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The Lies We’ve Been Told About the Real Causes of Skin Cancer
Most of us are exposed to many different
types of propaganda in the form of advertising on a daily basis. A majority of
the time these advertisements are trying to sell us products we don’t
need. At this time of year, it is difficult to read a magazine, take a drive,
or watch television without hearing or seeing an ad for sunscreen.
Mainstream media is obsessed with telling
people to avoid the sun and apply copious amounts
of sunscreen. Dermatologists and the American Medical Association (AMA)
say the sun is bad and that one should avoid it at all costs. But what are
those costs? Recent
studies have shown that sunscreen, which has been widely promoted over the last
30+ years, could be doing much more harm than good.
Sunscreen blocks vitamin D production, which
is an essential nutrient for health and cancer prevention. Many major brands of
sunscreen also contain toxic chemicals, which are absorbed through the skin,
enter the bloodstream, and then circulate throughout the body. Could blocking
vitamin D synthesis and slathering toxic chemicals on our skin actually be
among the main causes of skin cancer?
3 Main Types of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer
in the United States, with nearly five million people treated annually. The 3
most common types of skin cancer are:
1.
Basal cell
carcinomas comprise 80
percent of all skin cancers. Basal cancers used to show up only in middle-aged
groups, but are increasingly present in younger people. These cancers grow
slowly and rarely spread to other parts of the body.
2.
Squamous
cell carcinomas are
more likely to grow into deeper layers of the skin and spread to other parts of
the body, although this is still rare. Interestingly, squamous cell cancers
exist more frequently in darker skinned individuals in areas hidden from the
sun such as on the bottoms of their feet or palms of their hands.
3.
Melanoma accounts for less than 2% of all cases of skin cancer,
but is more likely to grow and spread if left untreated, making it more deadly.
According to skincancer.org, getting more than five sunburns increases your
odds of getting melanoma by 80%.
One concerning fact about skin cancer is that
according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), rates have doubled in the last 30
years. While the use of sunscreen has also doubled, the CDC,
AMA, and cancer industry continue to recommend people avoid the sun and use
sunscreen, while ignoring the importance of vitamin D and a healthy diet in
skin cancer prevention.
Is Sunscreen a Cause of Skin Cancer?
Dermatologists and medical professionals
blame the sun for the increase in skin cancer because it is the largest source
of ultra violet radiation (UV). However, many leading-edge doctors and health
experts contradict popular dogma about the sun being the main cause of skin
cancer.
Lifestyle choices and diet play a far more
important role than sun exposure when it comes to getting skin cancer. Bernard
Ackerman, MD, the founding father of dermatopathology, which specializes in the
study of cutaneous diseases at a microscopic and molecular level, has studied
the issue of skin cancer extensively. He’s concluded that evidence that the sun
causes skin cancer is inconsistent and inconclusive. “While some studies do
show a small association, he says, others show none.”
One of the world’s
leading authorities on natural cancer cures, Dr. Leonard Coldwell, asserts that
the chemicals in sunscreen cause most skin cancers and not the sun.
In addition, a 2004 study in the medical
journal The Lancet showed
indoor workers were twice as likely to get skin cancer as those who spent more
time in the sun: “Paradoxically, outdoor workers have a decreased risk of
melanoma compared with indoor workers, suggesting that chronic sunlight
exposure can have a protective effect.”
Lack of sunlight means lack of vitamin D,
which is a necessary nutrient for the body’s immune system to function
properly. Low
vitamin D levels are linked to health problems, including cancer.
Appropriate sun exposure helps maintain adequate levels of vitamin D. Using
sunscreen interferes with that exposure and could be contributing to the rise
in skin cancer.
Are Sunscreens Really Safe to Use?
Sunscreen prevents sunburn by blocking UVB
rays thus disabling the skin, allowing us to be in the sun longer than what is
natural. Most major brands of sunscreen block UVB while allowing UVA, which
actually causes more damage to the skin. In addition, UVB is required to produce
vitamin D, so blocking it seems contradictory to good health and cancer
prevention.
Sunscreen often contains cancer-causing
chemicals that bake into the skin and get absorbed into the bloodstream,
over-taxing the liver with toxins. Here are some of the offenders:
1.
OMC – The main chemical used in sunscreens to filter
out UVB is octyl
methoxycinnamate (aka “OMC”) which has been shown to kill
mouse cells even at low doses. Plus, it was also shown to be particularly toxic
when exposed to the sun. And guess what? OMC is present in the vast majority of
sunscreen brands!
2.
Titanium
dioxide – another common
ingredient in sunscreens, has been classified as “a potential occupational
carcinogen” by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
3.
Oxybenzone – oxybenzone becomes carcinogenic when exposed to
the sun and has been found to be a hormone disruptor! The Environmental Working
Group (EWG) recommends consumers avoid oxybenzone, and yet it remains in many
major brands of sunscreen.
4.
Derivatives
of vitamin A such as retinol and retinyl palmitate – AOL News reported that about half the sunscreens
tested in a study contained derivatives of vitamin A such as retinol and
retinyl palmitate. These ingredients have been found to be photocarcinogenic by
the FDA’s own studies, meaning the ingredients become toxic and cancer causing
when exposed to sunlight.
5.
Diesopropyl
adipate – in 2006, the
National Toxicology Program reported that diesopropyl adipate, another
ingredient in many sunscreens, increased the incidence of tumors in laboratory
animals.
