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Skin creams in new cancer risk
By Dr. William Campbell Douglass on 02/24/2011
People used to look at me like I was nuts when I told them sunscreen would cause the very cancers they're supposed to prevent.
Today, the National Institutes of Health agrees with me.
Who's nuts now? Anyone still using sunscreen, that's who!
An independent NIH panel recently voted to confirm a damning report published by the National Toxicology Program, which found that a key ingredient in many sunscreens can actually supercharge skin tumors.
The ingredient is retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A.
On its own, it's mostly harmless. But once it's exposed to ultraviolet light -- say, I don't know, FROM THE SUN -- it breaks down into free radicals that can damage the skin and cripple your chromosomes.
Put in plain talk, this stuff is basically Miracle-Gro for tumors -- and in animal tests, federal researchers found that skin creams with retinyl palmitate caused more skin lesions and faster-growing tumors.
Side note: If any of my "friends" at PETA still have a problem with animal testing, feel free to volunteer for the next study. I'm sure they'd be happy to have you.
The Environmental Working Group says retinyl palmitate is in 41 percent of sunscreens, including well-known products from Coppertone, Banana Boat, Panama Jack, Hawaiian Tropic, and Neutrogena.
All told, EWG says more than 200 sunscreens sold in the last year contained this stuff.
Some companies are already rushing vitamin A-free versions to the market, but you can skip those, too, because retinyl palmitate isn't the only hazard hidden in sunscreen. These things are just oozing with known carcinogens, hormone-disrupting chemicals, and poorly understood nano-particles.
And if that's not enough, the very notion of blocking the sun is fatally flawed –- because you actually NEED that light to live. Your body uses it to produce essential vitamin D, necessary for everything from bones to brains.
One new study on mice finds that D deficiencies can alter the lungs, diminishing their capacity and causing breathing difficulties -- something that could explain the long-standing link between too little D and too much asthma.
Listen, I've been ahead of the game on this all along and I have the track record to back me up.
Don't wait for the feds to play catch-up -- save your skin, save your lungs, and save your life: skip the sunscreen now, and don't be afraid of spending a little time outside.
And if you really need a little help ducking the sun, buy a hat.
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William Campbell Douglass I.I., M.D. has been called "the conscience of modern medicine."
You can sign up for his "Daily Dose" at DouglassReport.com.
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Comments
Anonymous
What about those of us who have pre cancerous lesions on their face...is a hat enough to protect those?? I have been using a natural sunscreen but will have to check the ingredients for the Palimate..never know where to turn because one day they say to definitely wear sunscreen and the next their telling you it causes cancer..mercy!!! No wonder we are all so confused!!
Vivian
IN AGREE ON SKIPPING THE SUNBLOCKERS, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM GETTING SUNBURNT WHILE PLAYING AT THE BEACH OR THE POOL? STAYING AWAY FROM THE SUN IS HARDLY AN OPTION!
Frederica Huxley
After their 'vitamin D sun time', kids outside all day need to wear hats and keep covered if possible, - otherwise, there are various natural sunscreens on the market. Some of them are a bit guggy, but at least they are not harmful!
Helen
I learned when I was in school that Vitamin D and Paba a B- vitamin was a sun blocker ( Para-aminobenzoic acid ) check it out.
Tanto
No more golfing ? Is there a substitute available ? Thanks
MusherMaggie
Is it possible that sun-caused cancer has been blown out of proportion?
Lori
MusherMaggie - I think you have a point there. I don't believe we were made to bask in the sun for hours on end, but interestingly, vitamin D3 actually prevents sun damage, but we need some sun to get it. Go figure. There some good natural sunscreens out there, and you can go to http://ewg.org and check them out. They've done their homework. You can also check out their info on lots of cosmetic products. Seems we may unknowingly be polluting the largest organ of the body...
A.B.
I agree about toxicity of sunscreen. However getting angry at an organization that chooses to promote animal welfare does nothing for this blog and that's too bad because you have valid and valuable information. This is Johns Hopkins Center on Alternatives to Animal Testing: http://caat.jhsph.edu/
Jeremy Britton
Wearing sunscreen may give some people a false sense of security and encourage them to stay in the sun for hours. I have not worn sunscreen for many years and currently rely on hats, shirts or natural shade. When I start to feel a burn, I go inside. My philosophy is not to put anything on my skin that I would not put on my tongue: so far it has been working well for me.
Digit
Hi Guys, I'm in my 50's and have damaged skin from the sun. In my mid 40's I couldn't stay in the sun for more than 15 min without my arms in particular getting severely burned, I have never used sunscreen because I hated the feel of it on my skin... About 3 years ago I started eating a traditional diet as described by the Weston A Price foundation which included lots of butter and saturated fats both animal and coconut.
I can now stand or work out in the Australian sun for 3 - 4 hours at a time without the slightest hint of sunburn, and at 8 hours have a slight redness that is gone by morning. my skin is scared and marked still from the first 50 years but I no longer fear the sun or any type of skin cancer. The difference is in the fats, natural traditional fats protect and nourish the skin and modern oils such as canola, sunflower etc give no protection whatsoever and steal our health as well.
Some will scoff, some will agree, but I'm now living the dream.
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