Do Skin Lotions Containing Chemical UV Filters Really Work?
I saw an advertisement on TV by a major manufacturer who was promoting a lotion (with chemical ingredients) that also contained UV filters to protect your skin from casual UV exposure-I believe the SPF was equivalent to a 15. They said their "unique" combination would give the lotion the ability to moisturize your skin while providing protection from casual UV exposure as well. A great idea, however, they are on the right track, but with the wrong ingredients.
Examples of casual exposure to UV rays include walking from the house to the car, encountering UV rays through the window of your car, outside errands, shopping in an outdoor shopping mall. Generally its the time you spend doing anything other than purposely being in the sun, like taking a beach vacation, going to a ball game, or laying by the pool (and this is most of your lifetime). According to the FDA, 90 percent of all lifetime UV skin damage will happen as a result of casual UV exposure.
There are a lot of these SPF lotions on the market. Some of them are extremely expensive. If you buy this kind of lotion, the question I would ask is, "If the lotion also protects my skin from UV damage, how long will the protection last?" This is an important question because I know how chemical UV filters are designed to work. In simple terms, chemical UV filters use energy to absorb UV radiation and convert it into free radicals (rogue molecules).
Contrary to what you have been led to believe, UV filters (designed to absorb or reflecting UV rays) DO NOT PREVENT SKIN CANCER. Skin cancer is caused by free radicals (rogue molecules) that damage cells. According to a study by The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, free radicals (photoaging damage)can only be addressed with the use of strong topical antioxidants, combined with UV filters that don't add to the issue of free radical accumulation. MelanSol was created specifically to address radicals and the damage they cause.
Two conflicting issues come to mind when combining chemical UV filters with lotions. First, chemical UV filters can only maintain a level of energy required to perform their function for a short period of time--generally only up to two hours. This makes an SPF lotion inadequate at protecting you throughout a complete day of casual UV exposure. Second, chemical UV filters need up to 30 minutes to reach a state of energy where they can achieve full UV absorption, so you would need to apply them well before going outside if you want to be protected.
In order to successfully protect yourself from a days worth of casual exposure, you will need to apply physical (non-chemical or natural) UV filters , like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, that do not breakdown and decay. Instead of absorbing UV radiation with energy, they reflect UV radiation and do not require a chemical reaction to do their job, hence they will protect provide better protection for a days worth of casual UV exposure. In fact, zinc oxide has the broadest full spectrum UVA/UVB coverage.
MelanSol Dark Tanning Lotion was designed to be the perfect moisturizing lotion with UV protection and a natural tanning lotion for people who rarely burn and easily tan. Its super antioxidant protection protects your skin through the casual exposure you experience day in and day out. Its texture is silky smooth and the oil essences soak into your skin, providing the nourishment often missed by other lotions that depend upon chemical ingredients.
Contrary to what you have heard, UV radiation is not the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Several studies have shown that UV rays do have a positive effect on your mental and physical health. The problem is, as with everything, overdoing it can cause irreversible skin damage, caused by harmful free radicals.
The key to safe UV exposure is maintaining an oxidant (free radical)/antioxidant balance. Maintaining this oxidative balance is what MelanSol all natural antioxidant sunscreen is designed to do.
Michael J. Russ
PureSunscreen.com
Examples of casual exposure to UV rays include walking from the house to the car, encountering UV rays through the window of your car, outside errands, shopping in an outdoor shopping mall. Generally its the time you spend doing anything other than purposely being in the sun, like taking a beach vacation, going to a ball game, or laying by the pool (and this is most of your lifetime). According to the FDA, 90 percent of all lifetime UV skin damage will happen as a result of casual UV exposure.
There are a lot of these SPF lotions on the market. Some of them are extremely expensive. If you buy this kind of lotion, the question I would ask is, "If the lotion also protects my skin from UV damage, how long will the protection last?" This is an important question because I know how chemical UV filters are designed to work. In simple terms, chemical UV filters use energy to absorb UV radiation and convert it into free radicals (rogue molecules).
Contrary to what you have been led to believe, UV filters (designed to absorb or reflecting UV rays) DO NOT PREVENT SKIN CANCER. Skin cancer is caused by free radicals (rogue molecules) that damage cells. According to a study by The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, free radicals (photoaging damage)can only be addressed with the use of strong topical antioxidants, combined with UV filters that don't add to the issue of free radical accumulation. MelanSol was created specifically to address radicals and the damage they cause.
Two conflicting issues come to mind when combining chemical UV filters with lotions. First, chemical UV filters can only maintain a level of energy required to perform their function for a short period of time--generally only up to two hours. This makes an SPF lotion inadequate at protecting you throughout a complete day of casual UV exposure. Second, chemical UV filters need up to 30 minutes to reach a state of energy where they can achieve full UV absorption, so you would need to apply them well before going outside if you want to be protected.
In order to successfully protect yourself from a days worth of casual exposure, you will need to apply physical (non-chemical or natural) UV filters , like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, that do not breakdown and decay. Instead of absorbing UV radiation with energy, they reflect UV radiation and do not require a chemical reaction to do their job, hence they will protect provide better protection for a days worth of casual UV exposure. In fact, zinc oxide has the broadest full spectrum UVA/UVB coverage.
MelanSol Dark Tanning Lotion was designed to be the perfect moisturizing lotion with UV protection and a natural tanning lotion for people who rarely burn and easily tan. Its super antioxidant protection protects your skin through the casual exposure you experience day in and day out. Its texture is silky smooth and the oil essences soak into your skin, providing the nourishment often missed by other lotions that depend upon chemical ingredients.
Contrary to what you have heard, UV radiation is not the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Several studies have shown that UV rays do have a positive effect on your mental and physical health. The problem is, as with everything, overdoing it can cause irreversible skin damage, caused by harmful free radicals.
The key to safe UV exposure is maintaining an oxidant (free radical)/antioxidant balance. Maintaining this oxidative balance is what MelanSol all natural antioxidant sunscreen is designed to do.
Michael J. Russ
PureSunscreen.com
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