Sometimes it feels like I have a crystal ball hidden in my closet. Long before the season of sunshine and outdoor fun arrived, when it was still wintry and cold outside, I started warning readers once again about sunscreen dangers.
You may recall I raised a red flag about risky chemicals found in many of these concoctions. Because, despite their manufacturer’s claims, some of them CAN penetrate your skin.
Even worse, they can be detected circulating in your bloodstream up to three days after slathering them on.
Earlier this month, I was forced to reissue that sunscreen warning. Not because I can tell the future. But because when it comes to big business, the lack of concern for our health and safety is, sadly, all too predictable.
Independent lab Valisure uncovered creepy chemicals in dozens of common sunscreens and after-sun lotions. And once again, the dangers were being soft-pedaled by their makers.
Well, my friend, you don’t need a crystal ball to foresee what happened next. We now have multiple sunscreen products under recall, including some popular brands that you might have in your own home.
Keep reading to find out which products you need to toss TODAY.
Plus, I’ll reveal how to get SMART protection from the sun. You can still enjoy the summer sunshine and get your vitamin D while avoiding burns and reducing cancer risks.
Sunscreen recall: What YOU need to know
Johnson & Johnson just announced a major recall of five different sunscreen products:
- Protect + Refresh (Aveeno)
- Beach Defense (Neutrogena)
- Cool Dry Sport (Neutrogena)
- Invisible Daily (Neutrogena)
- Ultra-Sheer (Neutrogena)
All of these are spray-on varieties.
Aerosol sunscreens have become very popular in recent years because they’re quick and easy to apply. However, anyone standing downwind is in danger of inhaling a cloud of nostril-burning sunscreen.
But they’re not just bad news for your breathing, of course. These products could be dangerous for the rest of your body too. Because whether the sunscreens are on your skin or sneaking up your nose, they could be exposing you to benzene.
The manufacturer claims the trace levels they found in their products aren’t dangerous. But they’ve recalled them anyway, citing the usual “abundance of caution” business.
But that’s just nonsense. Because, as I’ve explained before, there is NO safe level of benzene exposure. The chemical has been linked to dangerous blood cancers.
How to SAFELY have fun in the sun
This problem isn’t limited to those five products either. The independent testing, I mentioned earlier, uncovered benzene in 78 batches of the 294 sunscreens the lab tested.
Those included products from Neutrogena, CVS, and Fruit of the Earth.
And of course, many sunscreens are loaded with other dangerous chemicals linked to a variety of health hazards, including cancer.
If you’re going outside for 10-20 minutes, in most cases, you don’t even need sunscreen. That short time under the sun will help you soak up just enough rays to generate vitamin D and trigger other vital reactions in your body without you getting burned.
After that, head in, cover up or seek shade.
If you’re going to be out under the sun for longer periods, apply a less risky sunscreen such as a mineral-based product.
You can find out which ones are safer… and which brands should be avoided at all costs… with the help of the Environmental Working Group’s fantastic sunscreen database located here.
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