It’s that time of year where we start enjoying the weather, and wanting to stay busy and active outside. Every year, millions of Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer every single year. Even though people are applying sunscreen ritually, the rates of skin cancer are still climbing each year. Among the four different studies conducted over the last decade, the highest concentration of malignant melanoma was among the individuals who wore sunscreen. According to research, the FDA hasn’t regulated the use of sunscreens since 1978. The SPF factor only lets a person know how effective a sunscreen is against UVB rays. Many of these toxic ingredients found in sunscreen, absorb into the blood, release skin- damaging fee radicals, act like estrogen and disrupt hormones, and most can cause skin irritation and rashes. Here are some things to keep in mind to avoid sunscreens with harmful ingredients:

When it comes to applying sunscreen, or anything you put on your skin, you’ll want to make sure that it isn’t full of chemicals. Many of the ingredients in sunscreen have been linked with damaging a persons health. A recent study that was published in Environmental Science Technology, showed that the common sunscreen ingredients oxybenzone, methoxycinnamate, and PABA have been found to be linked to cancer.

Vitamin D3 is essential to our bodies, and the sun is one of the most natural ways to get this crucial vitamin. Vitamin D3 naturally boosts our immunity, revives our mood, and helps to fight cancer. By getting 20 minutes of direct sunlight a day, you?re giving your body enough sun to naturally generate enough D3. If a person gets a moderate amount of sun each day, this can decrease their chances of some types of cancer.

When it comes to buying a natural sunscreen for the whole family, stick to healthy sunscreens that contain Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. The two types of sunscreens you’ll want to stay away from are called non-mineral and mineral. Non-mineral sunscreens are disruptive to hormones, and release free-radicals when broken down because they penetrate into the skin. The most common ingredient found in sunscreens is called, oxybenzone. It’s not recommended to be used on children due to the fact it disrupts hormones. Mineral sunscreens are said to be a little better because they block UVA rays and are non-disruptive to our hormones because their not absorbed. These sunscreens contain titanium or zinc, which do not break down in the sun.