The One Sunscreen You Should Stop Using, According To Dermatologists
May 1, 2018 by Emily Belfiore
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and we thought we’d start it off by talking about the most important skincare product out there: Sunscreen. “Sunscreen still remains the most important weapon in preventing premature skin aging and skin cancer,” says Dr. Craig Kraffert, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and President of Amarte.
Sunscreens To AvoidWe all know that we should be using a sunscreen daily, but with so many brands and formulas out there, finding the right sunscreen can be difficult. So, which sunscreens should you be avoiding now that the weather is warmer? Dr. Kraffert says it’s best to steer clear of powder sunscreens as they can cause more harm than good. “Powder sunscreen products do not provide a uniformly favorable skin aesthetic. The concerns with powder sunscreens are related to nano-sized and micronized zinc and titanium inhalation as well as the possibility that typical application techniques do not result in enough product being applied to achieve the label SPF,” he tells SheFinds. “As always, there are situations where powdered sunscreens can serve otherwise unmet sun protection/skin care regimen needs. Nevertheless, I do not advocate powdered sunscreens.”
In addition to avoiding certain types of sunscreens, Dr. Jason Green, D.O., board-certified dermatologist and founder of Green Dermatology and Cosmetic Center in Deerfield Beach, Fla., says that it’s vital to check the ingredients, too!
Best Sunscreen Ingredients“For any sunscreen, I turn the bottle around and I look at the active ingredients. It has to say zinc oxide and titanium oxide. If it does not, it’s really only protecting you against UVB rays and not UVA, which penetrates deeper and causes skin cancers,” he explains. “The UVB penetrates more superficially and causes your burning, so theoretically, you can be using the wrong sunscreen and not burn, but you’re still getting the harmful UVA ray exposure that can cause cancer. So, if you use the wrong sunscreen, you can stay out there longer in the harmful rays and not realize it.”
As for SPF protection, you should always look for brands and formulas that offer SPF 30 or higher, according to Dr. Green. The same goes for your beauty products! “If the SPF isn’t above 30 and doesn’t have zinc, it’s not good,” Dr. Green says of makeup products that offer SPF protection. “They just have to have the right ingredients. But, there are a lot of makeup products that do have zinc nowadays.” Good to know!
Dermatologist-Recommended SunscreenNow that you know what to look out for, here are some of our favorite dermatologist-recommended sunscreens that will help keep you protected this spring: