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Sunscreen: why wearing it even in winter could be a good idea

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karl-lawrence-404481">Karl Lawrence</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/kings-college-london-1196">King's College London</a></em></p> <p>Sunscreen has taken centre stage in many skincare routines, especially among those hoping to prevent visible signs of ageing. But while it makes sense to wear sunscreen every day in the summer when the sun’s rays are most powerful, many may wonder whether there’s any benefit of wearing sunscreen daily in the winter months.</p> <p>The sun’s radiation can reach us during all times of the year. This means that in both summer and winter, we are exposed to infrared radiation, as well as UVA and UVB rays.</p> <p>UVB is mainly responsible for sunburn and DNA damage – and can also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3709783/">cause skin cancers</a> as a result of long-term exposure. UVA radiation does contribute to these processes somewhat, but it’s less effective at doing so. UVA can penetrate deeper into the skin, however, which can damage the collagen – a key part of the skin that keeps it firm and elastic. This can cause the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25234829/">skin to age faster</a>, leading to wrinkles, fine lines and changes in pigmentation.</p> <p>The amount of UVA and UVB radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface changes across the seasons. This is due to the angle of the Sun in the sky, as well as other factors such as latitude and time of day.</p> <p>For example, let’s compare how <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/php.12422">UVA and UVB radiation varies</a> at solar noon in London, UK and Kuala Lampur, Malaysia (which is near the equator).</p> <p>In latitudes closer to the equator (such as in Kuala Lampur), the amount of UVA and UVB radiation throughout the year remains fairly consistent. But in higher latitudes, such as London, there’s almost no UVB radiation throughout the winter months – whereas there’s still some UVA radiation.</p> <p>Not only that, but people living further from the equator may tend to spend less time exposed to the Sun in winter due to the colder temperatures and variable weather. And when they do go outside, they may cover their skin up – usually leaving only their face exposed to the Sun for much shorter periods of time.</p> <p>But UVA radiation can still penetrate through clouds and windows. While our exposure to these rays is probably minimal, skin damage from UV exposure is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0079610706000162">accumulated over decades</a>, so anything that can be done to reduce exposure (and damage) over time may be beneficial. This is also true of UVB exposure – although it is less relevant in winter months at higher latitudes.</p> <p>This may be where daily sunscreen use during the winter is still of benefit. Sunscreens are formulated to reduce exposure to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6978633/">both UVB and UVA rays</a> – although they are usually more effective at reducing exposure to UVB radiation. They have been designed in this way to prevent the most damaging effects of the Sun, such as sunburn and DNA damage. The impact of exposure to UVA radiation has only been considered more recently.</p> <p>Numerous studies have shown regular sunscreen use over many years is effective at <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phpp.12109">preventing skin damage</a>, photoaging and skin cancers. The most robust trials suggest daily sunscreen use is most effective, but this will be dependent on the factors discussed above.</p> <h2>The effects of altitude and snow</h2> <p>One place where winter sunscreen use is especially important is when skiing or snowboarding – or when you’re otherwise going to be outside for extended periods of time, at higher altitudes on snow-covered mountains.</p> <p>Both altitude and snow can increase the doses of <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-ultraviolet-(uv)">UVA and UVB radiation</a> a person receives. Snow can reflect up to 80% of UV radiation emitted by the Sun – effectively almost doubling the doses received. Also, for every 1,000-foot increase in altitude, there’s a 10% increase in UV exposure. This is why it’s essential to protect the skin and eyes by wearing sunscreen, protective clothing and sunglasses that block both types of UV ray. This is also true when spending time in snowy environments, such as when hiking or skating.</p> <p>Sunscreens are generally regarded as safe and tend to have few adverse effects, so you don’t need to worry too much about wearing one throughout the year. However, there are some points to consider, especially if you have skin conditions. For example, sunscreen can <a href="https://www.byrdie.com/does-sunscreen-cause-acne-or-help-it-7546147">exacerbate acne</a> and cause <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7759112/">irritation and allergic reactions</a> – although these are rare.</p> <p>There are also emerging concerns from regulatory agencies about the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2759002">absorption of UV filters into the body</a>. However, the consequences of such absorption and the potential affects on health are not well defined and require more research.</p> <p>Still, the benefits of sunscreen have been widely demonstrated – as has their safety. So if you want to prevent premature signs of ageing, it’s important to use sunscreen at all times you may be exposed to the Sun – especially in the summer months. While the benefits of wearing sunscreen in winter are less well defined, there’s probably no harm in wearing one if you want to.</p> <p>If you decide to use sunscreen in winter, use ones that have broad spectrum five-star UVA protection. For day-to-day use, high SPF sunscreens are unlikely to provide a large benefit, particularly if spending only short periods outside. However, if skiing, a <a href="https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(17)31086-1/fulltext">high-SPF sunscreen</a> with five-star UVA protection would be beneficial.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219640/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karl-lawrence-404481"><em>Karl Lawrence</em></a><em>, Research fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/kings-college-london-1196">King's College London</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: </em><em>Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/sunscreen-why-wearing-it-even-in-winter-could-be-a-good-idea-219640">original article</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

How should I add sunscreen to my skincare routine now it’s getting hotter?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/monika-janda-167949">Monika Janda</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caitlin-horsham-1405367">Caitlin Horsham</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-lee-228942">Katie Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a></em></p> <p>Sun exposure is the number one cause of skin cancer – including the most deadly form, melanoma. High levels of sun exposure cause <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/MED/26437734#id580549">an estimated 7,200 melanomas in Australia each year</a>.</p> <p>Too much sun exposure can also lead to premature ageing, resulting in wrinkles, fine lines and age spots.</p> <p>Can a tweak to your skincare routine help prevent this?</p> <h2>When should I start wearing sunscreen?</h2> <p>In Australia, we are advised to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30681231/">wear sunscreen</a> on days when the ultraviolet (UV) index reaches three or higher. That’s year-round for much of Australia. The weather forecast or the Cancer Council’s free <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/resources/sunsmart-app">SunSmart app</a> are easy ways to check the UV Index.</p> <p>Besides “primary sunscreens”, which are dedicated sun-protection products, a sun protection factor (SPF) is also found in many beauty products, such as foundations, powders and moisturisers. These are called “secondary sunscreens” because they have a primary purpose other than sun protection.</p> <p>Primary sunscreens are regulated by the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/news/about-sunscreens#_Sun_protection_factor">Therapeutic Goods Administration</a> and the SPF must be determined by testing on human skin. SPF measures how quickly skin burns with and without the sunscreen under intense UV light. If the skin takes ten seconds to burn with no sunscreen, and 300 seconds to burn with the sunscreen, the SPF is 30 (300 divided by 10).</p> <h2>Is the SPF in makeup or moisturisers enough to protect me the whole day?</h2> <p>Simple answer? No. SPF 30 mixed into foundation is not going to be as effective as a primary SPF 30 sunscreen.</p> <p>Also, when people use a moisturiser or makeup that includes SPF, they generally don’t do the three key steps that make sunscreens effective:</p> <ol> <li>putting a thick enough amount on</li> <li>covering all sun exposed areas</li> <li>reapplying regularly when outdoors for a sustained amount of time.</li> </ol> <p>One <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37632801/">study</a> had 39 participants apply their usual SPF makeup/moisturisers and photographed them with UV photography in the morning, then again in the afternoon, without reapplying during the day. The UV photography allowed the researchers to visualise how much protection these products were still providing.</p> <p>They found participants missed some facial areas with the initial application and the SPF products provided less coverage by the afternoon.</p> <p>Another consideration is the product type. Liquid foundation may be applied more thickly than powder makeup, which is generally lightly applied.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/products/medicines/sunscreens">Therapeutic Goods Administration</a> tests primary sunscreens so they’re effective when applied at 2mg per 2 square centimetres of skin.</p> <p>For the face, ears and neck, this is about one teaspoon (5mL) – are you applying that much powder?</p> <p>It’s unlikely people will cake on their moisturiser thickly and reapply during the day, so these products aren’t effective sun protection if outdoors for a sustained amount of time when used alone.</p> <h2>If skin products with SPF aren’t giving me better protection, should I stop using them?</h2> <p>These products can still serve a protective purpose, as <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/srt.13010">some research</a> suggests layering sunscreen and makeup products may help to cover areas that were missed during a single application.</p> <p>When layering, SPF factors are not additive. If wearing an SPF 30 sunscreen and makeup with SPF 15, that doesn’t equal SPF 45. You will be getting the protection from the highest product (in this scenario, it’s the SPF 30).</p> <p>A good metaphor is SPF in makeup is like “icing on the cake”. Use it as an add-on and if areas were missed with the initial sunscreen application, then there is another chance to cover all areas with the SPF makeup.</p> <h2>Should I apply sunscreen before or after makeup?</h2> <p>It depends on whether you’re using a chemical or physical sunscreen. Chemical sunscreens need to absorb into the skin to block and absorb the sun’s rays, whereas physical sunscreens sit on the surface of the skin and act as a shield.</p> <p>When the main ingredient is zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, it’s a physical sunscreen – think the classic zinc sticks you used to apply to your nose and lips at the beach. Physical sunscreens are recommended for people with sensitive skin and although they used to be pretty thick and sticky, newer versions feel more like chemical sunscreens.</p> <p>For maximum sun protection when using chemical sunscreens, apply sunscreen first, followed by moisturiser, then makeup. Give the sunscreen a few minutes to dry and sink into the skin before starting to put on other products. Chemical sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before going outdoors.</p> <p>When using a physical sunscreen, first apply moisturisers, followed by sunscreen, and then makeup.</p> <p>When reapplying sunscreen, it’s recommended to wash off makeup and start fresh, but this isn’t going to be practical for many people, so gently patting sunscreen over makeup is another option. Physical sunscreens will be most effective for reapplication over makeup.</p> <h2>What type of sunscreen should I use?</h2> <p>The best sunscreen is the one you actually like to apply. Protecting your skin on a daily basis (and not just for trips to the beach!) is a must in Australia’s high UV climate, and should be done with a primary sunscreen.</p> <p>Look for sunscreens that have the label “broad spectrum”, which means it covers for UVA and UVB, and has at least SPF30.</p> <p>Then experiment with features like matte finish, milk texture or fragrance-free to find a sunscreen you like.</p> <p>No sunscreen provides 100% protection so you should also use other sun protection such as protective clothing, hats, sunglasses, using shade and avoiding the sun during peak UV hours.</p> <p>Skin care and makeup products with SPF is better than nothing, but don’t rely solely on your morning makeup for sun protection the entire day.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213453/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/monika-janda-167949">Monika Janda</a>, Professor in Behavioural Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caitlin-horsham-1405367">Caitlin Horsham</a>, Research Manager, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-lee-228942">Katie Lee</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-should-i-add-sunscreen-to-my-skincare-routine-now-its-getting-hotter-213453">original article</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

