Rosacea Support Group » sunscreens

Mediterranean Diet gives you Sun Protection

David Pascoe — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:35:58 +0000

Thanks to a tip from ClinuvelNews, here is an article in ScienceDaily pointing us to some recent research that shows that a diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can protect us from skin cancer. In countries like Australia and New Zealand that have high incidences of melanoma, this is some additional reason to follow a diet rich in these nutrients.

Some research also points to rosacea being related to oxidative stress, so rosacea sufferers everywhere are likely to benefit from good nutrition.

SPF on Your Plate: Researcher Connects the Mediterranean Diet With Skin Cancer Prevention

ScienceDaily (Aug. 16, 2010) — We all want that summer glow that comes from a day at the beach, but taking in the rays can have long-term implications for our health. Now Dr. Niva Shapira of Tel Aviv University’s School of Health Professions suggests a way to make fun in the sun safer — and it’s all in our food.

In a study recently published in Nutrition Reviews, Dr. Shapira has shown that a diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, like the diet eaten in Mediterranean regions where melanoma rates are extremely low, can help protect us from skin cancer.

The sun’s rays damage both the skin and the immune system by penetrating the skin and causing photo-oxidation, she explains, affecting both the cells themselves and the body’s ability to repair any damage. Her prescription is to “go Greek” with foods such as olive oil, fish, yogurt and colorful fruits and vegetables to fight the oxidizing effect of the sun, as well as regular applications of sunscreen and appropriate body coverings such as hats, beach coverups, and other sportswear.

I’m heartened to see this paragraph as well as I think we can easily get sucked in to the `supplements are as good a real food’ idea all too easily.

It might be tempting to load up on dietary supplements instead of changing the diet, but according to Dr. Shapira, supplements are simply not as effective. Foods provide nutrient “synergy,” she says. “In foods, many vitamins and various antioxidants and bioactive ingredients work to support one another and the body’s natural protective mechanisms. Synergies between the nutrients in your food, which make a significant contribution to health, may contrast with the relative isolation of a vitamin supplement.”

A further extract from the referenced Abstract;

Nutritional approach to sun protection: a suggested complement to external strategies

Penetrating photo-oxidative ultraviolet A radiation reduces skin and blood antioxidants and damages cell components, including DNA. Dietary antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals in addition to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, n-9 monounsaturated fatty acids, and low pro-inflammatory n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, have demonstrated protective properties. The presence of these elements in the traditional Greek-style Mediterranean diet may have contributed to the low rates of melanoma in the Mediterranean region despite high levels of solar radiation.

Rosaliac UV Fortifying Anti-Redness Moisturizer with SPF 15

David Pascoe — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 10:45:24 +0000

La Roche-Posay are not particularly well known in the rosacea world but they do sponsor the National Rosacea Society and have a range of products, called Rosaliac, that targets rosacea sufferers.

The company is taking the opportunity of the rosacea awareness month and their support of the NRS to promote a new product – Rosaliac UV Fortifying Anti-Redness Moisturizer with SPF 15.

The ingredients of this product are hard to find, all I can see is the generic “a patented combination of ingredients including Vitamin CG, Xanthine and thermal spring water to help neutralize visible redness” as well as a “patented broad spectrum filtering system to help protect against UVA and UVB rays”.

The ingredients for the related Rosaliac Skin Perfecting Anti-Redness Moisturizer are listed here: Rosaliac with xanthine, vitamin CG & B3. We would need to know what La Roche-Posay have included to add broad spectrum sun protection before giving it a tick for rosacea sufferers.

Rosaliac (apparently the range with the highest loyalty in the La Roche-Posay offering) is said to provide an instant relief of visible redness due to a light green tint. This sort of approach might not be to all rosacea sufferers’ liking. How do you find this product ?

Cetaphil adds UVA/UVB Defense SPF 50

David Pascoe — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:39:58 +0000

Galderma announced in February a new SPF 50 Facial Sunscreen called Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defense SPF 50. Actually Galderma is not promoting this product as a sunscreen, but as a facial moisturizer.

Said to be non-greasy and hydrating, the UVA/UVB Defense SPF 50 contains 4 chemical filters as well as micronized titanium dioxide to offer a very high sun protection factor of 50. Thus the Defense 50 contains both chemical and physical sun protecting factors.

The Cetaphil range of moisturizers and cleansers are reasonably well tolerated and liked by rosacea sufferers. My daily regime still includes the Gentle Skin Cleanser and Moisturizing Lotion.

Although some rosacea sufferers may not be able to tolerate the chemical sunscreens in this product, it is good news for those who can because the Cetaphil range of products are easily available and generally quite affordable.

