A conversation with a friend prompted a bit of a deep dive into sun protection, and as I gathered my thoughts about it, I figured why not share some of it with you? It all started with a clip she'd sent about applying sunscreen, to which I said I wasn't interested, as I don't really do SPF. She was shocked. Why on earth? Because they're full of nasty chemicals...
Yeah, but so's everything else!
I've run into that argument a lot. Sadly, it usually comes from people who won't do anything for their own health. Since toxic chemicals are everywhere, why bother? It's not a logic that resonates with me. Too defeatist. Besides, I'd rather know I at least tried to protect myself than that I swallowed them wholeheartedly.
And it protects you against radiation.
Nobody cares about radiation. Nobody. What they do care about, in layman's terms, is the big C. Their own mortality. And granted, that one's scary enough. Cancer's a particularly bad boogeyman because it not only kills you, but does so after quite some agony. Just a disclaimer, it's not something I'm making light of here. On the contrary.
Her argument prompted the question, okay, but if time in the sun gets me cancer, then the past ought to be riddled with it, no? I mean, how much time outside does the average office-dweller spend? According to statistics, only a third of Americans spend more than an hour outside in a given day (could only find data on US).
A third?! An hour?!
Those findings are both depressing and laughable. Personally, I think an hour is too little, but more to the point, it doesn't hold a candle to our per-industrialization ancestors, who spent most of their time outdoors. By those standards, grave sites should be riddled with cancer.
...are they?
According to this article in the Smithsonian, yes and no. More recent findings show that cancer may have been a more important cause of death in Medieval Britain than previously believed. It seems between 9% and 14% of Brits had cancer at the time of death, as per their remains. (Note: Had cancer at time of death does not equate to having died of that cancer, necessarily.)
That's quite a lot, yet it doesn't hold a candle to modern-day statistics. According to the same researchers, the disease was still much, much rarer 500 years ago than it is today. And today, it's looking pretty dire. According to Cancer Research UK, death rates from melanoma have soared in the past 40 years alone. Presumably, this also means a higher incidence.
So, despite spending less time out in the sun than ever before, we're a society apparently riddled with cancer.
Of course, all these findings point to general pollution and smoking. The two big baddies. Interestingly enough, none point a finger to the toxic pesticides and hormonal treatments injected into your food. None talk about the endocrine disruptors and proven carcinogens in your skincare products. Why? Because that's where the money's at. As in pandemic times, instead of following "the science" (a term as elusive as it's comforting to the undiscerning mind), it's better to follow the money.
Personally, I'm willing to believe there's a lot we're not being told about the products we use, the plastics in literally everything. I find it infuriating and insulting, though, that we're being distracted like toddlers. Look at the sun, that's why this is happening.
What, the sun? One of the few things you can't tax and make money off of? Isn't that convenient.
Why not SPF? And what, instead?
Then again, I'm not a scientist. I can't know this for sure. As I've written before, I go by gut a lot. And it doesn't feel right to me to avoid the sun, this amazing life-giving ball of fire that's nourished our planet for so long.
I also feel this SPF craze is exaggerated. I write (and read) a lot about skincare. It's one of the perks of my work, since I work with a lot of brands and blogs in that area. Anyway, everywhere you look, they're telling you to put on SPF for every tiny outing. Put on SPF under and over your make-up (not a fan of all this covering, pore-choking make-up either, but that's for another article). Put SPF even if you're not gonna be out in the sun.
I'm like...really? For those five minutes spent waiting for my Uber? Feels like overkill.
Another interesting truth about SPF is that it doesn't make us think of death. Not at my age, not primarily. It makes us thing of something even more reviled and agonizing. Getting old. Saggy skin. Wrinkles. Losing our mating value. And that's a terrifying thing. It's stupid to pretend otherwise, since it goes way past the conscious mind, into our animal programming. So we duly layer on the products -- the SPF, and the creams, and the serums -- in the hope that we'll stave off merciless time.
"Oh let not time deceive you, you cannot conquer time."
Practices to ditch, and natural alternatives
These are things I would (or wouldn't) do. But as with everything, do your own research before trying anything you read on the Internet.
- Set aside commercial sunscreen.
Many of these contain known carcinogens like benzene or benzophenone (only the most well-known). If you do wish to use a commercial cream, look for one that's got as few nasty chemicals as possible.
Doing your research is vital. Thankfully, there are loads of great online resources, such as Made Safe or Suntribe. There are also a lot of excellent online creators, who talk about healthier, natural alternatives, and ring the alarm on dangerous products. It's astounding to me that people will slap on any old concoction without even knowing what's inside.
- Eat your protection.
To me, commercial SPF is a robbing Peter to pay Paul modern solution. Like so much in our world, it's an easy, quick answer that allows you to continue other unhealthy practices. Like going to the gym is, for many, a solution to consume as much Coke and Cheetos as they want.
But health starts with your diet, and how you treat and respect your body. Changing your diet can go a long way towards sun protection, because it impacts how quickly you heal, and how sun-sensitive you are.
For that, you want omega-3s (fish, eggs, walnuts, flax), and healthy saturated fat (like avocado or coconut oil). Veggies and berries, again, are a huge element that should be abundant in your summer diet. All of these have anti-inflammatory properties, which will make you less sensitive to the sun, and better protected.
- Water.
Again, staying hydrated is a huge factor in how well or how poorly your body fares this summer. 
- Try a natural approach.
Some people use coconut oil for sun protection with excellent results. If that's not for you, I've heard carrot-seed oil is also great, with a much higher SPF level than coconut. I don't know, I haven't tried it yet. Some people use zinc oxide as a topical, less chemically SPF.
- Just cover up.
Not all the time. Obviously. As summer wears on, ideally, get your share of Vitamin D, and find ways to spend more time in the sun than you might normally. But if you're gonna be outside a long time, the best way to protect against radiation is just covering up. Wear a hat. It's a sensible, easy solution.
- Don't deprive yourself of sun.
That's the last thing you want to do. Sunlight regulates our endocrine system, our circadian rhythm, and is an overall boost to our immunity and good health. If you're trying to stay healthy, the last thing you wanna do is stay cooped up indoors all damn day!
- Bonus: Avoid easy fixes, and do the work.
It's not simply about avoiding radiation. It's about building a sustainable, healthy lifestyle that will keep in the winter months, as well as through the scorching summer. So instead of investing in high-end SPF (tempting, I know, particularly as we think it's gotta be healthier), invest in a workout, time outdoors, fresh produce. You know, things to sustain the healthy workings of your organism.
No matter what you apply to your skin, you won't be able to stave off age, or the passage of time, but how you treat yourself will definitely impact what those years look like ;)
Wasn't sure where to drop this, so onto my personal blog it goes. Pictures are also random Spain shots. Close enough to the topic, I guess.