There’s a serious ethical problem with some sunscreen testing methods – and you’re probably not aware of it

<p>As summer approaches, we need to start remembering to slip on sun-protective clothing, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek shade where possible, and slide on sunglasses.</p> <p>When it comes to sunscreen, we all know we need to wear it to protect against the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can cause skin cancer.</p> <p>But what about the sun protection factor, known as the SPF rating, we see on our sunscreen bottles? It indicates the level of protection – but is it always what it says it is, and how is it actually tested?</p> <h2>Risking human health for SPF testing</h2> <p>While there have been some cases of <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/news/sunscreen-testing-ama-laboratories-condition-listing">sunscreens not matching up to their SPF claims</a>, this is the exception and not the norm.</p> <p>In Australia, we can be comfortable knowing these products are tightly regulated to ensure they are safe and meet their claimed SPF rating, according to current SPF testing methods.</p> <p>However, problems arise when it comes to how sunscreens are tested for their SPF rating. Most people would not be aware that the SPF value on their sunscreen bottles is determined by testing on humans.</p> <p>Ultimately, this means we are risking people’s health to test how effective our sunscreens are – and we urgently need to change this.</p> <h2>How is sunscreen SPF tested?</h2> <p>Once a sunscreen formulation has been developed by a manufacturer it needs to go through testing to ensure it only contains approved ingredients, and ultimately, that it does what it says it does.</p> <p>All sunscreen products available in Australia are <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/news/about-sunscreens">tested according to the Australian Standard to determine the SPF</a>. This is great and provides assurance of safety and quality for the consumer – but the problem is with how this testing is done.</p> <p>Currently, testing sunscreens on humans is the approved international standard to rate the UV protection level of a sunscreen. This testing involves volunteers wearing strictly defined amounts of sunscreen and being exposed to artificial solar <a href="https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/what-is-radiation/non-ionising-radiation/ultraviolet-radiation">UV radiation</a>. </p> <p>Performance is measured by determining the time it takes for erythema or redness to occur. <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/about-us/policy-and-advocacy/prevention-policy/national-cancer-prevention-policy/skin-cancer-statistics-and-issues/sunburn">This is, basically, sunburn</a>; based on this, an SPF rating is assigned.</p> <h2>Why is human testing of SPF a problem?</h2> <p>If sunscreens only contain approved ingredients we know are safe, is it really a problem they are tested on humans?</p> <p>Sadly, yes. Human testing involves exposing people to harmful UV radiation, which we know can cause skin and eye damage, <a href="https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/sun-exposure">as well as being the leading cause of skin cancer</a>. This alone is <a href="https://www.phrp.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/PHRP3212205.pdf">unethical and unjustifiable</a>.</p> <p>There are also other issues associated with testing sunscreen on humans. For example, the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/phpp.12095">use of erythema to determine sunscreen effectiveness is highly subjective</a>, and may differ from one person to another, even for those with the same <a href="https://www.arpansa.gov.au/sites/default/files/legacy/pubs/RadiationProtection/FitzpatrickSkinType.pdf">skin type</a>. This makes the reliability of such testing methods questionable.</p> <p>Further, testing is only done on a small number of people (a minimum of <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/australian-regulatory-guidelines-for-sunscreens.pdf">ten people is required in Australia</a>). This is great for exposing as few people as possible to harmful UV radiation to determine a product’s SPF rating – but not so great when it comes to inclusiveness.</p> <p>Testing such a small number of people is not representative. It does not include all skin types and leads to real <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ics.12333">challenges in achieving reproducible results</a> across different laboratories testing the same product.</p> <p>The testing itself is also very expensive. This adds to the already high cost of buying sunscreens, and potentially limits manufacturers from developing new and better products.</p> <p>These, along with many other issues, highlight the urgency for non-human (in vitro) testing methods of a sunscreen’s effectiveness to be developed.</p> <h2>Human-free SPF testing technology is in development</h2> <p>While efforts have been made to develop non-human testing methods, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165993622002072">there remain several challenges</a>. <a href="https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/292777">These include</a> the materials used to simulate human skin (also known as substrates), difficulties in applying the sunscreen to these substrates, reproducibility of results, and ensuring that results are the same as what we see with human testing.</p> <p>However, scientists at <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/">RMIT University</a>, with support from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (<a href="https://www.arpansa.gov.au/">ARPANSA</a>) and the <a href="https://www.cancervic.org.au/">Cancer Council Victoria</a>, are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165993622002072">working on a solution to this problem</a>.</p> <p>So far, they have developed a prototype sensor that <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-06273-3">changes colour when exposed to UV radiation</a>. This <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-06273-3/figures/5">sensor</a> could be customised for human-free sunscreen testing, for example.</p> <p>Reliable in vitro testing methods will mean in the future, sunscreen manufacturers would be able to quickly make and test new and better sunscreens, without being limited by the time and cost constraints involved with human testing.</p> <p>So the next time you buy a bottle of sunscreen, look to purchase the highest-rated sunscreen of SPF 50+ – and know that work is underway on getting that rating classified in a more ethical way.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-a-serious-ethical-problem-with-some-sunscreen-testing-methods-and-youre-probably-not-aware-of-it-195359" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Beauty & Style

Scientist shares the confronting truth about using sunscreen

<p dir="ltr">A pharmaceutical scientist has shared the confronting truth about what happens to your skin over time if you don’t apply sunscreen past the face. </p> <p dir="ltr">Hannah English shared the eye-opening reality of a 92-year-old woman with serious sun damage on her neck after she used UV protective moisturisers exclusively on her face for 40 years.</p> <p dir="ltr">The photographs of the elderly woman show her neck noticeably covered in wrinkles, sunspots and discoloration, while her face appeared flawless with hardly any damage.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hannah shared the photos as a warning to start wearing SPF everywhere that is exposed to the sun, including the easy-to-miss neck area.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not too late to start wearing SPF daily,” Hannah said on Instagram.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t forget your neck and chest. And probably hands.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is a real photo of a real person who used sunscreen on the face but not the neck for 40 years or more,” Hannah went on.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CiMkSYuvG4X/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CiMkSYuvG4X/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Hannah English (@ms_hannah_e)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Do you see the difference?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Hannah said she believed the woman only started applying sunscreen on her face 40 years ago.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She was in her 50s so there’s plenty of time for you to start wearing sunscreen every day,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Doctor Avi Bitterman, a dermatologist from New York, originally shared the photograph on social media to show the consequences of not using sunscreen on the commonly-neglected area.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Cheek and neck of a 92-year-old female, who used UV-protective moisturisers on her face but not on the neck for more than 40 years,” Dr Bitterman said on Twitter.</p> <p dir="ltr">The picture was published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology to show the benefits of daily thorough UV protection.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram </em><span id="docs-internal-guid-d1a40ced-7fff-cb7a-0aeb-be5382ae08e1"></span></p>

Beauty & Style

The best anti-ageing sunscreens

<p dir="ltr">When it comes to sun protection, it's no secret that the shelves are flooded with options for different skin types and different levels of protection from a million different brands. </p> <p dir="ltr">It’s widely known that using sunscreen everyday can help reduce visible signs of ageing, with a groundbreaking study finding that people who use broad-spectrum sunscreen on a daily basis experience 24% less skin ageing than those who use sunscreen only intermittently. </p> <p dir="ltr">The study, published in the influential Annals of Internal Medicine, found that especially people over the age of 50 saw drastically reduced visible signs of ageing over a four year period of using regular sunscreen. </p> <p dir="ltr">If you’re feeling overwhelmed by choice when hitting the skincare aisles, the <a href="https://www.beautydirectory.com.au/news/beauty/anti-ageing-sunscreens?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Monday%20August22_Media&utm_term=list_beautydirectory_media_newsletter">Beauty Directory</a> has rounded up the best sunscreens to keep your skin glowing with eternal youth.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/78374/dermaveen-daily-nourish-body-moisturiser-spf-50-200g?gclid=CjwKCAjwmJeYBhAwEiwAXlg0AXqRQRPWDQaSNoqwXJSnvVrv1NzlDebEHoVfQTyUuCOrtkCqXp6m0BoCDaYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">DermaVeen Daily Nourish Body Moisturiser SPF 50+</a> is a moisturiser formulated for extra dry or sensitive skin. </p> <p dir="ltr">It helps protect from skin ageing and UVA and UVB rays, while helping to repair skin dryness. The rich formula is easy to apply and absorbs into the skin.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/COBx4cRBfo9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COBx4cRBfo9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DermaVeen Australia (@dermaveen)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/invisible-zinc-spf-50-4hr-water-resistant-lotion-50-ml?gclid=CjwKCAjwmJeYBhAwEiwAXlg0AT-_Sr6yTk8OtCqnOTys0k-LmpjfmqjGR0dUe5AllZYIilbQ4NloVhoCT3QQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">Invisible Zinc Sport 4HR Water Resistant Sunscreen SPF50+</a> UVA-UVB is a sunscreen with SPF 50 protection. </p> <p dir="ltr">The sunscreen has been formulated with natural zinc oxide that is ideal for sport and outdoor use, as the higher protection doesn’t sweat off during exercise or sweating.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWcFjUZLY80/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWcFjUZLY80/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by INVISIBLE ZINC (@invisiblezincau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.pharmacydirect.com.au/ego-sunsense-performance-spf50-50ml?gclid=CjwKCAjwmJeYBhAwEiwAXlg0ATcNWm06SfnThgkR_GkM4Ol1Pd0Us4Y_8iVfQ4VBN-lZx7a5YoLC3xoCm4UQAvD_BwE">SunSense Performance SPF 50+</a> that helps protect your skin. It has a light and non-greasy formula, and is suitable for the face and body. It contains Vitamin B3 to moisturise the skin while it protects</p> <p dir="ltr">Fragrance-free and water resistant for four hours, it has been dermatologically tested and is Australian made and owned.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMTfLPJrtLg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMTfLPJrtLg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by SunSense Sunscreen (@sunsenseaus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/plunketts-superfade-super-screen-spf-50-50-g?gclid=CjwKCAjwmJeYBhAwEiwAXlg0AVCB0KZ-0Emo3lln9L_QQyt3Z5agAC49EumeWDztYGi8ccJQgUd5pBoCkhMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">John Plunkett’s SuperFade Super Screen SPF 50+</a> is an everyday facial sunscreen cream with hydrating aloe vera and vitamin E. </p> <p dir="ltr">It is broad spectrum UVA + UVB and is a high protection sunscreen that helps prevent sun damage and premature ageing.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZJYaUIFp6H/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZJYaUIFp6H/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Plunkett Pharmaceuticals (@plunkettsskin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/bondi-sands-sunny-daze-spf-50-moisturiser-50-g?gclid=CjwKCAjwmJeYBhAwEiwAXlg0AZxjtwj_wRJYARmhc3pLRtyBGUSV0LIHNM-DYUmC7cbACOD929iHVRoCddUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">Bondi Sands Everyday Skincare - Sunny Daze SPF 50 Moistursier</a> is a hydrating moisturiser with SPF that is essential in protecting your face against UVA & UVB sun exposure. </p> <p dir="ltr">Bondi Sands Sunny Daze SPF 50 Moisturiser is non-ghosting and enriched with Vitamin E, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Fruit Extract and Zinc Oxide to provide up to 72 hours of hydration, whilst helping to protect your skin.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CesAw5WIKqb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CesAw5WIKqb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Everyday Skincare (@bondisandsskincare)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-c47555d0-7fff-8fb7-cdac-921d52a7156b">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Beauty & Style

