What's in your sunscreen?

This Memorial Day my son had a reaction to Banana Boat sunscreen. He broke out in a rash almost immediately after I applied the sunscreen. My first thought was of course tree nuts. However, after reading the label and calling Banana Boat I was assured that there was no use of tree nuts in the ingredients, BUT they still could not guarantee that the facility used to process and package their products was indeed a nut free facility. Based on his previous reactions I am almost certain though that this outbreak was from something other then tree nuts so I did some research and was shocked to find that most sunscreens, unfortunately, contain an active ingredient known to cause contact sensitivity such as an allergic response as well as several other potentially hazardous ingredients.

According to the European Journal of Dermatology the most common active ingredients in sunscreens reported to cause reactions are as follows:

Para aminobenzoic acid (PABA)

Benzophenones or Oxybenzone

Dibenzoylmethane derivatives

Cinnamates or *Octinoxate (octyl methoxycinnamate)

Octocrylene

*This was the chemical used in the Banana Boat sunscreen my son used. In Japan, use of octinoxate is limited in certain cosmetics.

Sunscreens containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are a good choice for people with allergy to sunscreen, concerns of developing allergy to sunscreen, and/or those who are looking for the best UVA protection without any sunscreen chemical considered to be a potential hormone disruptor such as those listed above.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), has recently released its fifth annual Sunscreen Guide where the Banana Boat sunscreen used on my son received an overall score of 6 including a HIGH health concern. What's worse is that EWG can only recommend one in five of more than 600 sunscreens in its guide.

Also, Laura at Living Gluten and Grain Free, has compiled a great list of gluten-free sunscreens which also includes an Allergen Column, listing those sunscreens that contain grain and nut ingredients. Review Laura's Gluten-Free Sunscreen list.

As recommended by my sons allergist, we are now using Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen which I was very happy to see received a overall score of 2 on the EWG Sunscreen Guide. The Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen, Sensitive, SPF 30+ and the Blue Lizard Baby Australian Sunscreen, SPF 30+ that we use both contain no Octinoxate which I believed to have caused my sons earlier reaction. I also happen to like that the bottle turns pink in UV light. Its the little things.

**The FDA hasn't issued any new sunscreen safety regulations for more than 30 years. EWG Action Fund is meeting with the FDA soon to tell them to finally do their job to protect the American people and  they need your help. 12,278 more signatures are needed by midnight tonight to take to the FDA. Visit the petition in the upper right hand side bar and sign today.