Skin Cancer Awareness Month! + thinksport LIVESTRONG Sunscreen ~Review~

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Did you know that May is Skin Cancer Awareness month?
I didn’t…until just the other day.  Skin cancer is something that most of us associate with the older age, but it hits a little closer to home for me.  I grew up in sunny San Diego, California.  Like every good San Diego girl I LOVE the beach, the pool, and, of couse, the SUN!  I got at least one bad sunburn (the kind where it is painful to lie down on) each summer courtesy of my trips to the beach and pool.  When I was growing up sunblock was something you put on once before you went to the beach or the pool and then, after that first application, just forgot it existed.  While our sunblock wore off, the sun was busy working its rosy magic on our pale skin.  I don’t ever remember blistering, but my even-paler-than-me sister did…multiple times.
About a year and a half ago I was at the doc for a routine mole check…I have lots of moles so this is a regular part of my life.  He scraped a couple moles and sent them off to the lab like he always does.  Everything always came back negative…until that time.  It seemed I had a basal cell carcinoma…skin cancer.  The removal of said cancerous mole left a gnarly scar over a few inches of my back.  There’s a 50% chance that I’ll have another cancerous spot within the next 5 years.
Wanna see how cute my scar is!? Can’t wait to have another like it…not so much.
This is why you want to keep your kids covered when possible and use UVA/UVB sunscreen.

This picture explains all to well why I’ve recently become a sunscreen junkie with myself and my kids.  

Here are a few important Q&A’s from an article published last year USA Today and recently used on The Skin Cancer foundation’s website:

Q:  What does the SPF number on sunscreens mean?



A: The sunburn protection factor, or SPF, measures protection against only ultraviolet radiation B, UVB, which causes burning, says Henry Lim, chairman of dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
The SPF level doesn’t measure protection against ultraviolet radiation A, UVA, which causes aging of the skin, says Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. Both types of UV rays cause cancer, he says. Experts say consumers should look for sunscreens that protect against both UVA and UVB rays.




Q:  How protective are sunscreens?

A: Sunscreens can give people a false sense of security, Brawley says. He says people shouldn’t use sunscreen to stay in the sun extra long. While sunscreen is important, covering up with a hat and long sleeves offers more protection, he says.

”You can actually use sunscreen to avoid sunburn, so you can get more UV radiation and increase your risk of melanoma,” Brawley says.




Q:  Do sunscreens offer everyone the same protection?



A: No. Brawley notes that SPF ratings are averages. For someone who’s prone to burning, a sunscreen that’s labeled SPF 30 may act more like an SPF 10. For another person, the same product may act like an SPF 60, he says.

The article also points out that the most effective way to protect yourself from harmful exposure is to wear clothing and hats that will cover your skin.

There is a great website that grades sunscreens on the market for their safety and effectiveness.  Sunscreens are graded on a scale of 0-10 with a grade of 0-2 being low hazard, 3-6 moderate hazard, and 7-10 high hazard. Each sunscreen is graded on UVA protection, UVB Protection, UVA/UVB balance, Sunscreen Stability, and Health Concerns.

ThinkSport LIVESTRONG and ThinkBaby sunscreens are among those at the top of the list for safety and effectiveness.  LiveStrong is ranked with a 2 and ThinkBaby is ranked with a 1–both Low Hazard rankings.

A bit about thinksport LIVESTRONG sunscreen:

• Mineral based sunscreen with 20% zinc oxide.
• Provides broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection
• Very Water Resistant – Highest rated level of water resistance.
• No chemical UV absorbers, No PABA. No Parabens. NO BPA.
• Does not contain biologically harmful chemicals
• Top Ranked sunscreen on Environmental Working Group’s database Skin Deep.
• A member of the Safe Cosmetics Campaign Compact
• New formulation for 2011 absorbs virtually clear and non-oily


It is very important to me to have a sunscreen with a balanced UVA/UVB protection.  It is also important that, the sunscreens I use on myself, The Husband, and the kids is free of potentially cancer causing elements.  thinksport scores high on both of these.

The SPF is lower than I usually use, but that will just help me learn good sunscreen application habits.  The sunscreen really does rub in virtually clear and is very non-oily.  thinksport LIVESTRONG and thinkbaby sunscreens are safe for the whole family.  

You can purchase thinksport LIVESTRONG and thinkbaby sunscreens at www.thinkbabybottles.com for $15.99.  At first I thought this was a bit steep to pay for a 4 oz tube, but as a took a look at all the top rated, safe, sunscreens I discovered that this is on the lower end cost-wise.

Check out the thinkbaby thinksport facebook page for info and discounts.

What do you plan to do this year to keep your family safe in the sun?

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product, at no cost to myself, in order to facilitate a review.  All opinions expressed are honest and are entirely my own.

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About Amy @ Oh So Savvy Mom

Amy is mom to three, wife to one, and a sister and aunt to many. Her family is a former military family now settled in Lehi, Utah. Oh So Savvy Mom began as a way for Amy to share parenting and product advice with others. Just as she has evolved, Oh So Savvy Mom has evolved into a resource for Healthy Living for Families, Food, Parenting, and Family Travel.

Comments

  1. "If I haven't read your blog, I didn't know that May is the skin awareness month. I will surely share the trivia you have shared to me written in this article. There was a time in my childhood years that I don't like applying sunscreen lotions. That lead me to have itchy skin burns all over my body. As of now, my children haven't experienced it yet and I will never let them experience skin burns!."