Sunscreen: here’s why it’s an anti-ageing skincare essential

<p>Every month there seems to be a trendy new product to add to your skincare collection. Lately, a commonplace product that many people already use has taken the top spot, with everyone from dermatologists to influencers swearing by it as the number one way to stay looking youthful through the years: sunscreen.</p> <p>It’s no wonder. It’s thought that solar exposure – also known as “photoageing” – causes up to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24101874/">80% of skin ageing</a>. So if you’re someone who’s worried about fine lines, wrinkles and uneven pigmentation, limiting the amount of solar radiation you get is one of the most important things you can do.</p> <p>There are thought to be a number of different triggers for photoageing. Most research has linked it to the expression of a group of proteins called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). These proteins are enzymes that break down elastins and collagens in the skin’s deeper layer (called the dermis). Elastins and collagens are responsible for the skin’s structure, strength and stretchiness.</p> <p>Expression of these MMP proteins has been linked to both <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/18459971">DNA damage</a> in skin cells and the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19116368/">production</a> of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02505041">reactive oxygen species</a>. Reactive oxygen species are highly reactive chemicals formed from oxygen that can damage other cellular components, such as DNA and proteins.</p> <p>Both of these factors are caused by too much sun exposure. Over time, this damage accumulates to cause characteristic signs of ageing. This may explains why one study even showed people who tended to avoid the sun had <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24101874/">significantly fewer signs of ageing</a> compared to people who enjoyed spending time in the sun.</p> <p>But it isn’t always possible to avoid the sun – which is where sunscreens help. These products contain ingredients (such as zinc oxide) which absorb or reflect UV radiation and dissipate it safely before it can damage our skin cells. This also reduces the cumulative dose of radiation received by the skin.</p> <p>Studies have shown that sunscreens can prevent many signs of photoageing by tackling the triggers, with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16520862/">numerous studies</a> showing they can prevent the expression of MMPs. A study that compared the effects of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7490363/">using sunscreen versus a placebo</a> on skin ageing, found that people in the placebo group had higher levels of solar elastosis (a sign of photoageing which causes a loss of elasticity) after two years.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23732711/">An Australian study</a> compared levels of photoageing in groups assigned to daily sunscreen use versus discretionary sunscreen use. In the daily sunscreen use group, there was no detectable increase in skin ageing over the four-and-a-half year study period compared to the discretionary sunscreen group. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27749441/">Another study</a> has also shown daily sunscreen use for a year may reverse visible signs of ageing when assessed by a dermatologist.</p> <h2>Choosing the right product</h2> <p>While there is plenty of evidence that sunscreens can prevent photoageing, many only block the UV (ultraviolet) range of the solar spectrum. In the case of photoageing, exposure to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34585779/">visible radiation</a> (particularly <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30738-6">blue light</a>) and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19675547/">infrared</a> have all been shown to contribute to photoageing. Basically, this means that sunscreens can’t protect against photoageing entirely, but can reduce it significantly.</p> <p>Some <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1011134421002517">newer solar filters</a> used in sunscreens have been developed which can block some blue light. Other ingredients sometimes added to sunscreens (<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30071261/">such as antioxidants</a>) have also been shown to prevent the production of MMPs and reduce <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34789788/">reactive oxygen species</a> – which will likely help in the fight against photoageing beyond the UV spectrum, too. Antioxidants may also protect against factors such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31927691/#:%7E:text=Recent%20findings%3A%20Traffic%2Drelated%20air,effects%20on%20premature%20skin%20aging.">pollution</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17951030/">smoking</a>, which are both linked to faster ageing.</p> <p>Photoageing is a cumulative process that occurs over time. Doing anything you can to <a href="https://www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/how-to-stay-safe-in-the-sun">limit exposure</a> will slow this process – such as covering up with clothing when you go outside. But choosing the right kind of sunscreen may also help somewhat.</p> <p>The best product to use comes down largely to personal preference. But in general, the higher the SPF, the greater protection you’ll have against photoageing. You should also try to find a sunscreen with five-star UVA protection on the label, which will help protect against the broadest range of UV radiation.</p> <p>Be sure to regularly use sunscreen or SPF-containing products from spring to autumn. If you’re going to be getting a lot of sun (such as on a beach holiday) it’s best to use a higher SPF product and reapply regularly. Although some people recommend wearing sunscreen even in winter, this is unlikely to be of much benefit to people living in the UK, as UV radiation is lowest this time of year. But if you go on a skiing holiday or live somewhere with lots of snow, sunscreen will still be beneficial as snow reflects solar radiation.</p> <p>All the evidence suggests that by far the most effective way to prevent photoageing is with the use of sunscreens, as these prevent damage from happening in the first place. Now with more choice than ever and formulations always being improved, it’s just a matter of finding what product works best for you.</p> <p>But a final word of warning: slathering on sunscreen before sitting out tanning won’t be enough to protect you completely – and this goes beyond photoageing. Too much sun exposure can carry other risks – such as sunburn and skin cancer – which is something to bear in mind during the summer months.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/sunscreen-heres-why-its-an-anti-ageing-skincare-essential-187322" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Beauty & Style

No, sunscreen chemicals are not bleaching the Great Barrier Reef

<p>For the sixth time in the last 25 years, the Great Barrier Reef <a href="https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/the-reef/reef-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is bleaching</a>. During bleaching events, people are quick to point the finger at different causes, including <a href="https://owlcation.com/stem/Coral-Bleaching-and-Oxybenzone-Choose-Your-Sunscreen-Carefully" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sunscreen</a>.</p> <p>Why sunscreen? Some active ingredients can wash off snorkelers and into the reef, contaminating the area. So could this be the cause of the Barrier Reef’s bleaching?</p> <p>In a word, no. I reviewed the evidence for sunscreen as a risk to coral in my <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/CH/CH21236" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new research</a>, and found that while chemicals in sunscreen pose a risk to corals under laboratory conditions, they are only found at very low levels in real world environments.</p> <p>That means when coral bleaching does occur, it is more likely to be due to the marine heatwaves and increased water temperatures that have come with climate change, as well as land-based run-off.</p> <p><strong>Why have we been concerned over the environmental impact of sunscreens?</strong></p> <p>After we apply sunscreen, the active ingredients can leach from our skin into the water. When we shower after swimming, soaps and detergents can further strip the these sunscreen chemicals off and send them into our waste water systems. They pass through treatment facilities, which cannot effectively remove them, and end up in rivers and oceans.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454296/original/file-20220325-21-1agae0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454296/original/file-20220325-21-1agae0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454296/original/file-20220325-21-1agae0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454296/original/file-20220325-21-1agae0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454296/original/file-20220325-21-1agae0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454296/original/file-20220325-21-1agae0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454296/original/file-20220325-21-1agae0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454296/original/file-20220325-21-1agae0v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="hands putting on sunscreen" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Sunscreen isn’t the cause of the coral bleaching.</span> <span class="attribution">Shutterstock</span></figcaption></figure> <p>It’s no surprise, then, that sunscreen contamination has been detected in freshwater and seas across the globe, from <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15996716/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Switzerland</a> to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-015-5174-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brazil</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27235899/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hong Kong</a>. Contamination is highest in the summer months, consistent with when people are more likely to go swimming, and peaks in the hours after people have finished swimming.</p> <p>Four years ago, the Pacific island nation of Palau made world headlines by announcing plans to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/02/pacific-island-to-introduce-world-first-reef-toxic-sunscreen-ban" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ban all sunscreens</a> that contain specific synthetic active ingredients due to concern over the risk they posed to corals. <a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/story/these-destinations-are-banning-certain-sunscreens" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Similar bans</a> have been announced by Hawaii, as well a number of other popular tourist areas in the Americas and Caribbean.</p> <p>These bans are based on independent scientific studies and <a href="https://coralreefpalau.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/CRRF-UNESCO-Sunscreen-in-Jellyfish-Lake-no.2732.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">commissioned reports</a> which have found contamination from specific active ingredients in sunscreen in the water at beaches, rivers and lakes.</p> <p>Notably, the nations and regions which have banned these active ingredients, like Bonaire and Mexico, have local economies heavily reliant on summer tourism. For these areas, coral bleaching is not only an environmental catastrophe but an economic loss as well, if tourists choose to go elsewhere.</p> <p><strong>How do we know sunscreen isn’t the issue?</strong></p> <p>So if contamination concerns over these active ingredients are warranted, how can we be sure they’re not the cause of the bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef?</p> <p>Put simply, the concentrations of the chemicals are too low to cause the bleaching.</p> <p>The synthetic ingredients used in most products are highly <a href="https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/653/hydrophobic#:%7E:text=Hydrophobic%20is%20a%20property%20of,Oils%20and%20fats%20are%20hydrophobic." target="_blank" rel="noopener">hydrophobic</a> and <a href="https://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/jkl/lipophilic.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lipophilic</a>. That means they shun water and love fats, making them hard to dissolve in water. They’d much prefer to stay in the skin until they break down.</p> <p>Because of this, the levels found in the environment are very low. How low? Think nanograms per litre (a nanogram is 0.000000001 grams) or micrograms per litre (a microgram is 0.00001 grams). Significantly higher levels are found only in waste water treatment sludge and some sediments, not in the water itself.</p> <p>So how do we reconcile this with studies showing sunscreen can damage corals? Under laboratory conditions, many active ingredients in sunscreen have been found to damage corals as well as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22828885/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mussels</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17889917/#:%7E:text=BP%2D2%20was%20accumulated%20in,and%20female%20fish%20were%20observed." target="_blank" rel="noopener">fish</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24359924/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small crustaceans</a>, and plant-like organisms such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749111006713" target="_blank" rel="noopener">algae and phytoplankton</a>.</p> <p>The key phrase above is “under laboratory conditions”. While these studies would suggest sunscreens are a real threat to reefs, it’s important to know the context.</p> <p>Studies like these are usually conducted under artificial conditions which can’t account for natural processes. They usually don’t account for the breakdown of the chemicals by sunlight or dilution through water flow and tides. These tests also use sunscreen concentrations up to thousands of times higher – milligrams per litre – compared to real world contamination levels found in collected samples.</p> <p>In short, laboratory-only studies are not giving us a reliable indication of what happens to these chemicals in real world conditions.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454298/original/file-20220325-21-1wft8gc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454298/original/file-20220325-21-1wft8gc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454298/original/file-20220325-21-1wft8gc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454298/original/file-20220325-21-1wft8gc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454298/original/file-20220325-21-1wft8gc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454298/original/file-20220325-21-1wft8gc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454298/original/file-20220325-21-1wft8gc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454298/original/file-20220325-21-1wft8gc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Sea wave seen side on" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Laboratory studies don’t tend to account for dilution in seas or rivers.</span> <span class="attribution">Shutterstock</span></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>If it’s not sunscreen, what is it?</strong></p> <p>The greatest threats to the reef are climate change, coastal development, land-based run-off like pesticides, herbicides, and other pollutants, and direct human use like illegal fishing, according to a <a href="https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/our-work/outlook-report-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2019 outlook report</a> issued by the reef’s managing body.</p> <p>Reefs get their striking colours from single-celled organisms called <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/coral02_zooxanthellae.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">zooxanthellae</a> which grow and live inside corals. Importantly, these organisms only grow under very specific conditions, including narrow bands of temperature and light levels. When conditions go outside the zooxanthellaes’ preferred zone, they die and the coral turns white.</p> <p>As a result, the likeliest cause of this bleaching is <a href="https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/our-work/threats-to-the-reef/climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a>, which has increased ocean temperatures and acidity and resulted in more flooding, storms, and cyclones which block light and stir up the ocean floor.</p> <p>So do you need to worry about the impact of your sunscreen on the environment? No. Sunscreen should remain a key part of our sun protection strategy, as a way to protect skin from UV damage, prevention skin cancers, and slow the visible signs of ageing. Our coral reefs face much bigger issues than sunscreen.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/179938/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nial-wheate-96839" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nial Wheate</a>, Associate Professor of the Sydney Pharmacy School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-sunscreen-chemicals-are-not-bleaching-the-great-barrier-reef-179938" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Trees get sunburnt too – but there are easy ways to protect them, from tree ‘sunscreen’ to hydration

