Sunscreen and Skin Cancer

Ligne St. Barth Roucou Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 4.02oz

Ligne St. Barth Roucou Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 4.2oz The truth about your sunscreen and skin cancer

You may recall seeing reports suggesting that the combination of retinyl paimitate (RP), a form of vitamin A widely used in sunscreens, and UV exposure causes skin cancer. The news was based on an analysis of a study conducted by the federal National Toxicology Program, which safetytests commonly used ingredients in all kinds of products. But before you panic. There are a few things you should know. The study was conducted on mice bred to be highly susceptible to skin cancer afler UV exposure; and mouse skin is significantly thinner than human skin, so there's greater absorption of RP. In fact, the report's findings are statistically insignificant, says Steven Wang, MD, director oi dermatoiogic surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

Bottom line: There's no conclusive evidence of a risk factor associated with RP and UV exposure. On the other hand, says Wang, RP hasn't been proven to add to a sunscreen's effectiveness, so using one without the ingredient is fine. Companies may add RP to their formulas so they can claim that their sunscreens have antioxidant, antiwrinkle protection. Most important is that you use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every day.