by kelly
/ August, 2 2017 01:30
Let me get right to it – homemade sunscreen is a don’t. I’m not saying this just because I own a skin care company that specializes in mineral sunscreen but because it is dangerous to your skin plain & simple.
Sunscreens Are Tested
Sunscreens are considered an over-the-counter drug and regulated by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA). This means sunblock is regulated just like aspirin, cough medicine, allergy medicine and so on.
As a result any sunscreen that is sold to consumers must be produced in an FDA certified facility and go through required regulated testing. All sunscreens must go through SPF and broad spectrum testing to validate their protection.
Homemade Sunscreens Are Not Tested
The major concern is that homemade sunscreens are not validated to prove their level of protection. Do you really want to experiment on your skin or your child’s skin and potentially get burned?
If you don’t think that’s a problem – check out what Joel L. Cohen, M.D., an associate clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Colorado has to say:
What’s unsafe is making homemade sunscreen using ingredients without proven SPF or broad spectrum coverage in formulations that aren’t standardized or verified for their efficacy. That can leave you unprotected from the sun—a known carcinogen.
According to Dr. Cohen:
One blistering sunburn translates into a 50 percent increased risk of skin cancer. The public needs to be aware that some are very high-risk skin cancers, and one person in this country dies every hour from a melanoma.
That sounds painful and I wouldn’t want to chance it.
So the next time you are considering searching for an online homemade sunscreen recipe or buying one – think about the damage you could be doing to your skin.
More Suncare Smarts
For more sun protection and sun safety tips, check out our Suncare Smarts blog series.