<p>We all know how hot and damaging the summer sun can be in Australia and most of us are only too willing to take sensible precautions, and slop on sunscreen.</p> <p>It’s not only humans that suffer from sunburn and its consequences. <a href="https://www.rspcasa.org.au/protect-white-pets-from-sunburn/">Some pets</a>, such as cats and dogs, can get sunburnt in some of their less furry places, and pig farmers have long known <a href="https://vetmed.iastate.edu/vdpam/FSVD/swine/index-diseases/photosensitization">the damage</a> sun can do to their prized stock.</p> <p>But have you ever wondered about sun damage to plants? Can trees be sunburnt? It may surprise you to know the answer is actually yes!</p> <p>Tree sunburn tends to occur during hot spring days or in early summer, when trees are full of moisture. So let’s explore why it happens, and the easy ways you can protect your trees from damage.</p> <h2>Sun scorch on leaves</h2> <p>Many of you may be thinking of sun scorch, which occurs on the leaves of some of our favourite garden plants on a hot summer’s day: the brown, wilted hydrangea leaves or the large blotchy brown patches that appear on camellia leaves that weren’t there at the beginning of the day. This is sun <em>damage</em>, but is not the same as sunburn on trees.</p> <p>Leaf scorch can occur because leaves are exposed to high levels of solar radiation. The damage is often exacerbated by a low level of <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/evapotranspiration-and-water-cycle?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects">soil moisture</a>, which reduces the cooling effect of transpiration (when water evaporates from leaves).</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436565/original/file-20211209-149721-1jv9r93.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436565/original/file-20211209-149721-1jv9r93.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Sun damage on leaves is more likely to occur if the plant isn’t well hydrated.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <p>One popular and widely published cause of sun scorch on leaves is water droplets on the surface acting as a lens that focuses the sun’s rays and intensifies the heat – a bit like a magnifying glass. But this is a myth. There is <a href="http://allgreensod.ca/the-myth-of-hot-weather-watering/">little evidence</a> it occurs and considerable evidence that it doesn’t.</p> <p>So what does cause leaf scorch? Well, we’re not sure. However, it’s possible and <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.03161.x">perhaps likely</a> very high levels of radiation increase temperatures within some of the leaf cells. This damages the cells’ metabolic processes and limits the ability to photosynthesise in a process called “photoinhibition”. If enough cells are damaged, you can get general brown or dead leaf tissue.</p> <h2>Sunscald and sunburn</h2> <p>When dealing with trees, sunburn is also referred to as “sunscald” – which is unfortunate as there are two different processes at work, but even scientists often use the terms sunburn and sunscald interchangeably.</p> <p>In the northern hemisphere, sunscald usually occurs towards the end of winter, when a warm day is followed by a freezing night. The cells in the bark of the trunk or branches have become active during the warm day, and are then badly damaged as they rupture during the cold night.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436577/original/file-20211209-140109-1wjt10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436577/original/file-20211209-140109-1wjt10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">A sunburnt tree trunk.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <p>Damage can be extensive, or even fatal, for some young trees and is nearly always greatest on the south and <a href="http://pubs.cahnrs.wsu.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/publications/fs197e.pdf">southwest facing</a> tissue.</p> <p>Short term temperature differences in Australia aren’t usually as extreme, so this sort of sunscald rarely occurs here. However, we do come across sunburn in trees when the sun causes serious damage to the bark of the trunk or branches.</p> <p>If the damage is severe enough, sunburn kills the bark causing necrosis – the death of cells or tissue.</p> <p>It’s usually a problem for trees with smooth and thin bark, such as several fruit tree species (stone fruits like apricot, plum and peach), birches, plane trees and some eucalypts. Trees with thick, fibrous or rough bark, such as oaks, elms, conifers and thick, rough barked eucalypts are usually insulated and protected.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436597/original/file-20211209-27-rft1nr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436597/original/file-20211209-27-rft1nr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">A sunburnt plane tree.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Greg Moore</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <p>In Australia, sunburn nearly always occurs on trunks facing north or northwest, where exposure to the sun is hottest. Sunburn can <a href="http://pubs.cahnrs.wsu.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/publications/fs197e.pdf">also occur</a> on the upward facing side of branches of a tree directly exposed to the sun, and is common after pruning exposes previously shaded branches, such as on thin-barked street trees pruned for powerline clearance.</p> <h2>Why does it happen?</h2> <p>Sunburn tends to occur in <a href="https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/environmental/scorch.aspx">late spring and early summer</a>, when bark tissues are full of moisture and actively growing.</p> <p>Cells in the bark <a href="https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/environmental/scorch.aspx">are damaged or killed</a> by high levels of radiation and high temperatures. While high temperature can directly kill plant tissues, photoinhibition is another probable contributor.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436580/original/file-20211209-15-1bnxf66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436580/original/file-20211209-15-1bnxf66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Oak tree" /></a> <span class="caption">Trees like oak, with thick rough bark aren’t vulnerable to sunburn.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <p>Sunburn damage may take time to manifest, but in smooth-barked trees, lesions may be over 1.5 metres in length, and over 100 millimetres wide. The tree tissue browns, dies, dries and splits, with the bark peeling back to expose the wood below. The wound can give access to <a href="https://joa.isa-arbor.com/article_detail.asp?JournalID=1&VolumeID=44&IssueID=1&ArticleID=3436">pests and diseases</a>, and slow growth in young trees.</p> <p>Likewise, sunburn damage <a href="https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/flowers-shrubs-trees/heatwave-garden-how-identify-prevent-heat-stress-plants">to fruit</a> is common and often causes it to rot. In younger trees, it may <a href="https://fruittreelane.com.au/general/sunburn-damage-in-fruit-trees/">prove fatal</a>.</p> <h2>How to slip slop, slap for trees</h2> <p>The risk of both sunscald and sunburn has left an enduring legacy in Australia, as many post-war migrants to Australia from the Mediterranean region – particularly those from Italy and Greece – would routinely whitewash the base of their fruit trees.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436573/original/file-20211209-68670-lelh0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436573/original/file-20211209-68670-lelh0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Fruit trees with painted trunks" /></a> <span class="caption">Whitewashing tree trunks and branches can help keep your tree feel and look cool.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <p>Sunscald may not have been much of a problem in their new home, but the whitewash was, and remains, a protection against sunburn – a literal slip slop, slap for trees! The whitewash shields the bark from the sun, reflects radiation and keeps darker coloured bark cooler.</p> <p>Other ways of <a href="https://www.sgaonline.org.au/protecting-plants-in-hot-weather/">protecting trees</a> from sunburn include wrapping them in light coloured paper, cardboard or cloth, planting susceptible trees in shadier parts of the garden and, for some trees, retaining lower branches that will naturally shade the trunk.</p> <p>But one of the best ways to avoid tree sunburn is to make sure your trees are properly irrigated ahead of very hot days as transpiration, like sweating, keeps tissues cooler. And of course, <a href="https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/leaf-scorch-2-911/">a good mulch</a> around the base of the trees maximises efficient water use and keeps soils cooler.</p> <p>So while you protect yourself from the sun this summer, remember to take care of your trees, too, and keep them well hydrated.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172953/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gregory-moore-1779">Gregory Moore</a>, Doctor of Botany, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/trees-get-sunburnt-too-but-there-are-easy-ways-to-protect-them-from-tree-sunscreen-to-hydration-172953">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Surprisingly important skincare step you may be skipping

