NEW ORLEANS — Earlier this week, you may have been concerned by the headlines about a study that chemicals in sunscreen seep into your blood stream.
So we have a solution to your concern, especially when it comes to your children. Don't stop wearing sunscreen, just choose the best one.
Most of us know the sun causes much of what we call aging and skin cancers, even deadly ones. And we know sunscreen helps protect us.
But here's something you may not know. There are two different types of sunscreens, physical and chemical.
"The difference is, physical sunscreens kind of form a shield between your skin and the sun. The chemical sunscreens just kind of change it over to a different form of energy that doesn't cause you to burn," explained LSU Health Sciences Center's Dr. Elizabeth Grieshaber, a board-certified Dermatologist at Terezakis & Grieshaber Dermatology in Metairie.
In that recent sunscreen study, four of the 14 types of chemical sunscreens were studied, finding they showed up in your bloodstream for days after their use.
"That's not to say we know that those things are going to cause hormone abnormalities, or cause cancer, or cause birth defects, it's just saying that we need to look into it further to decide if that's the case," Dr. Grieshaber said.
So, if you’re worried, here's what you can do: Use sunscreen with the two physical ingredients, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. The FDA says those are safe and effective. And they are also safe for reefs and marine life.
Doctors say these are the ones that should be used on children and babies six months and older. For younger babies just keep them out of the sun.
Take it from a young dermatologist, who is only in her 30s and has had melanoma twice.
"My kids are always in sunscreen or in sun protective clothing," noted Dr. Grieshaber.
And so is she.