Download Skin Care in the 21st Century – Sunscreens

Skin Care in the 21st Century – Sunscreens.
Since the middle of the 80’s, fair skinned people have been much
more aware of the need to protect their skins against the harmful
effects of too much sunlight. This is a very good principle, but there
are some very unsettling facts to consider.
Logically we all tend to think that the higher the factor of the
sunscreen(SPF) is, the better the protection it provides against ageing
and skin cancer. Even better if it is marked "waterproof". Then the
sun is really not too much to worry about in or out of the water.
Everyone thinks that this must be true, when the creams appear to be
effective to prevent burning after a lengthy exposure to the sun. Most
of us are then convinced that we have done everything necessary to
prevent skin damage and the ogre of eventual skin cancer.
Unfortunately the truth is frighteningly different.
Even though sunscreens absorb or reflect much of the energy of the
damaging ultra-violet light of the sun, a fair amount still gets through
into the skin. Especially the longer wave lengths in the ultra-violet A
spectrum. Over many years, even short periods of exposure will cause
cumulative damage to the layers of skin resulting in a thin and
wrinkled skin. Often with dilated blood vessels, blotchy pigmented
spots and a frail, rough surface. Such a skin cannot easily resist
injury or infection and develops skin cancer much more readily than
non-exposed skin.
This is probably why British scientists found that even in places
where people used sunscreens very faithfully, the numbers of skin
cancers did not drop as was anticipated. This appears to be a paradox
to many people.
The fact however, is that skin cancer is primarily caused by very
complex processes, but mediated by molecules known as free radicals.
These charged atoms cause damage to the genes of the cells, creating
the potential for cancer-forming oncogenes to be activated. The DNA
and its genetic code is damaged, leading to complex abnormal tissue
growth patterns. Oncogenes are normally suppressed by control and
suppressor genes and are inactive. Their inactivity protects them
against free radical atom damage, while the healthy active genes are
very vulnerable.
The irony of it all is that the most common and most destructive free
radical comes from oxygen. Man cannot live without it, but when
ultraviolet light breaks the O2 molecule into two single atoms of
oxygen, they do to DNA what the sea air does to our cars : Rust !
Rust in a car is precisely like skin cancer, not easily stopped if
neglected.
What then can possibly be done to protect skin properly against this
destructive train of events?
The solution took a brilliant mind like Dr. Des Fernandes to put “antirust”, or more accurately anti-oxidant vitamins into Environ®’s RAD
sunscreen. Suddenly the free radicals can be neutralised before they
have a chance to do damage. Dr. Fernandes was the first to actively
and aggressively promote the use of anti-oxidants in high doses in a
commercial sun-screening product.
Clearly this takes a big step in completing the picture in proper
prevention of skin cancer. Not only that, but ageing of the skin will
slow down and damage caused by the sun will be minimised with
proper use of a sunscreen such as RAD.
All sunscreens need re-application if one spends a long time in the
sun, and definitely directly after swimming. The Americans are now so
serious about this, that the Food and Drug Administration has
banned the word "Waterproof" on sunscreens. The word "Waterproof"
is seen to prevent people from re-applying their sunscreens after
swimming. A “fatal” mistake.
In a very interesting development, a group of cancer experts gathered
in Lyon in France to give an answer to one question: Does the use of
the present day sunscreens decrease the incidence of skin cancer?
They came to the surprising conclusion that there is no data
indicating any real cancer-protective effect and that the use of
sunscreens may actually put people at greater risk of skin cancer by
encouraging them to stay out in the sun for longer than they would
have without the sunscreens.
This conclusion by the experts puts pay to the obsession with using
the highest SPF available. It may seem logical on the surface, because
the higher factors are automatically equated with better protection by
the companies that sell them. However the factor of a sunscreen
merely refers to the length of time one will be able to longer tolerate
the sun before burning compared to the time-to-burn without such
protection. It can unfortunately not tell us in any way how well it will
protect us against DNA damage or eventual cancer.
Without sufficient anti-oxidant vitamins, the use of sun-screening
may inadvertently add to the risk of more skin cancer by encouraging
sun bathers to stay in the sun for longer than they would without the
use of the sunscreen.
Should everyone therefore avoid the sun at all costs?
The answer is no, one can enjoy sunshine and get great benefit from it,
yet one has to abide by the simple rules of
"Safe Sun":
Between 11 & 3 duck under a tree.
Wear a fat hat and cotton on to cotton.
Be sunwise, anti-oxidise !
Re-apply, re-apply and re-apply ( Environ®'s RAD and only RAD).