The web site for the Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defense SPF 50 lists the following components

Active Ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 7%, Oxybenzone 6%, Titanium Dioxide 5.7%

Inactive Ingredients: Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Cyclopen-tasiloxane, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben, Chlorphenesin, Cetyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Methylparaben, Xanthan Gum

What do YOU think ?

This product doesn’t appear to have been used by many rosacea sufferers to date.

The Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defense SPF50 reviews at amazon.com do suggest that users are liking the high sun protection offered, as well as the product being quite moisturizing and easy to apply.

If rosacea sufferers can get past the 4 chemical sunscreens in this product then it may well become a good choice for when you need super sun protection.

water soluble sunscreen anyone ?

David Pascoe — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:40:28 +0000

An interesting looking patent application proposing a water based sunscreen for rosacea sufferers has surfaced at the USPTO. Many rosacea sufferers will know the trauma of finding a sunscreen that is gentle enough to not cause a bad reaction and effective enough to protect from the harm of the sun.

For me the sun has always been my worst trigger. Certainly physical sunscreens such as those based on zinc oxide have been immensely helpful to me. Having another option of a gentle sunscreen sounds like a win for all rosacea sufferers.

This patent application is proposing a sunscreen that is not waterproof, so would need to be re-applied regularly. The patent application, which actually reads in part like a product announcement, suggests that in dry conditions protection will be effective for about 2 hours per application of this proposed product.

Composition of a Water-Soluble Sunscreen Preparation for Acne Rosacea, 20090202460, Nieuwenhuijsen; Bart.

The object of the invention is to provide a topical preparation for (acne) rosacea and other sensitive skin types that protects the face from harmful UV rays without the use of chemical sunscreen ingredients. It has long been found that chemical sunscreen ingredients (most popular are oxybenzone and avobenzone) can cause an increase of rosacea symptoms (flushing, erythema, papules) (Nedorost (2003) and Landers et al., 2003). Furthermore, typical waterproof sunscreen preparations also contain various forms of silicones that are used to increase the hydrophobicity of the sunscreen. These waterproof sunscreen preparations impair the release of heat from the skin. The combination of this "trapped heat" and a sensitivity to chemical sunscreen ingredients, is harmful to rosacea skin. Therefore, a sunscreen preparation that is water-soluble and uses alternative UV absorbing and UV scattering ingredients would be very useful in protecting rosacea skin from harmful UV rays.

Claim 1) describes the formulation, including an extract from a woody climbing shrub native to west and central Africa known as Griffonia simplicifolia. The amino acid 5-HTP is one of the building blocks to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Histidine and N-AcetyL-Tyrosine are also amino acids.

1) … The formulation is comprised of titanium dioxide to reflect harmful UV rays and a blend of UV absorbing amino acids, 5-Hydroxy-Tryptophan (from Griffonia simplicifolia extract), Histidine and N-AcetyL-Tyrosine in a gel base.

The Griffonia simplicifolia extract is slightly brown in color, which can offset the white appearance of the Titanium Dioxide.

Sun linked to rosacea, but which came first ?

David Pascoe — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:43:32 +0000

The NRS have an entry up on their weblog discussing the link between sunburn and rosacea. A study of 65 healthy subjects and 65 moderate to severe rosacea sufferers found that the rosacea patients `had significantly higher rates of blistering sunburns that those without rosacea’.

Sadly there was no conclusion as to whether the extra incidence of sunburn contributed to the severity of their rosacea or if the rosacea symptoms lead to more sunburn events.

Sunburn Linked to Rosacea

Both a blistering sunburn and a family history of rosacea were associated with the presence of rosacea, according to study results presented by Dr. Alexa Boer Kimball, associate professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

…

While it was not clear whether sunburns contributed to rosacea or patients with rosacea were more likely to sunburn, she said, preventive measures could help lessen rosacea’s severity. Sun has been named the top flare-up trigger by 81 percent of patients in a National Rosacea Society survey (NRS), and in another NRS survey nearly 52 percent said someone else in their family had rosacea.

I think any possible thought that sun damage can cause rosacea is enough to highlight the fact that rosacea sufferers should use a sunscreen every day. A daily sunscreen will also help mitigate any weakness in the skin’s natural protection that might be caused by the diseased skin of rosacea.

Many rosacea sufferers find that physical sunscreens i.e. those that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as their main protective agent can work quite well to protect against the sun and elements. Additionally tinted sunscreens can also help hide the redness often associated with rosacea.