In addition, there are many more questionable
chemicals in sunscreen never proven to be safe or effective for use on the
skin. Andreas Moritz, a leading practitioner in the field of alternative and
integrative medicine, goes so far as to state, “Sunscreen is the leading cause
of skin cancer.”
The Importance of Vitamin D3
The best way to absorb adequate vitamin D is
to get natural sunlight and avoid sunscreen, which blocks UVB. Vitamin D is
essential in growing and maintaining strong bones, promoting a healthy immune
system, and protecting against various forms of cancer. It is a fundamental
element to human health. On the other hand, chronic vitamin D deficiency (blood
levels below 50 ng/ml) promotes cancer and disease, and can wreak havoc on
one’s health.
Getting Safe Sun Exposure
Safe UV exposure alone does not cause skin cancer. Two studies
published in 2005, in the Journal
of the National Cancer Institute, provide evidence that “solar
radiation may have a beneficial influence in both the incidence and outcome of
cancer;” thus validating the sun and vitamin D as cancer prevention and
treatment.
The general recommendation is to get 15 to 30 minutes a day of
direct sunlight to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D. Darker-skinned
individuals need more sun exposure because they have more melanin in their
skin, which blocks UVB. For people in colder climates who don’t have the
opportunity for sun exposure, certain types of tanning beds can safely be used,
but make sure they have less harmful UVA than sunlight and have electronic
ballasts instead of magnetic ballasts to limit electromagnetic radiation
exposure.
With sun exposure it is best to start with 10 minutes and work
up to about 30 minutes, ensuring the skin does not get too pink. If required to
be in the sun for extended periods, wearing
a hat and extra clothing is better to protect skin from burning instead of
using sunscreen.
Getting a tan protects skin naturally from burning. In addition,
it is best not to use soap on sun-exposed skin for up to 48 hours so that the
body can absorb all the vitamin D it makes.
A 2014 Swedish study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine followed
almost 30,000 women for 20 years. Researchers concluded that women who avoid
the sun are at increased risk for skin
melanomas and are twice as likely to die from
any type of cancer compared to those with high sun exposure. Perhaps popular
mainstream advice regarding sun exposure and the use of sunscreen is not
beneficial for women’s health after all!
If using sunscreen, use a natural or non-toxic brand. Make sure
that it doesn’t contain carcinogenic chemicals such as oxybenzone and vitamin A
derivatives which become carcinogenic when exposed to the sun. (The EWG has
a free
online guide that allows you to check
the toxicity level of skincare products, including sunscreen.)
Zinc oxide is safe in the sun and is the
EWG’s first choice for sun protection. It
provides greater protection from UVA rays than any other sunscreen chemical
approved in the United States. Natural ingredients such as coconut oil and shea
butter are safe in sunscreen and can help nourish and protect the skin.
A Healthy Diet Can Help Prevent Cancer and Sunburn
While getting safe sun exposure is important,
so is eating a diet that is high in antioxidant-rich foods, which helps prevent
sunburn. When solar rays hit the skin, antioxidants come to the surface and act
like sunscreen, forming a protective shield. Foods rich in antioxidants include
berries, apples, beans, and dark-leafy greens to name a few. Getting plenty of healthy fats is also
essential.
One of the world’s best-known dermatologists,
Nicholas Perricone, MD, recommends eating foods that contain natural
astaxanthin, a super antioxidant found in different seafood such as wild
sockeye salmon, shrimp, lobster, and red trout. Astaxanthin can also be taken as a
supplement, and acts as an internal sunscreen for the body. It
can also help protect the skin from UV damage when applied topically.
Last but not least, avoid obvious risk
factors for skin cancer (and other cancers) such as smoking and eating
too much sugar and junk foods, and avoid burning your skin when in the
sun. Even though the body has an easier time processing sunburn than it does dealing
with the damaging effects of sunscreen, it is still best to protect your skin
from burning in the first place.
Article Summary
·
Skin cancer
is the most common type of cancer in the United States, with nearly five
million people treated annually. The 3 most common types of skin cancer are:
1. Basal cell carcinomas (80% of all skin cancers)
2. Squamous cell carcinomas
3. Melanoma
·
Mainstream
media is obsessed with telling people to avoid the sun and apply copious
amounts of sunscreen to prevent skin cancer. But recent studies have shown that
sunscreen could be doing much more harm than good.
·
Sunscreen
blocks vitamin D production, which is an essential nutrient for health and
cancer prevention. Many major brands of sunscreen also contain toxic chemicals,
which are absorbed through the skin, enter the bloodstream, and then circulate
throughout the body.
·
Cancer-causing
chemicals found in sunscreens include:
1. Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC)
2. Titanium dioxide
3. Oxybenzone
4. Derivatives of vitamin A such as retinol and retinyl palmitate
5. Diesopropyl adipate
·
The best way
to absorb adequate vitamin D is to get natural sunlight and avoid sunscreen,
which blocks UVB. The general recommendation is to get 15 to 30 minutes a day
of direct sunlight although darker-skinned individuals may need longer. Start
with 10 minutes and work your way up, ensuring the skin does not get too pink.
·
If required
to be in the sun for extended periods, wearing a hat and extra clothing is
better to protect skin from burning instead of using sunscreen. If using
sunscreen, use a natural or non-toxic brand. (The EWG has a free online guide to help.)
·
Eating a
diet that is high in antioxidant-rich foods can also help prevent sunburn.
.
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