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Which sunscreen do you use?
So I'm reading this very thought provoking article on sunscreens on the Environmental Working Group's website and it's making me reconsider my stockpile of sunscreens as we head into prime sun exposure season. As the environmental research and advocacy group notes: The best sunscreen is a hat and a shirt. No chemicals to absorb through the skin, no questions about whether they work.
But when you can't get away from exposing your skin to sun, you need a bottle of help. Their article notes that surprisingly little is known about the safety and efficacy of all those creams and sprays we smear on little bodies all summer. If you read EWG's Hall of Shame you'll never look at the skin care counter the same way again.
When I had little babies I liked the sprays so I could pump some sunscreen on their heads (since they hated hats) and I still kept them on hand as they got older to spritz a kid's shoulders as he was running by. But the caution on here is that zinc and titanium can get into your lungs. I have to agree that sunscreen belongs on your skin, not in your lungs. I've also grown disenchanted with the sprays because they don't seem to have staying power.
Luckily, it's not all alarmist. They do have products to recommend. Their top sunscreens all contain the minerals zinc or titanium and none contain oxybenzone, vitamin A (which has been linked to skin tumors) or come in sprays or powders. The only problem might be finding some of these obscure organic compounds. I found many on that list at Amazon, and some, such as All Terrain, are sold at health food stores locally like Rollin Oats. And California Baby is sold at Target, Babies 'R Us and many Publix stores.
It's second-tier recommendation which have some of the chemicals of concern but not as much, are more easily found on the drug store shelf. They include Coppertone's Sport Sunblock Lotion and Bull Frog's Ultimate Sheer Protection for face and for the body.
Whew, it's always something isn't it? Maybe I over think these things but it really shouldn't be this complicated.
-- Sharon Kennedy Wynne
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THE AUTHORS
Sharon Kennedy Wynne has sunscreen in her blood. She may have been born in Buffalo but she got here as fast as she could, in time for kindergarten. She grew up in St. Petersburg, graduated from the University of Florida journalism school, and even got married at Sunken Gardens. She's one of the few adults we know who actually loves taking her kids to the beach. She has two sons and with 10 years of parenting under her belt, she's starting to feel a little less out of her league. She comes from a large family and loves to debate, so brace yourself when the hot topics come up.
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Freelance writer Courtney Cairns Pastor wasn’t so sure about having kids and how she would balance child-rearing with her journalism career. It turned out that her journalism training went to good use. As the mom to a funny, active toddler, she learned to handle him like she did her sources. Never ask yes or no questions (the answer will always be no), get him to be specific (are you crying because you’re wet or your tooth hurts?) and be prepared for anything because no two days are the same. When she’s not playing trucks, Courtney crams for her book club, trains for races and occasionally bursts into showtunes. E-mail her at 
Suzannah DiMarzio has it bad for the Mouse. Although she grew up outside of Boston, she took her degree in tourism management down to Orlando just to work at Disney and the travel industry. Of course, when she married her high school sweetheart, the reception was at Disney. She’s now a seasoned stay-at-home mom to two tweens and a toddler – and yes, that is as crazy as it sounds. Suzannah has her own blog, Comment Policy
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