The NZ Herald reports on why sunscreens may not be as beneficial, and protective, as generally thought.
The article points out that many sunscreens do not block UVA, which (like the UVB they do block) causes genetic damage and sometimes cancer.
In addition, high SPF sunscreens can block the body’s ability to make vitamin D – a vital vitamin produced when we are exposed to UVB.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Because of all of this, sunscreens may falsely give a sense of safety in the sun.
“Australia and NZ have the highest melanoma rates in the world, but also the highest sunscreen usage.
“The negative publicity over excessive sun exposure over the past few years has resulted in such an efficient block out of the sun that we now have a vitamin D deficiency pandemic.
…
“We know vitamin D helps prevent cancer so research is currently looking at the association between vitamin D deficiency and and melanoma.”