Did you know that most sunscreens contain anti-inflammatories? This scandal was revealed by researchers at the University of Nantes in France. 1
This is a problem because these substances block your body's natural inflammatory reactions (redness, sunburn, etc.) that should signal that you have exceeded the reasonable amount of sun exposure.
Here are some lines reported by the researchers:
Sunscreens are designed to block UV rays for a certain period of time, usually 3 hours. This allows you to be exposed to the sun for longer without damaging your skin. After this time, when the UV filter ceases to be effective, your skin becomes vulnerable again, as if nothing were protecting it.
Our bodies should trigger inflammatory reactions like sunburn and redness, but they don't. So, manufacturers add anti-inflammatory substances to their creams that prevent your body from sending out its warning reactions. And these anti-inflammatory substances remain active much longer than UV protection.
Where your skin will start to cook after 3 hours, your inflammatory response can remain silent for 12 hours! This is very bad, because the damage to your skin will be very real. But you don't realize it, and it could significantly increase your risk of skin cancer.
How did they discover this problem?
A cream's sun protection factor is generally measured in SPF. However, for ethical reasons, SPF is not calculated on humans, animals, or even cells.
The problem is that we no longer measure how well the cream delays inflammation. However, it is not possible to determine the anti-inflammatory power of a sunscreen either by consulting the SPF index or even the list of ingredients. In the study, you can read how the laboratory tests were carried out, the list of creams tested and the results obtained. You will see, by visiting this link, that the creams that contain the most anti-inflammatories are those whose actual SPF index exceeds the declared SPF index.
Also, one thing to remember is that UV filters deteriorate over time, and even more so when exposed to light (they are called photo-unstable). This is why you should respect the expiration date on the container before deciding to expose yourself to the sun for a long time.
Cream can be useful, but choosing natural protection remains a sensible choice. Never forget that sometimes it is better to cover your head and wear protective clothing when you have to stay in the sun for a long time.
Find out here how to make mineral sunscreen with our shea butter: its ingredients and benefits, an explanation of zinc and after-sun tips.
Reference :
1. Couteau C, Chauvet C, Paparis E, Coiffard L (2012) UV Filters, Ingredients with a Recognized Anti-Inflammatory Effect. PLoS ONE 7(12): e46187. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0046187
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