Natural versus Chemical Sunscreen: Some ‘Protection’ Can Be Dangerous

Almost everyone now knows of the damage extended exposure to the sun can cause: from wrinkles to skin cancer, we know that we have to protect ourselves from these potential hazards. But the question of how best to do this remains, and in this article we’ll explore how the sun damages skin, the two options in sunscreen, chemical and natural, and which option provides better and safer sun protection.

Written by Lauren Holmes, Green Health Research Contributor

UVB Rays and Their Damage

UVB rays are what most sunscreens protect against. These rays are the ones responsible for the immediate damage caused by the sun, such as sunburns, and longer term health consequences like skin cancer. UVA rays only shallowly penetrate the skin, but over time this repeated exposure can trigger mutations in DNA which leads to the development of cancer. Recent research has also shown that UVB rays suppress your immune system, leading to an increased risk of illness and making it harder for your body to ‘fight back’ when you do become sick.

UVA Rays and Their Damage

UVA rays penetrate the skin more deeply than UVB rays, and are responsible for the breakdown of skin’s collagen and elastin which in turn leads to the development of wrinkles. UVA rays are also the dominant ‘tanning’ rays. UVA rays stimulate melanocyte cells, the cells responsible for producing and regulating skin pigment, and this increase in melanocyte activity is what produces the brown color of a tan.

Developing a tan is the main way our bodies try to prevent further UV damage, because darker skin tones absorb less damaging UV light than lighter ones. However, once you have a tan doesn’t mean you’re body is protected-our bodies continue to absorb harmful UV rays and so must be shielded from further absorption through the use of sunscreens, which block UV light from entering our bodies.