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While many people are spending more time at home, due to the ongoing pandemic and the cooler winter months, lots of people are taking shortcuts in their beauty routine. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sure, many are choosing to forget about their makeup or only have a professional outfit on from the waist up for their video work calls – but there is one vital step not to be skipped. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite remaining in doors or the lessening UV factor in the colder months, dermatologists and skin care experts are warning people to not leave out their sunscreen from their daily routine. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Applying sunscreen is an easy step to ditch in our morning skincare routines, but if anti-ageing is your goal, you might want to rethink your choice to overlook it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sunscreen brand Ultra Violette’s founder Ava Matthews understands the importance of daily SPF and wants to remind people of the product.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Daily SPF use should be a habit, and definitely not a habit we should be dropping," she told </span><a href="https://style.nine.com.au/beauty/why-it-is-important-to-wear-sunscreen-inside/eb7fb76c-73dc-4e38-85e2-030bebe08eed"><span style="font-weight: 400;">9Honey</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even though we’re spending more time inside, depending on our furniture set up, we can still be impacted by UV rays. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We're still getting lots of UVA damage through any windows in our house," says Ava. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"These aren't the cancer or burning rays but they do have the most impact in terms of ageing and skin damage."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even something as simple as going outside for a lunchtime stroll or tending to your garden can be damaging to your skin if you’re not using SPF. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The UV index is still really high and remains this way for most of the year in Australia so we can't be complacent about SPF use," warns Ava.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, you may not need to reapply as regularly ... but that one application in the morning is super important."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So in the morning, remember to apply your SPF to fight early signs of ageing and protect your skin from the hard sun. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Shutterstock</span></em></p>

Beauty & Style

Hugh Jackman’s plea: “Don’t be like me as a kid”

<p><span>Hugh Jackman has urged fans to look after their skin in a blunt Instagram post.</span><br /><br /><span>The 52-year-old <em>Greatest Showman</em> star has been treated for skin cancer more than six times, and took to social media after a recent visit to the doctors and dermatologist.</span><br /><br /><span>"Hey guys, I just wanted to let you know," he said while pulling down his face mask to show a small BandAid on his nose.</span><br /><br /><span>"I just went to see Lisa and Trevor, my amazing dermatologist and doctors. They saw something that was a little irregular so they took a biopsy, getting it checked. So if you see a shot of me with this on, do not freak out."</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSE_N1FHu78/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSE_N1FHu78/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>"Thank you for your concern," he went on to say.</span><br /><br /><span>"I'll let you know what's going on but they think it's probably fine."</span><br /><br /><span>Jackman wrapped up the video by saying: "Remember, go and get a check and wear sunscreen. Don't be like me as a kid. Just wear sunscreen."</span><br /><br /><span>The <em>Wolverine</em> star has been treated for skin cancer on his nose five times.</span><br /><br /><span>"A couple of notes ... please get skin checks often, please don't think it won't happen to you and, above all, please wear sunscreen,” he wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>In April, Jackman shared a clip of his ear bandaged up, revealing he had gotten a necessary skin check-up.</span><br /><br /><span>"OK guys, I recommend getting a skin check. Regularly," he began in the video, adding that Aussies are more likely to develop sun spots and skin cancer.</span><br /><br /><span>"I know I've said it before, I know I may be boring you with this but it's super easy to do and it's really, really important to be pre-emptive with these things."</span><br /><br /><span>"So, if you're like me and you didn't really know any better when you were young, and you didn't wear sunscreen, and you were in the Australian sun, then you need to get a check-up even more," he went on to say.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CP3KnvNj0VW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CP3KnvNj0VW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>"But if not, doesn't matter who you are. Next time you are with your doctor or with a specialist if you can, if you are with your doctor just say 'can you please give me a skin check?', at least once a year.</span><br /><br /><span>"I just had mine done, I just had a little biopsy, it's pre-cancerous, it's not much, but I'm really really glad I went."</span><br /><br /><span>Jackman has mentioned in the past how lucky he is to have not had any major cancer scares.</span><br /><br /><span>"It's just something I have to get out after being an Aussie with English parents, growing up in Australia, it's sort of the new normal for me," he said during a chat on Live! With Kelly back in 2017.</span><br /><br /><span>"One sunburn, you're susceptible to cancer. One. And all of this is 25, 30 years after, the doctor told me.</span><br /><br /><span>"Our rule, as kids, growing up, was you get burned and peel two or three times, then you're set."</span></p>

Caring

Burnt is out, ‘skinscreen’ is in: How sunscreen got a beauty makeover

<p>Under Australia’s harsh sun, we’ve long slapped on sunscreen to protect ourselves from skin damage and cancer.</p> <p>Now the product, once known for protecting skin against harmful UV rays, is becoming part of beauty routines. Sunscreen products are described as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8xsloAFPbi/">rich</a>, <a href="https://www.mecca.com.au/mecca-cosmetica/to-save-face-spf50-superscreen-75g/I-020875.html">luxe</a>or <a href="https://www.sephora.com.au/products/fresh-sugar-lip-treatment-sunscreen-spf-15/v/icon">nourishing</a>.</p> <p>When did the cultural perception of sunscreen as a health imperative shift towards a lifestyle “must have”? And will this new pitch work to keep us sun safe?</p> <p><strong>Campaigns of old</strong></p> <p>Sun safety promotions work to combat dangerous tanning behaviour.</p> <p>The iconic <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/tools/videos/past-tv-campaigns/slip-slop-slap-original-sunsmart-campaign.html">Slip, Slop, Slap campaign</a> paved the way for how we see sun protection today. In the 1980s, it was instrumental in educating Australians about sun exposure and skin cancer.</p> <p>Sid the Seagull in full flight.</p> <p>The campaign’s mascot, Sid the Seagull, sang and danced on our screens, encouraging us to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat.</p> <p>The slogan was extended to <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/tools/videos/current-tv-campaigns/slip-slop-slap-seek-slide-sid-seagull.html">Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide</a> in 2007, adding two more tips to preventing sun damage: seeking shade and sliding on sunglasses.</p> <p>These campaigns aimed to refocus Australians’ attitudes to sun protection as a necessity, despite our traditionally sun-drenched lifestyle.</p> <p>In the 1990s, advertisements shifted their tone from catchy jingles to sexual appeals. The <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/tools/videos/past-tv-campaigns/leave-your-hat-on1.html">Leave Your Hat On</a> campaign took inspiration from a striptease scene in the film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091635/">9/12 Weeks</a>, reversing it with a couple putting on sunscreen, clothes, hats and sunglasses.</p> <p>Take it all off – no wait, put it back on again!</p> <p>The campaign targeted young men, as they were most at risk of developing skin cancer. However, the messages of these advertisements did not stick in the minds of Australians. The <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310537900_Australian_young_adults'_tanning_behaviour_The_role_of_ideal_skin_tone_and_sociocultural_norms">cultural norm of tanning</a> remained steadfast.</p> <p><strong>Education through fear</strong></p> <p>When sex didn’t work to implement sun safety practices, campaigns used scare tactics instead. In the summer of 2003, skin cancer was branded as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrenZCKMgjc&feature=youtu.be">killer body art</a>and the effects of sunburn, even if only mild, were portrayed as creating a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=witly6zMCVw&feature=youtu.be">timebomb</a> under the skin.</p> <p>These “<a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-45596-9_17">slice of death narratives</a>” – where the advertisement’s focus is on the negative consequences of poor decisions – highlighted the potentially fatal results of sun exposure. In 2007, <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/tools/videos/past-tv-campaigns/clare-oliver-no-tan-is-worth-dying-for.html">Clare Oliver</a>, battling end-stage melanoma, shared her story to highlight the dangers of solariums and the cultural ideal of tanning.</p> <p>The true story of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1P1po6bH3w&feature=youtu.be">Wes Bonny</a>, told by the relatives of a 26-year-old man who died from melanoma in 2010, spoke volumes about skin cancer affecting an everyday “Aussie guy”.</p> <p>In 2016, Melbourne mother <a href="https://www.sunsmart.com.au/about/media-campaigns/current-campaigns/belindas-story">Belinda</a> shared her story before her death from melanoma.</p> <p>Melbourne mother Belinda urged others to learn from her story.</p> <p>The campaigns were created to increase people’s vigilance with sun protection, and sunscreen became a product critical to protecting one’s health.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25794474">Evidently</a>, these messages were effective. Research showed <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4732951/">lower sunburn rates</a>across the population, and sun protective behaviours improved.</p> <p>Moreover, research into the investment into such campaigns <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0147665">found</a> every A$1 invested brought a return of A$3.85 by lowering treatment costs and increasing productivity. The campaigns reduced the rates of illness and death and the economic burden of skin cancer.</p> <p><strong>A new beauty product?</strong></p> <p>As consumer demand bloomed, the perception and branding of sun protection products changed.</p> <p>The Australian sunscreen market is expected to tip <a href="https://www.cosmeticsbusiness.com/news/article_page/Asia_Pacific_Australia_Sun_Care_Market_Report_2017/128516">A$159.3 million this year</a>. By marketing sunscreen as a key step in a daily skincare routine, brands are repositioning sunscreen as a beauty essential.</p> <p>The new buzzword “<a href="https://www.whyhellobeauty.com.au/2019/06/20/sunscreen-or-skinscreen/">skinscreen</a>” has been coined for products that combine skincare and sunscreen. To persuade women to add skinscreens in their beauty regimes, products are marketed with appealing fragrances and textures, and are encouraged to be worn under makeup.</p> <p>Beauty influencers on social media have jumped on-board the skinscreen craze. It is now marketed to highlight its anti-ageing <a href="https://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/1691733/sunscreen-prevention-skin-aging-randomized-trial">benefits</a>: preventing age spots, fine lines and wrinkles.</p> <p>There are pros and cons to luxe skinscreen messaging. It may encourage frequent sunscreen application, but it also suggests women’s beauty and youth are inextricably linked and women’s value lies chiefly in their appearance.</p> <p>Despite sunscreen’s new home in the beauty aisle, health messaging has not completely disappeared. The social media initiative <a href="https://www.calltimeonmelanoma.com.au/">Call Time on Melanoma</a> aims to spread awareness about skin cancers and protecting skin from harmful rays.</p> <p>With more than 21,000 Instagram followers, the account encourages people to wear sunscreen everyday, get regular skin checks and debunks myths about sunscreen. The initiative builds awareness by sharing the story of Natalie Fornasier, a woman who was diagnosed with stage III melanoma at age 20.</p> <p>Skincare brand La Roche-Posay was an <a href="https://www.laroche-posay.com.au/article/la-roche-posay-the-official-sunscreen-partner-of-australian-open-2019/a36405.aspx">official sunscreen partner</a> for the 2020 Australian Open. They offered a UV Experience to educate tennis fans about sunscreen protection and ran a campaign to raise awareness of the daily UV index.</p> <p>Although important questions should be asked about the re-branding of sunscreen creating additional appearance-based pressures and “beauty work” for women, sunscreen appears to be more popular than ever. Sunsmart campaigns may have laid the health messaging groundwork, but today’s skincare brands continue to build awareness. This is a welcome step towards keeping Australians sun safe.</p> <p><em>Written by Lauren Gurrieri. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/burnt-is-out-skinscreen-is-in-how-sunscreen-got-a-beauty-makeover-131292">The Conversation.</a></em></p>

Beauty & Style

Should we be worried that the chemicals from sunscreen can get into our blood?

