Posts Tagged ‘uva’

Safety of Sunless Tans: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Friday, September 9th, 2011

In the beginning there was lying out in the sun with baby oil and iodine to give our skin that bronzed, golden glow. Then we found out that outdoor sun exposure ages the skin prematurely and can cause skin cancer, so the pursuit of tanned skin became an indoor sport. Enter, tanning beds. While burning the skin could be avoided with the beds, UVA ray exposure could not, which damages the skin just like the real sun.

So, in a continued search for a safe tan and what we are led to believe is a more “healthy” look, we have yet another alternative: the spray tan. Whether it be in a booth or airbrushed onto our skin, there are some things to keep in mind if you are using the lesser of all evils in the tanning world.

Sunless tan creams and sprays contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), an FDA-approved color additive. DHA is a sugar compound that reacts with proteins in the outermost layer of dead skin cells to produce a brownish hue that lasts until the skin sloughs off.

While DHA is widely used, a person can still be allergic to the perfumes, preservatives or other ingredients in a particular product. If you have sensitive skin or know you have skin allergies, be sure to look at an ingredient list. Everyone should do a test patch of any tanning cream or spray before you use it all over your body.

Safety studies have not been done on DHA’s use around the eyes, lips, other mucous membranes, or for inhalation. Safety practices at spray tan facilities are also all over the board. While some may remind the client to close their eyes, they may not be told when to hold their breath or offered safety equipment like goggles, cotton balls for their nostrils or petroleum jelly for their lips. If you are a habitual spray or airbrush tanner, please ask to use these safety measures at your facility as the regular, long term effects of DHA are unstudied.

People who have a spray tan tend to be less careful with their sunscreen because they think they have a “base” tan and won’t burn. This is untrue. A tan resulting from a bottle or spray provides no protection from the sun’s harmful rays, so the use of sunscreen is essential to avoid burning and aging of the skin.

If you have ever thought tanning pills might be an option, please don’t. The side effects from such products sold over the internet or elsewhere are severe and hazardous.

As a dermatologist, it is a double edged sword to promote sunless tanning products because it also promotes the notion of being tan. Until the saying, “pale is the new tan”, takes root however, it is still much safer to use the creams and sprays for that sun kissed look than the sun and the beds.

A New Look for your Old Sunscreen: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Monday, June 20th, 2011

Your sunscreen bottle may look different in the next year or two! Earlier this month, the FDA issued new labeling regulations on sunscreens. Below is quick summary of the new requirements:

Sunscreens may be labeled “broad-spectrum” if they provide protection against ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation.

Only broad-spectrum sunscreens with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher can state that they protect again skin cancer if used as directed with other sun protection measures.
Sunscreens with an SPF of 2-14 will be required to have a warning stating that the product has not been shown to help prevent skin cancer or early skin aging.
The terms “sunblock”, “sweatproof” and “waterproof” are no longer allowed on sunscreen labels.
A sunscreen may claim to be “water resistant”; however, the product must specify if it offers 40 minutes or 80 minutes of protection while swimming or sweating, based on standard testing. Sunscreens that are not water resistant must include a direction instructing consumers to use a water resistant sunscreen if swimming or sweating.
Sunscreens cannot claim to provide sun protection for more than two hours without reapplication.
Sunscreen manufacturers will have one year to comply with the FDA ruling; smaller companies will have two years.
The ingredients in sunscreens marketed today have been used for many years and FDA does not have any reason to believe these products are not safe for consumer use.

The FDA reiterated that sunscreen alone is not enough, and should be used in conjunction with a complete sun protection regimen, including seeking shade, wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirts, hats and sunglasses.

As always, be sure to use a shot glass sized amount of sunscreen for your body and a large nickel size for your face. Re-application is key! Make it easy to remember by carrying sunscreen in your purse, bag and car. If you don’t like to reapply a lotion form of sunblock, try the Colorscience Pro Sunforgettable Mineral Powder, a quick and easy way to touch up throughout the day.

For more details on the changes to sunscreen labeling, please visit the FDA’s website.

Test Your Sunscreen IQ: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Know enough about sunscreens? Test your sunscreen knowledge by taking the following short quiz, recently published in the Skin Cancer Foundation Journal. You may be surprised by how much you do or do not know about this important topic. See answers at the end of the blog.

