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Ingredients

Ingredients in skincare products are absorbed quickly into the skin, the body's largest organ. Many of the chemicals in them are already known, or currently being found, to cause cancer.

In the case of sun protection products, the outbreak of melanomas, the most serious type of skin cancer, has drastically increased in countries where sunscreen use is heavily promoted.

A good number of these toxic ingredients have been banned in Europe, Canada and Australia, but are still used and VERY available in the US. The FDA, after 29 years and a Congressional mandate, still has not made a decision on acceptable standards for sunscreens!

Partial list of what's known to be harmful

• Aluminum

• Artificial fragrances

• Benzophenones (dixoybenzone, oxybenzone)

• Cinnamates (cinoxate, ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate - OMC)

• Dibutyl phthalate

• Digalloyl trioleate

• Ethylhexyl p-Methoxycinnamate

• Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives such as DMDM hydantoin quaternium-15, and diazonlidnyl urea

• Glycerin

• Isopropyl Palmitate

• Lanolin and Acetylated Lanolin

• Menthyl anthranilate

• Mineral oil

• Nitrites (caution: their presence does not have to be disclosed)

• Octocrylene

• Oxybenzone, benzophenone, benzophenone-3

• PABA and PABA esters (ethyl dihydroxy propyl PAB, glyceryl PABA, p-aminobenzoic acid, padimate-O or octyl dimethyl PABA)

• Padimate-O (Octyl dimethyl paba

• Para-aminobenzoic acid, PABA

• Parabens - (butyl-, ethyl-, methyl- and propyl-parabens)

• Petrolatum

• Phenol

• Phthalates

• Propylene Glycol

• Polyethylene Glycol

• Salicylates (ethylhexyl-, homosalate and octyl-salicylate)

• Sodium Laurel and Sodium Laureth Sulfates

• Talc

• Triethanolamine (TEA)

• Urea, Imidazolidinyl, Diazolidinyl Urea and/or DMDM Hydantoin

• Urocanic acid

• **Avobenzone [butyl-methyoxydibenzoylmethane; Parsol 1789] - This is the only chemical sunscreen currently allowed by the European Community. It's safety is being questioned since it easily penetrates the skin and is a strong free radical generator.

What's safe

As a sunscreen, zinc oxide provides complete UVB/UVA protection, has anti-inflammatory properties, and is considered safe.

There are now clear - instead of white - versions, available. Some are in the form of nano-sized particles, a controversial issue. Non-nanoparticle clear zinc oxide sunscreens are available.

The contents of all skin care products and cosmetics are being investigated because what's put on your skin them gets into your body so quickly.

As there is some concern about the toxicity of nanoparticles, a world-wide study is underway regarding their absorption into skin and their phototoxicity in sunscreens, skin care products and cosmetics.

The best approach

Until the results of the study (and other studies) are conclusive, check the label of any product your considering, for what's already known to be harmful.

Do research on line or ask your pharmacist about any ingredients you can't identify as safe.

You've got to be before you can do,
and do before you can have.

Zig Ziglar

Creative Commons License credit: GWhiteway

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