Healthy happy you.
A few years ago, I went to the dermatologist to get a suspicious mole checked out on my back. The doctor agreed that it looked like it could be malignant, and I was so freaked out. I started to feel really bad that I hadn't been better about using sunscreen every time I went outside. I was grateful that the mole wasn't cancerous, but it was a huge wake-up call to me. Now I'm religious about Read more
DrSugar is in the house and he's answering your health questions. Dear DrSugar, I recently read a post on FitSugar about the dangers of oxybenzone, a common ingredient in sunscreen and other cosmetics. I am wondering if my sunscreen containing this chemical is doing more harm than good? What do you think about oxybenzone, and should I be worried? —Easily Burned To see what DrSugar thinks Read more
Hi Fit, My grandmother spent much of Memorial weekend warning me about hidden health dangers, while ironically serving me cookie after cookie. Gram's main rant was against sunscreen containing oxybenzone. She said it was unsafe, but couldn't remember why. Can you tell me why I should avoid it and recommend sweatproof waterproof sunscreen that doesn't contain oxybenzone, and preferably won't clog Read more
It's hard enough to remember to put on sunscreen when you leave the house, but now you also need to make sure your sunscreen is safe to use. The Environmental Working Group has just released its 2012 Sunscreen Guide, and in order to make the list, a sunscreen must be free of oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate, not have an SPF above 50, and must be broad spectrum (protects against both UVA and UVB Read more
Slather on the lotion! If you thought the breast vs. bottle debate was polarizing, wait until you talk to fellow playground moms about sunscreen. Though lotions and sticks protect lil ones' skin from cancer-causing UVA and UVB rays, doctors advise new mamas to use physical barriers — SPF clothing, umbrellas, and shades — rather than lotions on babies younger than 6 months old. Once tots reach Read more
By now, you've likely heard that Gisele Bündchen has taken a lot of flak after recently making an antisunscreen comment, saying, "I cannot put this poison on my skin . . . I do not use anything synthetic." As you can imagine, her words sparked an uproar within the medical community, with Dolival Loao of Brazil's National Cancer Institute noting that sunscreen is beneficial for its ability to Read more