1. A sunscreen’s SPF, which stands for Sun Protection Factor, measures protections against the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. SPF numbers indicate

a. How long the skin will take to redden in the sun when using the sunscreen, compared to how long the skin would take to redden without sunscreen

b. The percentage of active ingredients in the sunscreen

c. The number of hours you can stay out in the sun

2. A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 protects against approximately 93 percent of the sun’s UVB rays. A sunscreen with an SPF 30 protects against

a. 93 percent of the sun’s UVB rays, and 93 percent of the sun’s UVA rays

b. 97 percent of the sun’s UVB rays

c. 100 percent of the sun’s UVB rays

3. If you apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 20, and then apply another sunscreen with an SPF of 30, what is the total value of the SPF you’ve applied?

a. SPF 25

b. SPF 30

c. SPF 50

4. How many sunscreen ingredients are currently available in the US?

a. 12

b. 15

c. 17

5. Sunscreen ingredients fall into two broad categories, inorganic/physical and organic/chemical. The two inorganic ingredients are:

a. Titanium dioxide and cinoxate

b. Cinoxate and zinc oxide

c. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide

6. Doctors recommend applying one ounce (two tablespoons) of sunscreen to the body 30 minutes prior to sun exposure, and then again

a. After one hour outside

b. After one hour outside on sunny days

c. After two hours outside

7. Because children have delicate skin, sunscreen should not be used on babies

a. Under three months

b. Under six months

c. Under one year

8. For a sunscreen to provide adequate UVA spectrum protection, it must include one or more of the following ingredients:

a. homosalate, octinoxate, PABA, octisalate

b. avobenzone, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, ecamsule (Mexoryl)

c. cinoxate, ensulizole, octocrylene, Padimate O

9. Water-resistant sunscreen:

a. Has to be reapplied after 40 minutes in the water

b. Has to be reapplied after 90 minutes in the water

c. Does not need to be reapplied

10. When stored properly, sunscreen should last for how long after the manufacturing date stamped on the package?

a. 9 months

b. 1 year

c. 2 years

Hope you found this quiz fun and educational! Check your answers below.

1=a; 2=b; 3=b; 4=c; 5=c; 6=c; 7=b; 8=b; 9=a; 10=c

Sunblocks - What you need to know about Ingredients and Amounts

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Choice can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to sunblock. There are so many bottles, tubes, sticks, wipes and powders lining store shelves that it’s easy to be confused about what works best.

To help wade through the sea of options, it is most important to know that the Sun Protection Factor or SPF rating you currently see on labels relates only to protection against the sun’s UVB rays. UVB rays cause reddening and burning of the skin, which contributes to skin cancer. At this time, SPF ratings do not relate to UVA rays, which actually penetrate the skin more deeply, contributing to wrinkles, photodamage and skin cancer. New labeling rules may be finalized by the FDA in September, forcing companies to also rate their sunblock’s UVA protection (if any) on the label within 18 months.

In the meantime, Dermatologist David Pariser, MD, president of the American Academy of Dermatology, recommends that “for now, consumers should look for labels that tout ‘broad spectrum’ protection and list ingredients known to screen UVA rays.” Specifically, consumers should “look for avobenzone, oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or ecamsule (also known as Mexoryl SX).”

In addition to using a broad spectrum product, it is also necessary to use the right amount. Studies show that most people apply only a quarter of the amount they should, which means the actual SPF they have on their body is even lower than advertised. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, you should use 1 oz. (shotglass sized amount) of sunblock to get the full SPF. During a long day at the beach, for example, one person should use around one half to one quarter of an 8 oz. bottle. Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow the ingredients to fully bind to the skin. And, no matter what the SPF rating, sunscreens should be applied every two hours, especially after swimming, toweling off or excessive sweating.

There is also no substitute for shade and keeping the sun off your skin. If you are out at the beach or park, choose shady areas whenever possible. Wear a hat, sunglasses and SPF rated clothing to give yourself the best protection possible. We only get one skin, so do your best to take care of it! If you have any other questions regarding sunblocks, give our office a call - we will be happy to assist you.

Tanning - Getting More Than You Bargained For

Monday, April 13th, 2009

Patients might accuse me and other dermatologists of sounding like broken records when it comes to the subject of tanning. We can’t help but be passionate about this particular issue. In my work, I am constantly faced with removing pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions from patients. These lesions, caused by UVA and UVB ray exposure, could potentially be life threatening and/or lead to surgery for removal. It is particularly disturbing that the age range of patients showing up with these issues is getting younger. So, you can understand a dermatologist’s perspective when they see women and men purposely trying to get a tan and needlessly exposing themselves to this risk.

There is no “safe” way to tan. Tanning beds are no exception! In fact, the rays in tanning beds can often be more intense than the sun itself. According to an AP article, melanoma (the deadliest type of skin caner) is now the top cancer afflicting women in their 20s in the UK, overtaking cervical cancer. They attribute this increase in young women (typically not the group where melanoma is so common) as a result of tanning bed use. In the United States, Florida lawmakers are considering a ban on tanning salon use for those under 16 years old. Miss Florida Teen, Kayla Collier, recently testified before a Florida state house committee supporting the proposal. She was diagnosed with a melanoma at age 16.

The possibility of skin cancer aside, tanning leads to accelerated aging of the skin. We know that exposure to UVA rays also cause more wrinkles, brown spots and breakdown of collagen. As the summer approaches and people seek dark, bronzed skin, consider alternatives like spray tans or lotions to keep your skin healthy. Avoid tanning and wear your sunblock!