Dr. Wojo. Healthy Living. Simplified.

Ask most people how to avoid skin cancer and they’ll reply, “Wear sunscreen.” The fact is, although the use of sunscreen is on the rise, so is skin cancer - it now accounts for nearly half of all cancer cases and is five times more prevalent than breast cancer. Startling? Indeed.

The reason? Sunscreen may not be all it has been promoted to be. A new report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has found that the majority of sunscreens lack protection from all forms of radiation, that many make false claims or most contain harmful chemicals. Of the 500 sunscreens tested by EWG, only 39 were recommended by EWG.

Yes, sunscreens can protect you from sunburns. But experts are uncertain as to the benefits of sunscreen in preventing skin cancer. Further, scientists are still debating whether UVA or UVB is the most dangerous form of radiation. Most experts believe that it is a combination of UVA and UVB rays that lead to increased melanoma risks.

Researchers know that UVB rays only penetrate the outer skin layer and are responsible for sunburns and non-melanoma skin cancers. In the past, sunscreens primarily provided protection from UVB rays. But as researchers started to discover the risks of UVA radiation - which penetrates deeper in to the skin and can cause DNA damage - sunscreens began providing greater UVA protection.

The most common forms of skin cancer are basal-cell carcinoma (80%), squamous-cell carcinoma (16%) and malignant melanomas (4%). While melanoma only accounts for 4% of skin cancers, it is responsible for 75% of all skin cancer deaths according to the American Cancer Society. Research indicates that sunscreen does reduce the risk for squamous-cell carcinoma but there is no evidence that it protects against other forms of skin cancer.

The FDA has yet to issue sunscreen industry regulations, so no set safety standards exist for consumers. Following are a collection of facts concerning sunscreen and sun exposure:

• According to the FDA, some sunscreens contain Vitamin A (”retinyl palmitate” or “retinol”) that may increase the growth of cancerous skin tumors and lesions.
• Using sunscreen that does not provide adequate protection from UVA may increase a person’s risk for melanoma because - believing they are protected by sunscreen - a person may spend more time in the sun than they should.
• There is no evidence that products with SPFs above 50 offer more protection. They also contain higher amounts of potentially harmful chemicals.
• Vitamin D is good for a person - and your skin produces it when exposed to the sun. Some experts recommend 15 minutes of exposure to the sun without sunscreen in order to boost your production of Vitamin D. You can also take supplements or eat more fish, eggs and mushrooms.
• Some European sunscreens (not yet available in the U.S.) provide the least toxic and most effective protection. Currently, American consumers have to choose between mineral-based options with Oxybenzone (better UVA protection, but not recommended for children because the potentially toxic mineral can be absorbed into the skin) or chemical formulas that can disrupt hormones. EWG provides a list of sunscreens with the lowest approval ratings.

So what can you do to protect yourself? Don’t rely solely on sunscreen. Avoid tanning beds. Be smart about the time you spend in the sun - avoid peak exposure times (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.). And wear hats and protective clothing when you can. As I’ve said before - moderation is the best policy.