Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Are sunscreens worth it?

Living in the Sunshine State, most Floridians depend on sunscreens to remedy our over exposure to the sun.

“You cannot spend the day at the beach or on a boat without slathering up sun protection almost immediately, unless you want a sunburn,” warns Dustyn Shroff, Vice President of GreatFlorida Insurance, Florida’s largest independent health insurance agency.

But are we misinformed? It seems too much value is placed on the effectiveness of sunblock.  The Environmental Working Group (EWG), points out, “Sunscreen products are not as good as they should be. Today’s sunscreens do not fully protect skin from all types of ultraviolet(UV) damage.”download (1)

After speaking with doctors who are conducting research on the use of sunscreen, Reuters concluded,” There isn’t much evidence to conclusively prove that daily sunscreen use can prevent most skin cancers.”

The reason for the lack of reliable information on sunscreen gets down to ethics. Physicians and researchers feel it is unethical to ask people to sit in the sun unprotected for hours while they record data, potentially placing them at risk.

Despite the lack of information, doctors urge the public to continue using sunscreens until more substantial data emerges. Information that is currently used is based on questionnaires from skin cancer sufferers.

The EWG recommends sunscreen as a last resort. Other ways to keep skin protected include:

Covering up with clothes and a hat

Plan activities around the sun – early morning or evening

Find or make shade

Sunglasses are essential

“Skin cancers are generally a result of overexposure to UV rays” reminds Buck, Vice President of GreatFlorida Insurance, Florida’s largest independent health insurance agency reminds,

According to The American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. More skin cancers are diagnosed in the U.S. each year than all other cancers combined. In fact, the number of skin cancer cases has been going up over the past few decades.

While sunscreens might not be the cure we were hoping for, it is necessary to protect your skin from the powerful Florida sun. Below you can find links to highly rated sunscreens by Consumer Reports and EWG.

Consumer Reports 2017 Sunscreen Buying Guide

EWG’s 2017 Guide to Sunscreens

If you are looking for affordable health insurance give GreatFlorida Insurance a call.

Florida-Health-Insurance

 

 

 

 

 

Dustyn Shroff
Dustyn Shroffhttp://www.greatflorida.com
Vice President at GreatFlorida Insurance

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