<p>A <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733085#graphical-abstract-tab">recent study</a> published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has attracted <a href="https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/health/study-finds-sunscreen-chemicals-leach-into-bloodstream-within-a-day-ng-b881191385z">widespread media attention</a> after it found chemicals contained in sunscreen could get into people’s bloodstreams:</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/sunscreens">variety of different chemicals</a> in sunscreen are used to absorb or scatter UV light – both long wavelength (UVA) and short wavelength (UVB) – to protect us from the harmful effects of the Sun.</p> <p>But while small amounts of these chemicals may enter the bloodsteam, there is no evidence they are harmful. Ultimately, using sunscreen <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21135266">reduces your risk of skin cancer</a>, and this study gives us no reason to stop using it.</p> <p><strong>Why was the study done?</strong></p> <p>The US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) recently updated its <a href="https://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidances/ucm473464.pdf">guidelines on sunscreen safety</a>. The guidelines indicate that if long-term users were likely to have a plasma concentration of greater than 0.5 nanograms per millilitre of blood, further safety studies would need to be undertaken.</p> <p>This level is just a trigger for investigation; it does not indicate whether the chemical has any actual toxic effect.</p> <p>The <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733085#graphical-abstract-tab">JAMA study</a> was done to determine whether commonly used sunscreen compounds exceeded these limits, which would indicate that further safety studies were required under the new guidelines.</p> <p><strong>So what did the study do?</strong></p> <p>The study looked at the absorption of some common organic sunscreen ingredients (<a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/51040">avobenzone</a>, <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/4632">oxybenzone</a>, <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/22571">octocrylene</a>, and <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Ecamsule">ecamsule</a>), in 24 healthy participants after they applied four commercially available sunscreen formulations.</p> <p>Each formulation contained three of the four organic sunscreen ingredients listed above. The concentrations of each individual compound were typical of commercial sunscreens and well within the permitted levels. For example, they all contained 3% avobenzone, and the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/book/9-permitted-ingredients">maximum permitted concentration</a> is 5%.</p> <p>The researchers split the participants into four groups: two groups used a spray, one used cream, and the other used a lotion. The participants applied their assigned product to 75% of their body four times a day, for four days.</p> <p>The researchers then examined the absorption of these compounds by measuring participants’ blood over seven days using highly sensitive tests.</p> <p><strong>What did they find?</strong></p> <p>In all subjects, the blood levels of the sunscreen chemicals rapidly rose above the FDA guidance levels regardless of the sunscreen formulation (spray, lotion or cream).</p> <p>The levels remained above the FDA guidance levels for at least two days.</p> <p>But the conditions of the test were extreme. Some 75% of body surface was covered, and the sunscreen was reapplied every two hours and under conditions where the compounds were unlikely to be broken down or removed (for example by swimming or sweating).</p> <p>This was deliberately a test of a worst-case scenario, as mandated by <a href="https://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidances/ucm473464.pdf">FDA guidelines</a> to determine whether safety testing was needed.</p> <p>Of course, going above the FDA guidance levels does not indicate there is a risk; only that evaluation is required.</p> <p><strong>What about in Australia?</strong></p> <p>Australia’s FDA-equivalent body uses the European Union’s “non-clinical” <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/ws-sg-index">guidelines</a> to evaluate sunscreens and ensure they are safe to use.</p> <p>The EU guidelines are based on <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/sunscreens">several studies</a> which show the components of sunscreens are not poisonous or harmful to human health.</p> <p>Looking specifically at the chemical <a href="https://echa.europa.eu/registration-dossier/-/registered-dossier/14835/7/7/2">avobenzone</a>, the safety studies show no toxic effect or potential harm to human health, aside from a small risk of skin sensitivity.</p> <p>The level of avobenzone reported in the blood after regularly applying sunscreen, (around 4 nanograms per millilitre) is around 1,000 times lower than the threshold levels for <a href="https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/85861">harm to skin cells</a>. And the safety studies report no increased risk for cancer.</p> <p>European researchers have also investigated whether the chemicals in sunscreens can mimic the effects of the female sex hormone estrogen. They found the levels would have to be <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/opinions/sccnfp_opinions_97_04/sccp_out145_en.htm">100 times higher</a> than are absorbed during normal sunscreen use to have any effect.</p> <p><strong>The bottom line</strong></p> <p>This study found that under a worst case scenario, blood levels of organic sunscreen chemicals exceeded the FDA guidance threshold. Under more realistic use the levels will be even lower.</p> <p>But even under this worst case scenario, the levels are at least 100 times below the European Union’s safety threshold.</p> <p>Given the known safety margins and the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21135266">proven ability of sunscreen to prevent skin cancer</a>, there is no reason to avoid or reduce your sunscreen use. <strong>– Ian Musgrave</strong></p> <p><strong>Blind peer review</strong></p> <p>The research check is a fair and reasonable summary and interpretation of the JAMA paper on the absorption of active sunscreen ingredients.</p> <p>It is worth noting that the reference to “extreme” conditions in which the research was conducted is correct, however, in terms of dose, it does align with the recommended level of use of sunscreen. That is, reapply every two hours and use 2mg per 1cm₂. A single “dose” is recommended at 5ml for each arm, leg, front torso, back and head and face, or 7 x 5 = 35ml.</p> <p>Four such doses suggest each subject would have applied 140ml of sunscreen each day; more than a full 110ml tube, which is a common package size for sunscreen in Australia. This is extremely unlikely to occur. Most people use half or less of the recommended dose per application, and few reapply. Even fewer do so four times in a day. </p> <p><em>Written by Terri Slevin. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/research-check-should-we-be-worried-that-the-chemicals-from-sunscreen-can-get-into-our-blood-116738">The Conversation.</a> </em></p>

Travel Tips

How to pick the right sunscreen for you

<p>There’s an enormous variety of sunscreens to choose from. <a href="https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/search/products?searchTerm=sunscreen">Major</a> <a href="https://shop.coles.com.au/a/a-national/everything/search/sunscreen">supermarkets</a> each sell more than 60 options. And one large <a href="https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/search?searchtext=sunscreen&searchmode=allwords">pharmacy chain</a> sells more than 100.</p> <p>So how do you choose sunscreen that’s right for you?</p> <p><strong>The big 4 must haves</strong></p> <p>Sunscreens need to tick these <a href="https://wiki.cancer.org.au/policy/Fact_sheet_-_Sunscreen">four major boxes</a>:</p> <p><strong>1. The sun protection factor, or SPF, should be at least 30, preferably 50.</strong> SPF describes how much UV gets to the skin. SPF50 allows just 1/50th (2%) of the UV to reach the skin</p> <p><strong>2. Go for broad spectrum protection</strong>, which filters the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40257-017-0290-0">full UV light spectrum</a>. UVB rays (290-320nm wavelengths) are responsible for most sunburn and DNA damage, but UVA rays (320-400nm) also cause DNA damage and accelerate skin ageing</p> <p><strong>3. Aim for water resistant formulations</strong>, which <a href="https://www.dermcoll.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/ACD-Position-Statement-Sunscreen-March-2017-updated.pdf">stay on longer</a> in sweaty conditions, and when exercising or swimming. But no sunscreen is completely waterproof</p> <p><strong>4. Make sure the sunscreen is approved in Australia</strong>. Approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is the final must-have. All sunscreens for sale in Australia must meet the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/book/3-regulatory-categories-sunscreens">TGA’s requirements</a> and will carry an AUST number on the packaging. They can only contain ingredients from an approved list that have been tested for safety and efficacy. And the SPF, water resistance and broad spectrum action must be established by <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/book/4-labelling-and-advertising">testing on human skin</a>. Sunscreens bought overseas don’t necessarily have these safeguards, so proceed with caution.</p> <p>Once you’ve ticked off the big four, you can limit your options by how the sunscreen is delivered, its ingredients, and other factors.</p> <p><strong>Pump pack, roll-on or spray?</strong></p> <p>The sunscreen delivery system is more important than you might think. Sunscreen works best when you <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/community-qa/sunscreens-information-consumers">use lots</a> — a teaspoon for each limb, a teaspoon each for your front and back, and a teaspoon for your face and neck.</p> <p>This is easiest to achieve with pump packs or squeeze tubes. People apply far less sunscreen when they use a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/1149913">roll-on</a>. Spray-on sunscreen is <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/news/blog/prevention/cancer-council-and-sunscreens-what-you-need-to-know-this-summer.html">even worse</a>; the TGA recommends you apply <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/behind-news/be-sun-smart-wear-sunscreen">one-third of a whole can</a> for proper coverage.</p> <p>How to use sunscreen (Cancer Council)</p> <p><strong>Look and feel, sensitive skin and kids</strong></p> <p>Now we get down to the finer choices in sunscreen, and they depend on your personal concerns and preferences. Here are a few common choices.</p> <p><strong>How to avoiding looking greasy</strong></p> <p>Greasiness is the most off-putting thing about sunscreen for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28449221">many</a> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ajd.12636">Australians</a>.</p> <p>But there are non-greasy formulations, often marketed as “dry-touch” or “matte finish”. These can be comparatively expensive, but worth it if greasiness is your main barrier to using sunscreen.</p> <p>Your skin may still look shiny immediately after applying it. But it should return to a matte finish within 10-20 minutes as the sunscreen settles into the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin.</p> <p><strong>How about sunscreen for sensitive or acne-prone skin?</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/sensitive-skin/">Sensitive skin</a> is irritated by a wide variety of cosmetics, lotions and fragrances. So, you can use ones marketed as kids’ sunscreen because these tend to be fragrance-free.</p> <p>You can also choose sunscreens with ingredients such as <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/literature-review-safety-titanium-dioxide-and-zinc-oxide-nanoparticles-sunscreens">zinc oxide or titanium dioxide</a>, which <a href="https://www.dermcoll.edu.au/atoz/sun-protection-sunscreens/">partially reflect and also absorb</a> UV rays.</p> <p>Those so-called physical blockers are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0887233311001585?via%3Dihub">very unlikely</a> to cause allergic or irritant rashes. But they appear white on the skin, unless you chose an option with nano-sized particles, which are invisible to the eye.</p> <p>If your skin is prone to acne, <a href="https://www.dermcoll.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/ACD-Position-Statement-Sunscreen-March-2017-updated.pdf">good options</a> are lotions or gels, rather than creams, and products marked oil-free or non-comedogenic.</p> <p>Sensitive and acne-prone skin is often limited to the face and neck, so it can be cheaper to have a specialist sunscreen for those parts and a cheaper one for the rest of your body.</p> <p><a href="https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/sunscreen-allergy/">Sunscreen allergies</a> are rarer but do affect up to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673698121682?via%3Dihub">3% of people</a>. They’re generally caused by a single sunscreen component, usually preservatives or fragrances. A dermatologist can patch test individual ingredients, which you can then avoid by checking labels.</p> <p><strong>What’s the best sunscreen for my kids?</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26101815">Parents worry</a> about the effects of both UV exposure and chemical exposure. And of course, small children can be pretty anti-sunscreen.</p> <p>All Australian sunscreen chemicals are approved by the TGA and are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1753-6405.12873">recommended for daily use</a>, even on kids. Plus, many kids’ sunscreens are made with sensitive skin in mind, because skin sensitivity is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1468-2494.2012.00754.x">more common in young children</a>. If your child doesn’t have <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/sensitive-skin/">sensitive skin</a> (skin that reacts with itching or burning sensations to a wide range of body care products), adult sunscreens are fine too.</p> <p>However, <a href="https://www.dermcoll.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/ACD-Position-Statement-Sunscreen-March-2017-updated.pdf">babies under six months old</a> need a physical blocker sunscreen.</p> <p><strong>What not to do</strong></p> <p>The <a href="https://iheard.com.au/question/i-heard-of-a-recipe-for-natural-homemade-sunscreen-do-these-work/">Cancer Council</a> and the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/blogs/tga-topics/everything-you-ever-wanted-know-about-sunscreens-were-afraid-ask">TGA</a> strongly recommend against homemade sunscreens.</p> <p>Natural oils and other ingredients promoted in recipes found online generally have <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325217.php#1">a low SPF</a>. And, as they have not been tested for causing irritation, can react unpredictably with the skin.</p> <p><a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/book/2-therapeutic-sunscreen-or-cosmetic-sunscreen">Cosmetics that contain sunscreen</a>, such as lipstick or foundation with an SPF rating, are not regulated as tightly as regular sunscreens in Australia.</p> <p>Cosmetics with an SPF 30 or higher can have good protection <a href="https://wiki.cancer.org.au/policy/Fact_sheet_-_Sunscreen">when you first apply them</a>. But like regular sunscreens, they need to be reapplied throughout the day. That’s not something we usually do, unless you’re going for the caked-on look.</p> <p><em>Written by Katie Lee and Erin McMeniman. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-pick-the-right-sunscreen-when-youre-blinded-by-choice-125881">The Conversation.</a></em></p>

