Sunscreen - Points to ponder

July 28th - 2011

So it looks like Summer has finally kicked in here in the formerly less sunny Okanagan!

This means that we'll all begin to slather ourselves with sunscreen as we head out for rides - or we should anyway...

As it turns out, its not exactly quite that simple, as manufacturers of sunscreen products fall into two broad categories; those that market chemical-based sunscreens and those that market mineral-based sunscreens.

Current scientific research is leaning toward mineral-based sunscreens as the safer option of the two, as chemical-based sunscreens take time to become effective, wear off quickly and easily penetrate human skin and enter the bloodstream (not good).

Mineral-based solutions employ, well, minerals; usually Zinc or Titanium as physical barriers (yes weight weenies, now you can wear titanium too...)

One final consideration; though mineral-based solutions are the better option, shoppers need to keep an eye on what form the mineral-based UV barrier takes. Some manufacturers employ a mineral-miniaturization technique known as Micronization. This is the process of reducing the average diameter of a solid material's particles in an effort to reduce the 'white paint effect' that some mineral-based sunscreens create when applied.

The catch is that micronization beyond a certain point (70u) allows the metals to penetrate the skin, much like chemical-based sunscreens. Again; not good.

Luckily, there exists an entire market of non-micronized, mineral-based sunscreen solutions and most 'health-food' stores carry these products; this is the stuff that you wanna' slather on.

So I can't infuse my skeletal structure with titanium (ala Wolverine stylez) via sunscreen?

Some sunscreen is better then no sunscreen.