Busting
the myths about sun protection – from Lucy Rose of www.lucyrose.biz

With a bit of luck Summer might be just
around the corner, and as we are collectively so passionate about a
natural and organic approach to our lifestyles, it’s a good job
that we can rely on some of the top organic beauty brands to provide
us with safe and effective SPF protection so that we can make the
most of the sun’s rays.

But understanding the array of sun
products that are available can be a tall order, even within the
organic sector. Especially when you take into account recent
recommended changes to labelling and to the ratio of UVA versus UVB
protection.

This is designed to be a
straightforward guide to unravelling some of the common myths,
misconceptions and complex science relating to sun care in the hope
that you will be able to relax safe in the knowledge that you are
slapping on the best protection for you and your family.

Read on to find out the facts!

• UVA or UVB?

UVA protection is more important in
preventing long term skin damage than UVB protection

UVA radiation penetrates deep under the
skin’s surface and is responsible for long-term cell damage
including premature ageing and skin cancer. UVB radiation causes sun
burn and therefore warns the body that it has been in the sun for too
long. It is really important to ensure that your sun lotion has
adequate UVA protection as well as UVB. New recommendations suggest
that the ratio of UVA to UVB protection should be 1:3.

• How effective are SPFs?

SPF 30 does not offer double the
protection of SPF 15

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor
and only measures the amount of UVB protection provided by a sun
screen (not UVA). So for example, an SPF 15 will protect you against
roughly 93% of UVB rays while an SPF 30 protects you against
approximately 97% UVB – you are therefore only achieving a marginal
increase in UVB protection with the higher SPFs. It is more
important to reapply the sun screen every 2-3 hours, or after
swimming or wiping with a towel, to provide effective protection from
the sun’s rays.

• Should I worry about nano
  particles?

Nano particles in 100% natural
mineral sunscreens are completely safe to use

Yes, organic sun lotions do contain
nano-particles which in synthetic products cause concern for two
reasons: they can penetrate the skin and enter the body and they can
cause the formation of free-radicals when exposed to UV light.
However, the good news is that for 100% natural mineral sunscreens,
the nano-particles are covered in a film which prevents them from
being exposed to UV light and once combined with the cream base, they
will also be unable to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin.

• Will I be safe in the shade or
  when it’s cloudy?

The sun’s rays can still be
damaging regardless of cloudy or shady conditions

Make sure you are protected from the
sun even if it’s cloudy or you are in the shade – up to 40% of
the sun’s rays can still break through even in shady conditions -
and the rays are just as strong through the cloud.

• What’s good for you

The right protection for you will
depend on your skin type, the strength of the sun, your age e.g.
adult, child or baby, the climate, the location e.g. in the sea, in
the desert or up mountains, the season and the time of day.

To be on the safe side, if in doubt,
wear protective clothing, avoid the sun or sun bathing at the hottest
times of the day and remember to keep applying a 100% natural sun
screen.

• Five good reasons to go natural

Natural mineral sunscreens work well
because

1. They act as a natural filter using
   mineral ingredients such as titanium dioxide

2. They begin to work immediately
   after application

3. The UVA and UVB rays are reflected
   rather than absorbed

4. They won’t cause any skin
   irritation

5. And last, but not least, they are
   waterproof.

If you’ve any further questions about
organic sun care, you can email/speak to the experts at Lucy Rose
(www.lucyrose.biz)
who provide an extensive selection of organic sun care products,
including Lavera and Green People, hand-picked because of their
authenticity, safety and effectiveness.

We hope that your overall enjoyment of
the sun will be enhanced by the comfort of knowing you are fully
protected by totally natural, organic and beautiful sun products. So
here’s to happy times in the sunshine and a long hot summer!

Tags: aid, climate change, Enterprise, environment, holidays, travel

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 28th, 2009 at 9:42 am and is filed under Lifestyle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.