Travel Tips

4½ myths about sunscreen and why they’re wrong

<p>Many Australians are <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/news/media-releases/almost-half-of-australians-confused-about-sunscreen.html">reluctant to use sunscreen</a>, even though it’s an important element in preventing the skin cancers that affect about <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00086.x">two in three of us</a> at some time in our lives.</p> <p>The Cancer Council <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/news/media-releases/almost-half-of-australians-confused-about-sunscreen.html">says</a> myths about sunscreens contribute to this reluctance.</p> <p>Here are 4½ sunscreen myths and what the evidence really says. Confused about the ½? Well, it’s a myth most of the time, but sometimes it’s true.</p> <p><strong>Myth #1. It’s bad for my bones</strong></p> <p>Many Australians are concerned using sunscreen might lead to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17641980">vitamin D deficiency</a>. The idea is that sunscreen would block the UV light the skin needs to make vitamin D, critical for bone health.</p> <p>However, you need <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962205045962?via%3Dihub">far less UV than you think</a> to make the vitamin D you need: only one-third of the UV that causes a sunburn, and less than you need to tan.</p> <p>Tests on humans going about their daily business generally show <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30945275">no vitamin D differences</a> between people who use sunscreen and those who don’t.</p> <p><strong>Myth #2. Its ingredients are toxic</strong></p> <p>If you google “toxic sunscreen”, you get more than <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=toxic+sunscreen">eight million results</a>. So people are clearly worried if it’s safe.</p> <p>However, there’s little evidence of harm compared to the large benefits of sunscreens, which are <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/sunscreens">highly regulated in Australia</a>.</p> <p>There <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15191542?dopt=Abstract">is evidence</a> large amounts of some sunscreen components can act as <a href="https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/index.cfm">hormone disruptors</a>. But the amounts needed far outstrip the amount sunscreen users are actually exposed to.</p> <p>Some people have also been alarmed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) <a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/spotlight-cder-science-new-fda-study-shines-light-sunscreen-absorption">announcing further testing</a> of the sunscreen ingredients avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene and ecamsule. This was after a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733085">study</a> showed their concentrations could reach over 0.5 nanograms/mL in the blood.</p> <p>This experiment involved people thickly applying sunscreen to parts of the body not covered by a swimsuit, four times a day for four days in a row. In other words, this is the maximum amount you might apply on a beach holiday, and considerably more than you would wear on a day-to-day basis (unless you work in your budgie smugglers).</p> <p>However, there’s no evidence these concentrations are harmful and the further testing is just a precaution.</p> <p>The FDA recommends people <a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/spotlight-cder-science-new-fda-study-shines-light-sunscreen-absorption">continue using sunscreen</a>. If you still feel uneasy, you can stick to zinc oxide and titanium dioxide sunscreens, which the FDA says are “<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/02/26/2019-03019/sunscreen-drug-products-for-over-the-counter-human-use">generally recognised as safe and effective</a>”.</p> <p><strong>How about nanoparticles?</strong></p> <p>That leads us to another common concern: nano-sized zinc oxide or titanium dioxide in sunscreens. <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/community-qa/sunscreens-information-consumers">Nanoparticle forms</a> of these UV filters are designed to make them invisible on the skin while still keeping UV rays out.</p> <p><a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/literature-review-safety-titanium-dioxide-and-zinc-oxide-nanoparticles-sunscreens">Human studies</a> show they either do not penetrate or minimally penetrate the stratum corneum. This is the upper-most layer of the skin, where the cells are already dead and tightly packed together to protect the living cells below. This suggests absorption and movement through the body, hence toxicity, is highly unlikely.</p> <p><strong>Myth #3. It’s pointless. I already have skin cancer in my family</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3835091/">Genetics and family history</a> do play a role in many melanomas in Australia. For instance, mutations in genes such as CDKN2A substantially increase a person’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6368081/">melanoma risk</a>.</p> <p>However, sun exposure increases melanoma risk on top of any existing genetic risk. So whatever your baseline risk, everyone can take steps to lower the additional risks that come with sun exposure.</p> <p><strong>Myth #4. I’m already middle-aged. It’s too late</strong></p> <p>It’s true that sunburns in childhood seem to have a disproportionate effect on the risk of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11227927">melanomas</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11684447">basal cell carcinomas</a>. But <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjd.15324">squamous cell carcinomas</a> are more affected by sun exposure over the years.</p> <p>Ongoing sunscreen use also reduces the number new actinic keratoses, a pre-cancerous skin lesion, and reduces the number of existing keratoses <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJM199310143291602?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov">in Australians over 40 years old</a>.</p> <p>Regular sunscreen use also puts the brakes on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962216308805?via%3Dihub">skin ageing</a>, helping to reduce skin thinness, easy bruising and poor healing that older skin can be prone to. And of course, getting burnt feels terrible at any age.</p> <p><strong>Myth #4½. I’m allergic to sunscreen</strong></p> <p>This one’s only half a myth. Many people <a href="https://journals.lww.com/dermatitis/fulltext/2010/07000/True_Photoallergy_to_Sunscreens_Is_Rare_Despite.1.aspx#R4-1">say they have</a> an allergic reaction to sunscreen but only about <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673698121682?via%3Dihub">3%</a> really do.</p> <p>Often, people are just sunburned. They <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hpja.301">thought they were well-protected</a> but simply stayed out in the sun too long, or didn’t reapply sunscreen often enough.</p> <p>Your sunscreen might also be <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/book/export/html/5307">out of date</a>. Sunscreen eventually breaks down and loses its effectiveness, faster if you store it somewhere very hot, like a car.</p> <p>Alternatively, you may have <a href="https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/polymorphic-light-eruption/">polymorphic light eruption</a>, a condition where UV light alters a skin compound, resulting in a rash. This can be itchy or burning, small pink or red bumps, flat, dry red patches, blisters, or even itchy patches with no visible signs.</p> <p>Fortunately, this condition often occurs only on the first exposure during spring or early summer. Keep out of the sun for a few days and the rash should settle by itself.</p> <p>If none of those causes fit the bill, you may indeed have <a href="https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/sunscreen-allergy/">an allergy</a> to some component of your sunscreen (<a href="https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/allergic-contact-dermatitis/">allergic contact dermatitis</a>), which a dermatologist can confirm.</p> <p><em>Written by Katie Lee and Monika Janda. Republished with permission of <a href="/Many%20Australians%20are%20reluctant%20to%20use%20sunscreen,%20even%20though%20it’s%20an%20important%20element%20in%20preventing%20the%20skin%20cancers%20that%20affect%20about%20two%20in%20three%20of%20us%20at%20some%20time%20in%20our%20lives.">The Conversation.</a> </em></p>

