Sun protection found in special clothing

Q: Some summer clothing includes sunscreen. I’m concerned about the effects of sunscreen on our bodies all day and into the night, as we wear the same clothes that long.

A: First off, sunburns are very bad for you and predispose you to developing skin cancer, so I am in favor of reducing sun exposure and sunburn. Second, the chemicals in sun-protective clothing are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, both of which are extensively used in sunscreens and cosmetics, and are generally accepted as safe. Third, part of the effectiveness of the clothing is the way the clothing is woven, not the chemical.

Finally, one company states that the clothing stays effective for 500+ washings, suggesting that very little of the chemical comes out, even with washing. For all of these reasons, I have no concerns about chemical exposure with sun-protective clothing.

Some sunscreen creams contain chemicals that are controversial in terms of causing disease, especially oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate. The Skin Cancer Foundation disagrees, stating that these concerns are based on questionable science.

The Environmental Working Group publishes a list of sunscreens that meet its criteria for safety. You can find it at www.ewg.org.

Dr. Roach’s column runs in Tuesday’s Extra.

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