[Update] The presentation from Dr. Kimball is available online: STUDY FINDS FAMILY HISTORY, HIGHER INCIDENCE OF SUNBURNS ASSOCIATED WITH ROSACEA

Whilst no link was found between body mass index and rosacea, Dr. Kimball notes “Future studies should explore the possible connection between a higher BMI and rosacea, as excess weight could be found to be a contributing factor to the condition.” This is worth considering as a possible contributing factor to rosacea – perhaps being overweight places and extra burden on our bodies and could cause problems with increasing our tendency to flush for eg.

the best moisturisers with sunscreen

David Pascoe — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:33:44 +0000

I love CHOICE Magazine in Australia. They do great reviews, always concentrating on practical outcomes. A recent report dealt with moisturisers (yes we spell them with an "s") on the Australian market that also contain sunscreen. For those that want both the protection offered by a sunscreen and a good moisturizer, this report is for you. A solid, but gentle cleansing, moisturizing and sunscreen regime is a key requirement for all rosacea sufferers.

Their detailed report is titled Moisturisers with Sunscreen, and is available from their web site for $13.95.

As a special favour to all you out there, here are the 3 cheapest of the recommended products, with their manufacturer’s fancy sounding description.

Garnier Nutritionist Regenerating Daily Moisturiser SPF 15 (This day cream helps the appearance of fine lines look smoother and skin look brighter while providing added protection against the signs of ageing with SPF15.)
Dove Essential Nutrients Protective Day Cream SPF 15 (Rich, smooth Deep Moisture Day Cream SPF 15 combines broad-spectrum UV protection and rich moisture to quench, hydrate and defend dry skin, for a healthy looking glow that lasts.)
Cancer Council Moisturising Face Cream SPF 30+ (A light, non-oily hydrating lotion specially formulated for daily use either alone or under make up. Contains UVA and UVB sunscreen filters for broad spectrum skin protection.)

As well as making some recommendations, the CHOICE report also makes some good points about sunscreens in general.

As well as protecting us from cancer, sunscreen can reduce the signs of premature aging, such as wrinkling, rough skin, broken or burst capillaries, and uneven colouring. The sun is thought to be responsible for about 90% of the visible signs of aging among Australians.

I get the feeling that the average Australia still doesn’t use enough sunscreen, especially given our climate. Perhaps a moisturizer with a sunscreen in one way to get better protection.

exotic and expensive cosmetics, do they work ?

David Pascoe — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 04:21:00 +0000

I had to cringe when I read this article – Golf for Women: First Annual Skin Care Awards. It promotes some fabulously expensive cosmetics. One would really hope that their exotic sounding ingredients actually work. Great to see that Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer is in this list, and is only $14.

Dior L’Or De Vie La Crème ($320) has a very high concentration of Myobenol C, “an antioxidant that protects against UV rays and environmental stresses,” says Dr. Sadick. It’s extracted from the shoot of sauvignon grapevines.

Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer SPF 15 ($14) “soothes tight, sunburnt skin and really improves my patients’ facial redness,” says Dr. Baumann. Feverfew, one of the ingredients, promises to prevent facial flushing and relieve acne.

Clinique CX Redness Relief Cream ($75) “is an effective, lightweight cream for rosacea sufferers,” says Dr. Airan. It contains caffeine, sucrose, tea extracts and algae to soothe red, blotchy skin.

Chanel Sublimage Essential Regenerating Cream ($350) “is rich, feels like liquid velvet on contact and smells wonderful,” says Dr. Pak. Vanilla Planifolia, its key ingredient, enhances skin tone and texture.

Kinerase Cream ($117) “contains the active ingredient kinetin, which locks in moisture,” says Dr. Waldorf. “It’s great as an under-eye cream, and the gentle formula is ideal for women with dry, sensitive skin.”

Editor’s Choice

Lancôme Platinéum Hydroxy-Calcium Re-Densifying & Strengthening Cream SPF 15 ($108) proves that calcium is good for more than bones. This cream contains hydroxy-calcium molecules to improve the skin’s strength.

reapply sunscreen to avoid skin damage

David Pascoe — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 03:33:00 +0000

From Sunscreens Can Damage Skin, Researchers Find, ScienceDaily, Source: University of California – Riverside, August 29, 2006.

Are sunscreens always beneficial, or can they be detrimental to users? A research team led by UC Riverside chemists reports that unless people out in the sun apply sunscreen often, the sunscreen itself can become harmful to the skin.

When skin is exposed to sunlight, ultraviolet radiation (UV) is absorbed by skin molecules that then can generate harmful compounds, called reactive oxygen species or ROS, which are highly reactive molecules that can cause “oxidative damage.” For example, ROS can react with cellular components like cell walls, lipid membranes, mitochondria and DNA, leading to skin damage and increasing the visible signs of aging.

