tea & castile soap for shampoo, geranium oil for tick repellent, lavender water for mosquito repellent, mint on the floor to repel ants, etc. So when it comes to sunscreen, my solution is to take one cup of very simple lotion that I trust and add one table spoon each of pure, non-micronized powdered zinc oxide and titanium dioxide purchased from a cosmetic supply company. It makes somewhat streaky non-waterproof SPF 30.

Also, some research does indicate that topical application of vit. E and C may help counteract the effects of sun damage. Unless, of course, there is an allergy in question.

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:39:51 +0000

Thanks for the information. I worry about sun exposure more than the chemical exposure. I must confess. I too have albinism, and therefore have been warned my entire life about sun exposure. I have a yearly check-up with a dermatologist, now that I’m older. I have come to appreciate hats, not only to protect my skin but also my eyes. I use a daily moisterizer with SPF 15 from Kiehls. We, my children and I, use Waterbabies, probably not the best to avoid chemicals, but it’s a spray and it goes on easily and smoothly. We use the stick for our faces. I insist on the sunscreen for my kids when we know the exposrure will be prolonged. However, foy youngest, I have started using it almost daily, because he loves being outside. I also heard that Vitamin C will protect against some exposure. Just another thought, my children tan nicely, especially my boys, but I still insist on protection for them. The boys have my dad’s complexion, but my dad saw a dermatologist yearly and had numerous pre-cancerous lesions removed. Finally, I have to share another concern for us in the deep south. I use mosquito repellant daily too, because my son had a round of MRSA from a mosquito bite. I have tried the natural stuff, but he hated it. I worry about the chemical exposure from such products, but I fear the MRSA more. Good luck finding what works for you.

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:11:21 +0000

Sorry about hitting ENTER too soon in the previous post….

Did you know that coconut oil is a natural sunscreen?
And it is awesome as a skin moisturizer. It takes very little and does not leave your skin feeling greasy.

Go to: http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/article10013.htm
to find out more about the many blessings of coconut oil.

Another helpful site is: http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html

I love your blog, by the way; and your Martha and Charlotte books are favorites of ours! God’s blessings to you and your family!