Sunscreens Not the Answer!

Environmental Working Group: Sunscreens Alone Cannot Prevent Skin Cancer.

The CNN (5/24, Caruso) "The Chart" blog reported that, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), "sunscreens alone cannot prevent cancer," a message the group drives home in its latest sunscreen report, encouraging people to stay in the shade, don clothing protective of the sun, avoid being out in the sun from 10 am to 4 pm, in addition to the use of sunscreens. This coming Friday, May 27, has been designated by the National Council on Skin Cancer, one member of which is the American Academy of Dermatology, as "Don't Fry Friday." The council recommends that people who want to prevent sun-related skin damage wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses designed for UVA and UVA protection, and choose sunscreen "products with UVA filters like avobenzone and octocrylene, as well as protection against UVB rays."

        WebMD (5/23, Doheny) focused on the EWG's "annual guide to sunscreen products," noting that "just one in five of more than 600 beach and sport sunscreens made the cut," while 11 products were consigned to the Hall of Shame. The EWG advised consumers to avoid using sunscreen sprays because they might be accidentally inhaled. Report co-author Sonya Lunder, MPH, of EWG, explained that "sunscreens with a form of vitamin A known as retinyl palminate -- in about 30% of sunscreens -- should also be avoided because of concerns about it producing skin lesions." In addition, "oxybenzone, which EWG calls a "hormone disrupter,' is another ingredient to be avoided, she says."

        AAD's Moy Addresses Health Concerns About Sunscreen Ingredients. In a press release (5/23), AAD president Ronald L. Moy, MD, FAAD, stated, "Contrary to recent reports, available scientific literature and decades of public use does not support a link between oxybenzone in sunscreen and hormonal alterations, or other significant health issues in humans." With regard to retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A, "there is no evidence to suggest that use of sunscreen with" the chemical poses a risk for skin cancer. Finally, addressing the fear that nanoparticles found in sunscreens also pose a health risk, Dr. Moy said, "Considerable research on the use of nanoparticles on healthy, undamaged skin has shown that the stratum corneum -- the outermost layer of the skin -- is an effective barrier to preventing the entry of nanoparticles into the deeper layers of the skin."

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