I just googled "images of sun burn" but the images are so troubling to look at that I can't even post them. Missing chunks of noses, huge blisters, sheets of peeling skin are all gruesome but when I saw the infant face - sad, blistered and peeling - I had to stop. Jeepers, don't people know any better? The answer to that, sadly, is NO. 

On one hand we are told to cover ourselves with sunscreen and repeat applications but we are quickly learning about the threats from chemicals contained in sunscreen.  We are also warned to stay out of the sun but there is something counter-intuitive about avoiding the sun altogether. It is, after all, THE primary life-giving source on the planet. So what exactly is a healthy dose of sunshine and is there a safe and effective sun protection cream?

Yes, according to Arthur Perry, MD, FACS, "about 20 minutes each day is good for us – it boosts our vitamin D and improves our mood. Beyond 20 minutes, however, and our immune system suffers." Dr. Perry also explains why chemicals contained in sun creams are so disruptive to our hormones: "There are 17 individual sunscreen ingredients that are FDA approved: 15 of these are clear chemicals that absorb UV light and two are made of minerals that reflect UV light. Of these 15, nine are known endocrine disruptors...Chemical sunscreens don’t sit on the surface of the skin – they soak into it and quickly find their way into the bloodstream. They scatter all over the body without being detoxified by the liver and can be detected in blood, urine, and breast milk for up to two days after a single application. That would be just fine if they were uniformly safe – but they’re not." 

So what's his bottom line on our bikini lines? "Use a micronized zinc oxide containing SPF 15 broad-spectrum sunscreen every day of the year and an SPF 30 when you’re on the beach or working in the garden. How much should you use? An ounce spread over your whole body should do it. And reapply it every 2 hours or so." [btw, Dr Perry makes his own SPF 20 sunscreen with micronized zinc oxide, and Good Girl is going to try it out. I'll keep you posted.]

If you are fed up with mixed messages about sun protection, I encourage you to follow this link for the full article on Doctoroz.com. It's an interesting and informative read. For even more information, Dr. Perry has posted scientific references on the toxicity of sunscreens and cosmetics on PerryPlasticSurgery.com.