Tanning is playing with fire as far as your skin cancer risk goes. Here's the latest in defensive sun care, from A+ sunscreens to zinc oxide.
May 9, 2006 (Press Release) --
A+ protection
There's a new power couple in sun care. Avobenzone (aka Parsol 1789), the best protection known against deeply penetrating UVA rays, has been paired with a new stabilizer called Helioplex. The combo lasts twice as long as sunscreens without Helioplex, so it can be applied less frequently, says James Spencer, MD, a professor of clinical dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Look for the duo in Neutrogena Age Shield Sunblock SPF 30 and 45 and Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30, 45, and 55.
Bug off!
Before buying a double-duty block that keeps skeeters and sun damage at bay, consider this: The CDC advises against using a lotion containing both DEET and sunscreen because the directions for these two types of ingredients conflict. DEET lasts 6 to 8 hours and should not be reapplied frequently溶ot so for sunscreen (see R, for Reapply).
Chill out
Chronic stress combined with UV light overexposure may raise your risk of skin cancer. Ohio State University researchers recently discovered that stressed mice had weaker immune systems and developed skin cancer more quickly when exposed to UVB rays than did more relaxed rodents. Whether humans would respond similarly has yet to be studied, but why not try to tame your tension with a little yoga on the beach預fter applying sunscreen, of course.
Drug reactions
You should steer clear of the sun while taking certain medications, says Andrew Kaufman, MD, a dermatologist in Thousand Oaks, CA. Antibiotics such as tetracyclines and sulfa drugs; birth control pills; diuretics; antihistamines; antidepressants; and natural remedies including St. John's wort can all make skin super-sun-sensitive, causing sunburn, bumps, blotchiness and more. Always check labels of both prescription and nonprescription medicines for potential side effects, including warnings about sun exposure.
E and other antioxidants
Antioxidants that disarm free radicals may give skin an extra dose of sun defense, though it's still safer to avoid the sun than to take high doses of supplements. A German study found that beta-carotene (25 mg) and vitamin E (500 IU) increased skin's SPF by about 2.4 points.
Recently, a second group of German researchers found that people who took vitamins C (1,000 mg) and E (500 IU) twice a day for 3 months got less sunburned when exposed to UVB rays.
And two Harvard Medical School studies found that a fern extract called Heliocare, an antioxidant, diminished sun damage. Volunteers who took it had fewer sun-damaged cells and skin changes associated with aging after UV exposure than they had when exposed to UV rays without having taken the supplement.
Ferulic Acid
The future looks bright for an all-natural, biodegradable sunscreen called SoyScreen. USDA scientists paired ferulic acid, an antioxidant found in rice and oats, with soy oil to create a lotion that won't wash off when you swim or sweat. Look for it on store shelves within the next few years.
Gray skies
Don't be fooled when it's overcast: Almost 80% of UV light passes through haze and thin clouds.
Source: http://www.msn.com/
There's a new power couple in sun care. Avobenzone (aka Parsol 1789), the best protection known against deeply penetrating UVA rays, has been paired with a new stabilizer called Helioplex. The combo lasts twice as long as sunscreens without Helioplex, so it can be applied less frequently, says James Spencer, MD, a professor of clinical dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Look for the duo in Neutrogena Age Shield Sunblock SPF 30 and 45 and Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30, 45, and 55.
Bug off!
Before buying a double-duty block that keeps skeeters and sun damage at bay, consider this: The CDC advises against using a lotion containing both DEET and sunscreen because the directions for these two types of ingredients conflict. DEET lasts 6 to 8 hours and should not be reapplied frequently溶ot so for sunscreen (see R, for Reapply).
Chill out
Chronic stress combined with UV light overexposure may raise your risk of skin cancer. Ohio State University researchers recently discovered that stressed mice had weaker immune systems and developed skin cancer more quickly when exposed to UVB rays than did more relaxed rodents. Whether humans would respond similarly has yet to be studied, but why not try to tame your tension with a little yoga on the beach預fter applying sunscreen, of course.
Drug reactions
You should steer clear of the sun while taking certain medications, says Andrew Kaufman, MD, a dermatologist in Thousand Oaks, CA. Antibiotics such as tetracyclines and sulfa drugs; birth control pills; diuretics; antihistamines; antidepressants; and natural remedies including St. John's wort can all make skin super-sun-sensitive, causing sunburn, bumps, blotchiness and more. Always check labels of both prescription and nonprescription medicines for potential side effects, including warnings about sun exposure.
E and other antioxidants
Antioxidants that disarm free radicals may give skin an extra dose of sun defense, though it's still safer to avoid the sun than to take high doses of supplements. A German study found that beta-carotene (25 mg) and vitamin E (500 IU) increased skin's SPF by about 2.4 points.
Recently, a second group of German researchers found that people who took vitamins C (1,000 mg) and E (500 IU) twice a day for 3 months got less sunburned when exposed to UVB rays.
And two Harvard Medical School studies found that a fern extract called Heliocare, an antioxidant, diminished sun damage. Volunteers who took it had fewer sun-damaged cells and skin changes associated with aging after UV exposure than they had when exposed to UV rays without having taken the supplement.
Ferulic Acid
The future looks bright for an all-natural, biodegradable sunscreen called SoyScreen. USDA scientists paired ferulic acid, an antioxidant found in rice and oats, with soy oil to create a lotion that won't wash off when you swim or sweat. Look for it on store shelves within the next few years.
Gray skies
Don't be fooled when it's overcast: Almost 80% of UV light passes through haze and thin clouds.
Source: http://www.msn.com/
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