24 APR 2018: Nothing like a beautiful sun filled weekend north of the border, to remind us that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As winter reared one final hurrah, it appears (knock wood) that we are in the clear. Though I must ask, in light of the sun, did you wear sunscreen?

Global warming and the damaged ozone layer are bringing more of the suns UV rays to the Earth’s surface, making UV protection more important now than ever before.

But, in an effort to protect ourselves, we seem to have zoned in on only one method. Hence today, sunscreens are now built into everything including lip balms, moisturizers, and make-up products.

Sun protection is always in fashion, but is sunscreen your best option?

Protection from UV rays can either be physical or chemical in nature. In the case of commercial sunscreen, the one whose iconic coconutty scent immediately floods you with feelings of summertime nostalgia, we are talking about the chemical variety. These lotions contain chemical based substances that absorb the UV rays and trap them to prevent them from affecting the body. There is a requirement for a combination of these chemical substances to provide broad-spectrum coverage against both UVA and UVB rays. Not to mention sunscreens (like most other body care products) often contain other unsavoury ingredients to preserve them, add fragrance, and so on. Anything you put on your skin is absorbed into your body within 15-20 minutes. So as a general rule, if you wouldn’t eat it, I would think twice about putting it on your skin.

Yes, sunscreen lotions are effective at preventing the UV rays from permeating the skin, but at what cost?

Interestingly, the same UV rays that put us at risk for sunburns and skin damage are also the same rays that are essential for improving vitamin D status, and vitamin D is essential in protecting us against the harmful effects of the sun. With an overuse of sunscreen, we are also blocking our vitamin D production, depriving ourselves of its laundry list of benefits, many reaching far beyond sun protection.

Our bodies are designed to manage sun exposure, but in today’s environment, we must be extra careful not to overdo it. And while being in the sun can provide your body with the tools it needs to protect itself, it does not cancel out all of the potential dangers. The recommendation is not to turn your back on sunscreen completely, but to perhaps consider other options.

Here are some alternatives.

Not all sunscreens utilize the chemical form of protection, some natural counterparts employ the physical barrier method. As the name implies, the physical types of protection involve the block and reflect, vs the trap and absorb method of chemical protection. Natural sunscreens with zinc oxide are a great example. Cue mental images of The Hoff running along the beach with a white nose…

Zinc oxide is a natural mineral powder that is white in colour, and one that does not cream in. Yes, it might be a little unsightly to don the paste that accentuates the pale hue you are trying to colour; but this is precisely what is reflecting the suns rays away from you and protecting your skin.

At the end of the day, don’t be afraid to bask in the sunlight. Depending on how long you will be outdoors, a hat and light coloured full-length clothing can be enough to provide you with that physical protection against the sun, while still supporting vitamin D conversion from the sun.

If you are destined to be beach bound after a long winter and are determined to bring back some colour, consider a natural sunscreen. Look out for lotions that will provide your skin with things like high antioxidant values and nutrient-rich moisturizers to help manage sun exposure effectively.

As always, apply the sunscreen at least 15 minutes before heading outdoors and remember to reapply it more often. While natural sunscreens typically have lower SPF values, the only difference between SPF 10 and SPF 50 is the staying power. So as long as you reapply the natural variety more often you need not fret the difference.

It’s just as a young Madonna once said, let’s get physical – sun protection.