Sun Savvy: Healthy Sun Exposure and Sunscreens

Howdy you hot weather hombres y hermanas, 

As summer heats up, our focus turns to enjoying the sun safely. Moderate sun exposure has incredible health benefits including significant improvements to immune system function, bone density, mood stability, cognitive function, and heart health.  

That being said, it’s important to avoid getting too much sun and burning which isn’t just uncomfortable, but can lead to increased risk of skin cancer and premature skin damage and aging.  

How to Get Healthy Sun

Getting the right amount of sun exposure can help you harness the health powers of the sun without suffering the risks of too much.  Just like lifting weights, you can improve your “sun strength” by slowly adapting your skin to sun exposure.  

Start small by exposing large portions of your bare skin to the sun for a short period of time, say ten to fifteen minutes every other day.  The goal is to get enough exposure to stimulate melanin production, or tanning, without going so far as a burn. Melanin improves your skin’s natural tolerance to sun by absorbing and dissipating UV radiation. 
Those of us with fairer skin tones will have less tolerance to sun exposure than those with already darker skin, so when in doubt, start with shorter time periods or times of day where the sun is at a lower angle providing less intense exposure.  Slowly increase your duration and intensity in the sun as your tolerance improves.  

When I was living in Texas I could adapt my fair skin to tolerate 90-120 minutes of direct mid-afternoon Texas sun without burning, but it took a little patience. 

Good and Bad Sunscreen

If you’re going to be in the sun longer than your tolerance allows, it obviously makes sense to use sunscreen. But which sunscreen you choose matters.  

Physical blockers, also known as mineral sunscreens, contain active mineral ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. They work by sitting on top of the skin and physically deflecting UV rays.
Chemical blocker sunscreens contain compounds such as oxybenzone, avobenzone, and octinoxate. They work by absorbing UV radiation, converting it into heat, and then releasing it from the skin. 

While both seem to be effective at mitigating overexposure to the UV rays, I opt exclusively for mineral sunscreen that uses chemical blockers.  While these sunscreens may leave a white tint on the skin and be more of a challenge to rub in, there’s a growing body of evidence that chemical blocker sunscreen has its own risks. 

Oxybenzone, octinoxate, and the others have been shown to not just penetrate the skin, but also cause hormone disruption.  These chemicals can act like synthetic estrogens throwing off your body’s natural hormonal balance and have been found in blood and breast milk samples weeks after last being used.  

The Bottom Line

Don’t be afraid of the sun! Just like Superman, we draw fantastic benefits from moderate and individualized sun exposure.  Having a light tan not only looks healthy, but also can be a visual sign of higher vitamin D levels leading to improved immune function, superior cardiovascular health, stronger bones, upregulated cognitive function, and overall better moods. 

When you plan to be out in the sun longer than your skin can handle safely, throw on some mineral sunscreen for protection and toss the old chemical based sunscreens in the trash.  

Your sun seeking sensei, 

Tyler