Skin care for Athletes

Before we dive into July's training camp recipes, Dawn and I wanted to go over a few skin care issues since athletes and non-athletes alike will be out this weekend celebrating 4th of July. Most important to touch on is before and after sun: sunscreen and moisturizers. We go over our favorite brands and what we really dislike.

First thing about aerosol cans: It goes without saying but,  DO NOT use near flame  http://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-and-beauty/0703/fda-looks-into-safety-of-aerosol-sunscreens.aspx

Second the Environmental Working Group released the following on sunscreens:

EWG's "Hall of Shame" features sunscreen products that embody the worst of the worst when it comes to sun protection. You can spot these products by being aware of these four red flags:

1. Contains Oxybenzone
Sixty-five percent of non-mineral sunscreens on the U.S. market contain oxybenzone. This chemical penetrates your skin in large amounts, potentially triggering allergic reactions. Oxybenzone is also a potential endocrine-disrupting chemical that can cause hormone disruption and cell damage.
It's been found that 97 percent of Americans are contaminated with oxybenzone, and researchers have specifically advised against using this chemical on children, who are especially vulnerable to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Writing in the journal the Lancet, researchers noted:


"It would be prudent not to apply oxybenzone to large surface areas of skin for extended and repeated periods of time unless no alternative protection is available. There may be an additional concern for young children who have less well-developed processes of elimination and have a larger surface area per body weight than adults, with respect to systemic availability of a topically applied dose."

2. Contains Vitamin A (Retinyl Palmitate)
The sunscreen industry uses vitamin A in its formulations because it is an anti-oxidant that is thought to slow skin aging. However, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) study found that a form of vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, when used in sunscreen and therefore exposed to sunlight may actually speed the development of skin lesions and tumors.
This conclusion came from EWG's analysis of the findings released by the FDA and the National Toxicology Program. As EWG stated in the 2011 report:


"EWG analysis of product labels finds retinoid ingredients in hundreds of sunscreens, skin lotions, lip sticks and lip sunscreens—all of which pose safety concerns for sun-exposed skin. At this point, the NTP [National Toxicology Program] and FDA have invested more than a decade in studying retinoids, concluding in January 2011 that both retinyl palmitate and retinoic acid speed the development of cancerous lesions and tumors.
A year after EWG sounded the alarm about retinyl palmitate, there is still no FDA position on the safety of retinoids in cosmetics. Sunscreen industry trade groups continue to dispute EWG's warning. Most cosmetics companies have not removed these ingredients from sunscreens and other skin and lip products.
EWG recommends that consumers avoid products containing vitamin A, retinyl palmitate and retinol."

Our sunscreen used to have vitamin A in it, as at the time it was felt to be a benefit, but when we learned of its potential health problems we immediately removed it. However many other brands still include it in their formulas, so beware, and always check the labels when shopping for sunscreen products.

3. Inadequate UVA Protection
The EWG analysis found that more than 60 percent of products reviewed provide inadequate UVA protection, and are actually so ineffective that they would not be approved in the European market. There are two primary types of UV rays from sunlight that you need to be concerned with, the vitamin-D-producing UVB rays and the skin-damaging UVA light.
Both UVA and UVB can cause tanning and burning, although UVB does so far more rapidly. UVA, however, penetrates your skin more deeply than UVB, and may be a much more important factor in photoaging, wrinkles and skin cancers.
Since UVA's are inherently more damaging AND persistently high during all daylight hours, wearing a sunscreen that doesn't protect you from UVA is going to give you virtually no benefit and be detrimental to your overall health. So it's important to understand that if you're using sunscreen, you need to be certain you are actually getting UVA protection.
Europe is taking a far more stringent stance to ensure that consumers are protected against the damaging UVA light when they use sunscreens, but in the United States sunscreen standards fall short.
As EWG reported:


" … Europe's proposed standards for UVA protection are far more stringent than FDA's. The agency has spent years finalizing a rule that would merely require disclosure of UVA protection levels, while Europe has proposed that sunscreens provide UVA protection at a level at least one-third as strong as the sunburn protection level (SPF).
This means the minimum UVA protection in Europe would be roughly equivalent to FDA's proposed three-star protection level. Requiring balanced protection across the UVB and UVA spectrum has the secondary effect of limiting sky-high SPF values, ensuring that sunburn protection isn't out of step with protection from other health problems, such as free radical damage and skin cancer.
Very few sunscreens on the U.S. market would meet the baseline UVA protection standards proposed in Europe."

4. Too High SPF or in Spray Form
Higher SPF sunscreens (SPF 50+) are not intrinsically harmful, however there's evidence that the higher protection level gives people a misleading sense of security, encouraging them to stay in the sun longer than they should. In reality, research suggests that people using high-SPF sunscreens get the same or similar exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays as those using lower-SPF products.
Spray-on sunscreens (or powders) were advised against because potentially toxic particles are released into the air, making them easy to breathe in.

Given the trans-dermal nature of lotions, sunscreens etc, we will share ingredient lists from  "big brand" sunscreens and ALBA

Bannana Boat Sport:
 Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3%), Homosalate (15%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (10%), Oxybenzone (6%). Inactive Ingredients: SD Alcohol 40, Isobutane, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Fragrance, Caprylyl Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Sodium Propoxyhydroxypropyl Thiosulfate Silica, Octyldodecanol, Silica.


Alba: 

100% Vegetarian. No: Animal Testing, Artificial Colors, Parabens, Phthalates, Oxybenzone, PABA, Nano-technology, Vitamin A, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Myreth Sulfate

Active Ingredients: Homosalate -12.0 %, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate -7.5 %, Octocrylene -7.0 %., Ethylhexyl Salicylate -5.0 %, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane -3.0%. Other Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Dimethicone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice(1), Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract(1), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract(1), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract(1), Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Chloride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol(1), Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate. (1)Certified Organic Ingredient 

We showcased ALBA because it is readily available at heath food stores but any with zinc or titanium minerals as the main active ingredients are a good call. You can find EWG's list HERE .  Also, always consider a light weight SPF rash guard or arm sleeves while cycling. 

For after sun or racing to help heal skin, I recommend....Surprise.... COCONUT OIL ! Bet you did not see that one coming!!

Here are Banana Boat after sun lotion ingredients just for comparison sake :

 Purified Water, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Mineral Oil, Stearic Acid, Coconut Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Vera Gel, Cocoa Butter, PEG-75 Lanolin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Vitamin E, Sorbitol, Triethanolamine, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Red No. 40, Fragrance.