Beauty & Style

Skin checks: Don't neglect your skin

<p>It is perhaps not too surprising that Australia has a relatively high skin cancer risk compared to other countries. In fact about two in three of us will be affected to some degree before the age of 70 and over 750,000 new cases of Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma are diagnosed and treated each year.</p> <p>Skin cancer can usually be treated effectively, but there is always a potential for some instances to become quite serious or even fatal and the symptoms are not always very obvious. This makes it vital to maintain a sound strategy for managing your skin cancer risk.</p> <p><strong>The first line of defence</strong><br />As with any health issue, prevention is always better than cure. With so much of our lifestyle being outdoors, it can be easy to forget how much sun exposure we are subjected to. While we may be more conscious of it if we are at the beach or some other relaxation activity, we may not be so vigilant during everyday activities, such as gardening or driving. The sun does not discriminate, however, so constant protective action is essential.</p> <p><strong>The key preventative issues to remember are:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Avoid sun exposure in the peak danger times of 11am -3pm (daylight saving time)</li> <li>Wear a broad brimmed or legionnaires’ hat, long sleeved collared shirts and longer trousers/skirts</li> <li>SPF 30+ sunscreen applied 20 minutes to exposure and reapplied every two hours</li> <li>Close fitting sunglasses - Australian Standard AS1067.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Get familiar with your own skin</strong><br />Even the most cautious sun-smart habits, however, do not eliminate the risk of potentially dangerous skin cancers occurring. Skin cancers rarely hurt and are much more frequently detected by visual checks, rather than any specific pain or discomfort. That means it is essential to be vigilant in inspecting your own skin every three months to keep a track of anything suspicious and to notice any changes in skin blemishes, moles or spots. Some advice on how to do this by yourself (or with the help of a friend or partner) can be found here <a href="http://%20www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/check-for-signs-of-skin-cancer.html">cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer</a></p> <p>Jot down the dates of inspection and any observations on abnormalities or changes. Particular issues that need further investigation by a medical professional include:</p> <ul> <li>a new spot that is different from other spots around it</li> <li>change in shape, size, or colour of a spot, mole or freckle</li> <li>spots, sores or moles that are not healing, itch, tingle, bleed or weep</li> <li>a spot that becomes raised or develops a lump</li> </ul> <p><strong>Regular professional check-ups are essential</strong><br />If you are concerned about any abnormalities you should see your usual doctor, but even if you don’t detect anything yourself it is important to get regular inspections from your doctor on an annual basis, or at more frequent intervals that they recommend if they believe you are higher risk.</p> <p>Skin cancer clinics are also quite prevalent and may be an option for these check-ups. These are usually operated by GPs, but make sure you check up on the qualifications and experience of the person who will examine you.</p> <p>Such examinations will often identify scaly growths or lesions caused by sun damage particularly on the face, scalp, lips, and the back of the hands. While the majority of these are not cancerous and can be treated quickly and simply with a freeze spray or topical creams, they can eventually become cancerous if left untreated.</p> <p>For further information on screening and for details on the various types of skin cancers, visit:<br /><a href="http://www.cancercouncil.com.au/skin-cancer/">cancercouncil.com.au/skin-cancer/</a></p> <p><em>Written by Tom Raeside. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/health/skin-checks-dont-neglect-your-skin-this-summer.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Art

Why you need to check your sunscreen immediately

<p>As the weather heats up, many of us grab the sunscreen with the highest SPF. The higher, the better, right?</p> <p>Not necessarily.</p> <p>A Brisbane mother has warned others as she recently obtained some vital information from her dermatologist.</p> <p>Stay-at-home mum Connie-Lee Swadling explained:</p> <p>“I've recently had a mole checked, everything is fine but he asked what sunscreen I used. I replied with the Banana Boat SPF 50+ spray on for myself and Banana Boat Sensitive SPF 50+ roll on for my kids,”</p> <p>Apparently, this was not what her dermatologist wanted to hear.</p> <p>“He replied with shaking his head! He then proceeded to tell me to ignore the ‘30, 40, 50 +’ on the front cos it's irrelevant. My mouth dropped as this is what we are all taught to look for!” explained Swadling.</p> <p>Her dermatologist advised her to take a look at the ingredients in the sunscreen instead, as that’s where you’ll find how effective your sunscreen will be against the elements.</p> <p>“The doctor told my husband and I that SPF is not the important thing to be looking for, he said what you need to do is turn the product over and make sure it had the titanium and zinc (ingredients). They are the products that protect you,” she says.</p> <p>“Also they are the ingredients that don't get put into the aerosol can as they are a form of metal and can not be turned into aerosol form to leave the can and protect the body.”</p> <p>As her Facebook post went viral with 4,000 shares and 2,000 comments of other parents documenting their experiences with sunscreen, Swadling then elaborated as to what the best sunscreen is for little ones, according to her dermatologist.</p> <p>“SunSense 50+ for sensitive skin. He said [it] is the best one on the market and is sensitive for little ones skin! It's very thick to use but at least you know it's doing the job of protecting your family!”</p> <p>However, others have warned that it’s still important to apply sunscreen regularly to avoid being burnt. <a href="https://www.kidspot.com.au/health/disorders/skin-teeth-and-hair/mums-handy-tip-about-sunscreen-goes-viral/news-story/0dee767233c9c9554862f7275d63b35c">Kidspot’s</a> resident GP, Dr Sam Hay explains:</p> <p>“It still needs to be applied regularly (every two hours or after swimming/towelling), and used with other sun protection measures such as hats, sunglasses, clothes, and staying in the shade,” he says.</p> <p>Does your sunscreen have key ingredients titanium and zinc? Let us know in the comments.</p>

Body

The one skin care product you should always wear on a flight

<p>Living in one of the sunniest places on Earth, the use of sunscreen has been drilled into us for decades and decades. In fact, it’s so ingrained in our culture that most of us don’t dare step out of the house on a fine day without a little UV protection.</p> <p>But there’s one circumstance where we’re failing miserably when it comes to sunscreen – in the air. Yep, “slip, slop, slap” still applies at 35,000 feet – even more so than on terra firma, in fact.</p> <p>“Pilots are at higher risk of skin cancer and sun-induced damage as they sit in bright light,” Dr Sweta Rai from the British Association of Dermatologists told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/5405050/wear-sunscreen-on-flights-to-protect-against-skin-cancer-and-wrinkles-says-dermatologist/" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Sun</span></strong></em></a>. “The windows they sit at when piloting the plane are huge and as a result they wear sunscreen as standard.”</p> <p>So it’s common knowledge for pilots (after all, they’re exposed to the sun the longest out of anyone on board), but what about the rest of us?</p> <p>“Passengers on flights should take heed and do the same,” Dr Rai recommends.</p> <p>“The window next to you on a plane may be small, but you’re closer to the ozone layer on a flight by tens of thousands of feet. The sun’s rays are much more harmful at this level and we should all be wearing sun scream when flying.”</p> <p>Dr Rai recommends using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 prior to boarding and reapplying every two hours – especially on long-haul flights.</p> <p>“You want a thin film on your face, neck, chest – whatever is exposed,” she explains. “The clothes you wear don’t always give you full sun protection.”</p> <p>Tell us in the comments below, did you ever think to wear sunscreen on flights? Do you think you’ll start doing it in the future?</p>

Beauty & Style

The one thing you should do before every flight

<p>Whether it’s going to the bathroom one last time before you’re in the air or making sure your passport and boarding pass is securely tucked in your jacket pocket, there’s a range of things you do before every flight. But applying a thick layer of sunscreen probably isn’t something that’s a part of your pre-flight preparation routine.</p> <p>But there’s an important reason it should be.</p> <p>Dermatologists are increasingly recommending sunscreen for people on flights, arguing that while the plane windows are small, the light is very bright.</p> <p>Dr Sweta Rai of the British Association of Dermatologists tells <em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/">Sun Online Travel</a></strong></span></em>: “Pilots are at higher risk of skin cancer and sun-induced damage as they sit in bright light.</p> <p>“The windows they sit at when piloting the plane are huge and as a result they wear sunscreen as standard. But passengers on flights should take heed and do the same.</p> <p>“The window next to your on a plane may be small, but you’re closer to the ozone layer on a flight by tens of thousands of feet. The sun’s rays are much more harmful at this level and we should all be wearing sun scream when flying.”</p> <p>And you have to put it on more than once. Dr Rai recommends reapplying every couple of hours, especially on long haul flights.</p> <p>Dr Rai says: “You need to put it on so it’s covering a thin film over your body on all exposed sites an hour before you fly. You want a thin film on your face, neck, chest — whatever is exposed.</p> <p>“The clothes you wear don’t always give you full sun protection. Moisturise everywhere are you’re going to feel generally quite dry when you’re on a flight.”</p> <p>What are your thoughts? Do you think you’ll wear sunscreen on your next flight?</p>

Travel Tips

Banana Boat disgrace as 50+ sunscreens fail new lab tests

<p><span>A new lab test has found that seven Banana Boat sunscreens have failed to meet the advertised SPF 50+ claims.</span></p> <p><span>The tests were conducted by Eurofins Dermatest according to international standards and each sunscreen spray was tested 10 times. The results of the tests could lead to a potential filing of a class action lawsuit by an Australian mother and her five children.</span></p> <p><span>Bannister Law is taking registrations against Edgewell Personal Care Australia, the manufacturer of Banana Boat, after laboratory tests found its sunscreen sprays average ratings were SPF20 or less instead of the advertised SPF50+.</span></p> <p><span>"All seven aerosol varieties we tested fell well short of the marketed SPF 50+," said Charles Bannister, founder and principle of Bannister Law.</span></p> <p><span>"To claim SPF 50+, products need to test greater that 60+."</span></p> <p><span>The best performing sunscreen, Banana Boat Kids Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 50+, achieved an average SPF rating of 20.2. The worst performing sunscreen, Banana Boat SunComfort Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 50+, achieved an SPF rating of 10.7</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span><img width="500" height="274" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7264633/1_500x274.jpg" alt="1 (47)"/><br /></span></p> <p><span>Leading the class action is a mother and her five children who claim to have been repeatedly burned despite using Banana Boat products, Ultra Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 50+ and Kids Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 50+.</span></p> <p><span>All of her five children are believed to be under the age of 10.</span></p> <p><span>Edgewell Personal Care rejected the test results and described them as “anomalous”.</span></p> <p><span>"All Banana Boat products meet the SPF claim as labelled on the pack," a company spokesperson tells CHOICE.</span></p> <p><span>"These results are entirely inconsistent with the testing we have conducted at Edgewell's reputable labs, in accordance with the Australian mandatory standard as regulated by the TGA."</span></p> <p><span>The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the Department of Health body responsible for regulating sunscreens, said in May they started investigating aerosol sunscreen following public concerns.</span></p> <p><span>"TGA undertook preliminary testing to investigate their delivery rates," a spokesperson tells us. "We found the amount of sunscreen delivered per second differed between brands.</span></p> <p><span>"It is important consumers ... 'apply liberally' to ensure proper coverage of the sunscreen."</span></p> <p><span>The class action lawsuit is in early stages, but Charles Bannister said it will most likely go ahead.</span></p> <p><span>"I don't see any reason why this class action won't proceed," he told CHOICE. "I would encourage the makers of Banana Boat to resolve any issues."</span></p> <p><span>Sunscreen SPF claims and regulation were called into question last summer as photos of people who were burned despite applying sunscreen went viral.</span></p> <p><span>Since 2015, the category has come under scrutiny after a CHOICE investigation found four out of six sunscreens did not meet advertised SPF 50+ claims. </span></p> <p><span>Do you own or have you used any of these Banana Boat products and still suffered from sunburn? Tell us in the comments below. </span></p>

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