Sunburn
You Could Be Risking Bad Sunburns If You Are Tak…
Forty years ago baby boomers enjoyed soaking up the sun's rays and admiring their golden tans. Today, they are spending more time with dermatologists and plastic surgeons trying to undo the damage. Ag…
Show 1349: Solutions to Summer Skin Problems
No question about it, sunshine and heat can be stressful for your skin. This episode is all about solutions to summer skin problems. Sunscreens offer the promise of protection from sunburn, but are th…
Drugs That Increase Sun Sensitivity and Skin Can…
Are you looking forward to spending some time outside during the summer? Maybe you have a beach vacation planned, or perhaps you will be doing some walking outdoors. If you are a runner, a golfer or a…
Will Aspirin Prevent Sunburn?
No doubt you have heard plenty of advice on choosing and using sunscreen to prevent sunburn. While that is excellent advice, some readers have gone further. In addition to applying sunscreen liberally…
Benzene In Sunscreen? What’s the Latest?
No doubt you have heard the slogan “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas.” I have never found that tag line inviting myself, but it has become quite famous. We have a different slogan to share: …
Does Sunscreen Prevent Skin Cancer? Dermatologis…
Let’s get one thing straight from the get-go. We are strongly in favor of safe and effective sunscreens. As kids we experienced too many sunburns. That’s because back then there weren’t any prod…
Some Sunscreens Are Contaminated with Benzene!
Sunscreens have come under increasing scrutiny ever since FDA research revealed that ingredients in these skin creams can be absorbed into the body. On July 14, 2021, the Johnson & Johnson drug co…
Preventing Sunburn from the Inside Out
Fifty years ago, it was hard to avoid sunburn. Sunscreens were crude. The most effective, zinc oxide cream, went on ghostly white. It looked funny, though it did keep lifeguards from burning their nos…
How Can You Choose A Safe Sunscreen?
When you slather sunscreen on your skin, you expect it to protect you from damaging ultraviolet light while you are outside working or having fun. Most people assume that it should be easy to select a…
What Are the Risks of Sunscreen and Bug Repellen…
If you spend time outside in the summertime, you'll probably reach for the insect repellent. After all, you don't want to feed bloodsuckers like ticks or mosquitoes. In addition, sunscreen can keep yo…
How Did Campho-Phenique Block Sunburn?
Once in a while, we hear about a completely unexpected effect of a common medication. We really took notice when we got this report from a reader because we'd never heard of this reaction to the old-f…
Can You Find Non-Irritating Sunscreen?
Some things should be kept out of the eyes. If you get shampoo in your eyes while you are showering, you'll regret it. Even a hint of chile pepper essence is even worse. But many people find that suns…
JAMA Study Proves Sunscreens ARE Absorbed into B…
It’s a little early to talk about sunscreens, but a new study published in JAMA (Jan. 21, 2020) has confirmed that ingredients in sunscreens are absorbed into the body. Last May, FDA researche…
Can You Avoid Skin Damage Without Sunscreen?
It comes as a great shock to learn that sunscreen gets under your skin. Most people assume that what you put on your skin stays on your skin. Wrong! FDA researchers wrote in JAMA (May 6, 2019) t…
Is it Safe to Get Vitamin D From the Sun?
Before there were vitamin D pills, humans made this essential nutrient whenever their skin was exposed to sunlight. Nowadays, dermatologists warn us that any sun exposure is bad for our skin. They are…
Sunscreen Gets Under Your Skin | Is It Safe?
For decades, dermatologists have encouraged us to slather on the sunscreen before we expose our skin to the sun’s rays. The goal is to prevent premature aging and, more importantly, to reduce the ri…
How Well Do Sunscreens Work to Prevent Skin Canc…
We have all been told countless times to smear on the sunscreen! The Australians even had a slogan: “Slip! Slop! Slap!” It was part of a 1981 health campaign to: “Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscr…
Can You Find a Good Sunscreen Without Oxybenzone…
In the last few years, alert consumers have sought sunscreens that do not contain endocrine disruptors. Sometimes, this can be quite a challenge. Two consumer organizations have recently issued their …
How Can You Protect Your Nose from Sunburn?
People who work or play outside in the summertime have to take steps to protect themselves from sunburn. When possible, people should stay out of the sun in the middle of the day when the rays are mos…
Should You Take Vitamin D for Your Sunburn?
What do you do for a sunburn? Most people just suffer for several days, although some have favorite home remedies such as Listerine, Greek yogurt or green tea. Some research suggests that a diet rich…
How to Soothe Sunburn with Greek Yogurt
In an ideal world, nobody would ever get a sunburn. We would all exercise prudence and slather on sunscreen if we were going to be outside for any length of time. We would stay inside or under cover i…
Finding Sunscreens That Don’t Make You Itc…
Dermatologists frequently remind us that applying sunscreen should be part of our daily routine, just like washing our hands or brushing our teeth. That's the best way to protect the skin both from su…
Will Using Sunscreen Lead to Vitamin D Deficienc…
Sunscreens are big business. Americans spend well over $8 billion a year slathering on creams, lotions and gels to protect themselves from sunburns. People have gotten the message that exposure to the…
Does Chocolate Prevent Sunburn?
Q. I've recently read that dark chocolate can help the skin resist the ultraviolet rays of the sun due to its antioxidant qualities. Is that really true? A. You would need to consume high-flavanol (an…
Seeking Hormone-Free Sunscreen
Q. I recently read that some sunscreens contain hormones that can interfere with young children. I am an avid user of sunscreen for me and my children and it concerns me about my 9-year-old daughter. …
Consumer Groups Critical of Sunscreen Choices
Buying sunscreen has become more complicated. Two nonprofit health organizations have rated a variety of sunscreens. Consumer Reports and the Environmental Working Group both find that many sunscreens…
Lycopene Reduces Ultraviolet Skin Damage
What you eat may reduce your risk of sunburn. Scientists at the University of Manchester investigated the power of lycopene in tomato paste to reduce skin reddening from ultraviolet exposure. Twenty h…
Will Diaper Ointment Protect Horse’s Muzzl…
Q. I've been advised to use diaper rash ointment containing zinc oxide to keep my horse's muzzle from getting sunburned while he's grazing. I've been wondering if this would also work to keep me from …
Do Sunscreens Create a False Sense of Security?
Do sunscreens create a false illusion of safety? A new lawsuit charges that many sunscreen manufacturers are misleading Americans into thinking that their products can protect people from sun damage. …