Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWEB) April 12, 2013
Sunscreen is a vital practice for preservation of one's skin especially for anti-aging purposes and prevention of skin cancer. While spending hours clicking through do-it-yourself projects on Pinterest, it was recently discovered that a very dangerous practice is taking place; homemade sunscreen recipes that made Dr. F. Victor Rueckl, dermatologist at Lakes Dermatology stop scrolling immediately.
With concerns about health risks associated with chemical sunscreens, it's no surprise that people are creating "natural" alternatives. Kitchens and bathrooms have become labs as ingredients like coconut oil, rosehip seed oil, shea butter, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (the last two are well-known physical UV ray blockers) are mixed up for sun protection. But does "Do It Yourself" sunscreen really work? And how do you even measure its SPF levels?
Do-it-yourself is great... but not for sunscreen. "One of the explanations people use for DIY sunscreens is that they don't want to pay 20 bucks for on-the-shelf products," says Dr. Rueck of Lakes Dermatology in Las Vegas. "Though there are actual UV-blocking ingredients that one can purchase online, there is a chemistry and an art to making sure they are stable and safely mixed and possess the amounts necessary for true skin protection," he continued.
Dr. Rueckl explained that FDA regulations are very rigorous largely in part to testing measure companies employ in order to advertise a product as sunscreen. "There are SPF, water-resistant and hypoallergenic variables that I wouldn't recommend people trying in order to save a few dollars. It's worth paying for quality production, ingredients and preparation."
Be wary of DIY sunscreen SPF value charts.
Dr. Rueckl believes that there is no real good way to test SPF levels at home either, so why take the chance of not having the protection you need and desire?
"It's not simply throwing the ingredients into a bowl and stirring with a spoon. The appropriate measurements need to be present or the active ingredient will likely end up in a clump at the bottom of your mixture and you won't have enough sunscreen to protect your skin," says Dr. Rueckl. "You could even end up with a formula that is uneven and blotchy with some areas of the body getting enough protection and others not at all."
When it comes to sun protection, you can't go wrong with common sense.
Allergic reactions to chemicals found in traditional sunscreens have been used as an argument for not wearing it at all or going the DIY route. However, Dr. Rueckl warns that the risks of not wearing the appropriate sunscreen correctly, outweighs wearing it by far.
"Any substance can irritate the skin. There are people out there who have an allergic reaction to cotton, latex, detergents, rubber, nickel or gold. If you try a sunscreen and it irritates your skin, stop using it and pick a different brand," says Dr. Rueckl."In the past, a lot of the carrier chemicals and preservatives in store-bought sunscreens included PABA, or para-aminobenzoic acid, which was known to form rashes. But many of the do-it-yourself sunscreens have oils in them and their preparations can cause breakouts and bumps and create a worse problem than sunburn."
Dr. Rueckl's final words of advice: "When you're outdoors doing the things you enjoy, it's important to wear sunscreen every day, all day. Many applications of the product during the day works best and remember, even if the weather is overcast, still apply sunscreen. There is no scientific evidence that a particular brand or type of sunscreen works better than others. But the best sunscreen is actually the one you are actually going to wear." (Preferably, one that's SPF 30 or greater, has some water resistance and is easy to apply every two to three hours or after getting wet.)
If you would like more information about skin care, sunscreens and skin products, contact Dr. F Victor Rueckl at Lakes Dermatology. http://www.lakesdermatology.com 702-869-6667