…

In their research, Hanson and colleagues used epidermal model tissue and applied sunscreen to the surface to test the effect of sunscreen penetration on ROS levels in the deep epidermis. A two-photon fluorescence microscope allowed them to visualize ROS generation occurring below the skin surface. The ROS activity was detected using a probe molecule whose fluorescent properties change upon exposure to ROS. On comparing images taken before and after the skin was exposed to UV radiation, they found that ROS generation in the skin increased after sunscreen penetration.

…

“For now, the best advice is to use sunscreens and re-apply them often — the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends every two hours, and especially after sweating or swimming, which can wash away sunscreen — to reduce the amount of UV radiation from getting through to filters that have penetrated the skin,” Bardeen said. “This, in turn, would reduce ROS generation.”

A recently published paper attempting to find a genetic marker for rosacea, chose reactive oxygen species or ROS as an indicator for rosacea symptoms.

Arubix adds spf 50 sunscreen

David Pascoe — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 10:09:00 +0000

Arubix is now offering ARUBIX SPF 50 + Sunscreen containing Golden Camomile/Chrysanthellum Indicum.

The sunscreen is claimed to offer “Very high factor tinted sun protection for skins that are prone to erythrosis or rosacea (diffuse redness or visible small blood vessels) for the face, neck and cleavage.” The mention of both physical and chemical sunscreen filters, and the fact that the chemical sunscreens are not detailed suggests that those with the most sensitive of skins may not benefit from this product.

This sunscreen is in addition to 2 other Arubix products that contain Golden Camomile: `Arubix M Anti Redness Cream’ for combination skin and `Arubix S Anti Redness Cream’ for dry and sensitive skin.

Rosacea News: Arubix Anti Redness Cream now available
Rosacea News: Arubix anti-redness reviews and research
Rosacea News: Eucerin Redness Relief: product reviews
Rosacea News: licochalcone A (licorice extract) and skin cells

Zinc Oxide or Avobenzone boosts sunscreen protection

David Pascoe — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 00:45:00 +0000

This paper shows that adding zinc oxide or Avobenzone to a sunscreen improves the broad spectrum protection that it offers – as much as double or triple their UVA protection. Zinc Oxide and Avobenzone are the only 2 approved sunscreens for broad spectrum protection.

Avobenzone and zinc oxide: Maximizing UVA efficacy for effective broadspectrum protection in sunscreen products

Exposure of unprotected skin to solar UV radiation (SUVR) induces damage that can lead to the clinical appearance of erythema or edema from acute exposure and photoaging or cancer from chronic exposure. Solar UVR comprises UVB (290-320 nm) and UVA (320-400 nm) wavelengths, with the latter accounting for about 94% of the solar UVR striking earth’s surface. UVR damages molecules in skin either directly after absorption or indirectly through oxidative events mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). UVB primarily exerts direct damage (especially to DNA), whereas UVA operates mainly through the intermediacy of ROS.

Topical application of sunscreens affords skin significant protection during periods of exposure to SUVR. While specifically designed to protect against erythema, sunscreens also help protect against immune suppression, photoaging, and cancer. Initially, sunscreen products focused more on protecting skin from the UVB portion of SUVR, since the shorter wavelengths are more potent biologically.

However, accumulating experimental evidence has suggested that SUVR evokes much more complex biologic responses within skin than can be explained by merely adding responses caused by UVB to those caused by UVA separately. This suggests that UVA plays an important role in orchestrating skin damage caused by SUVR and provides compelling reasons for sunscreen products to protect skin broadly from both UVB and UVA in a balanced manner.

Here, we present SPF and PFA (protection factor A) measurements to demonstrate the power of either avobenzone or zinc oxide (ZnO) in combination with other sunscreens to deliver high SPF broad-spectrum protection to human skin.

We show that some sunscreen combinations with avobenzone or ZnO can double or triple the UVA protection, compared with compositions of similar SPF that do not contain avobenzone or ZnO. Avobenzone and ZnO currently represent the only sunscreen actives approved for use in the United States that are capable of conferring true broad-spectrum protection.

We also demonstrate that the addition of recognized photostabilizers and omission of photochemically incompatible ingredients also preserve avobenzone’s photostability after exposure up to 15 MED. Enhancing avobenzone’s photostability enables it to provide sustained UVA and significant protection during prolonged periods of exposure to SUVR.

Author disclosure: Nothing disclosed at press time.

Supported by Schering-Plough Consumer HealthCare Products. (maker of the coppertone and bain de soliel brands)

Poster Discussion Session P2604, American Academy of Dermatology, 64th Annual Meeting, March 3-7 2006, San Francisco. Supplement to Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology, March 2006, Volume 54, Number 3.

JAAD Poster Abstracts Online

Rosacea Support Group » sunscreens

Mediterranean Diet gives you Sun Protection

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