Credit: iStockphoto

- Advertisement -

The days of coating ourselves in coconut oil for a fabulous tan are gone, and SPF 30+ is all the rage on Australian beaches.

But some researchers are questioning the very stuff that is meant to protect us - sunscreen.

On top of this, some environmentalists point out that the chemicals used to protect our delicate skin from too much solar power can cause damage to the delicate Earth.

According to Michael Kimlin, director of the Australian Sun and Health Research Laboratory at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, "We [Australians] have the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world. One in two of us will be diagnosed with skin cancer in our lifetime."

And climate change may be playing a role in the global hike in skin cancer rates, he believes.

"It's changing our behaviour. As the weather warms up in areas with traditionally colder climates, people are getting out into the sun more. It's always been that way - when the suns shines, people go out to play!"

But with the hole in the ozone layer letting in more damaging UV light than we would like, and sunscreen potentially worse than the sun, what's a cricket-loving, beach-going, barbeque-eating Australian to do in the hotter months?

Sunscreens and the planet

Sunscreens come in all manner of bottles and tubes, but they fall into two categories.

There are the physical ones - they work by reflecting UV rays. The active ingredient in these is minerals such as zinc and titanium.

Then there are chemical sunscreens, which work by absorbing the harmful UV rays before they reach your skin cells.

According to a study commissioned by the European Commission, chemical sunscreens may promote coral reef destruction, leading to bleaching and the disruption of aquatic food chains. According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 tonnes of sunscreen are released annually into reef areas, with a 20-minute swim releasing 25 per cent of sunscreen ingredients from the skin into the water.

Unfortunately the physical sunscreens have their problems too.

Titanium dioxide is manufactured using a chlorine process that releases harmful dioxins into the atmosphere. These dioxins don't break down and work their way up the food chain, accumulating in animals that eat other animals - like humans.

At sufficient concentrations dioxin is thought to cause cancer and organ damage. Manufacturers are tending to shy away from titanium dioxide in favour of zinc oxide.

Sadly, zinc mines spread toxic heavy metals like cadmium, lead and zinc along trucking roads and in waterways, and the acid used to separate the zinc from ore also pollutes mining locations and contaminates groundwater.

Thankfully most of the zinc used in sunscreens and cosmetics is synthetically produced.

Sunscreens and you

There are suggestions too that sunscreen can actually be bad for your skin.

A study at the University of California in the US took a closer look at a range of chemical sunscreens and found the longer they remain on the skin, the more cancer-related skin cell damage can be found.

They believe this to be caused by sunlight hitting and interacting with the sunscreen's chemicals, including the commonly used 'oxybenzone'.

Another study, from the University of Zurich in Switzerland, has also found that certain chemical sunscreens are easily absorbed by the body and may go on to play havoc with our hormones.

If you're wary, keep to the physical sunscreens. According to US research organisation the Environmental Working Group, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide offer broad-spectrum protection and minimal risks of allergic reactions.

The bottom line

Despite any circulating sun cream concerns, at the end of the day any sunscreen is far better than none at all.

"When you weigh it up," says Kimlin, "all studies show that sunscreen-protected skin seems to suffer less damage than un-sunscreened skin. And that's using both chemical and physical sunscreens."

He reminds us that the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia has looked closely at a range of issues surrounding chemical sunscreens, and continues to approve them for use.

But even then, Kimlin thinks "we rely far too much on sunscreen, when it [only] reduces, not removes the risk of sun damage."

He stresses that while sunscreen is "absolutely essential" it should be used "as a supplement to other protection including shade, a broad rimmed hat, glasses and tightly woven clothing - or sun vests a the beach - as opposed to the first line of defense, which should be limiting your time in the sun."

All round - for health and for beauty - the less sun exposure the better, with sun avoidance helping to save your complexion, Sydney based dermatologist Natasha Cook says.

Cook attributes 90 per cent of premature ageing of the skin to UV ray damage, noting that too much sun exposure can lead to loss of elasticity, wrinkles, pigmentation, skin dullness and age spots.

Think of the shrivelling that happens to a plump, juicy apricot when it's sun-dried and you'll get the picture!

No harm comes to you or the planet when you sit under a tree.