How to select a sunscreen that is safe and effective this summer

With all the different sunscreens out there how do you choose? We speak with an expert.

While it may feel like the options at the drug store are endless, not every sunscreen is made equal.

Choosing a sunscreen that is safe and effective is incredibly important to stave off a bad sunburn and to avoid longer-term issues such as skin cancer from the sun’s rays.

With the forecast showing a UV of 10 this week, protecting yourself is even more important.

Dr. Denis K. Dudley spoke with CTV Morning Live to provide some tips on how to choose the right sun protection for your family.

Dudley says when choosing a new sunscreen, you should focus primarily on safety. While there are many brands of sun protection, he says there are only two types of filters that are proven to be effective and safe.

“Zinc oxide is the ideal filter,” he said. “There’s another mineral filter called titanium oxide.”

Exposure to UV rays from the sun can lead to sunburns, wrinkles, skin damage, skin cancer, eye lesions and cataracts.

Dudley says he doesn’t typically recommend titanium oxide as a standalone sunscreen because it tends to be whitening and only targets UVB rays.

He says to avoid organic sunscreens as many have chemicals that can be dangerous to your health.

“The organic sunscreen doesn’t mean safe. It just means carbon-based. Those are petrochemicals so they’re no different than the gas that goes in your car,” he said.

“What really bothers me is the first filter on that group of petrochemicals that was developed in the 50s was actually made to be a pesticide.”

Dudley also warns of chemicals in the inactive ingredients list of a sunscreen.

“Very often, even in a mineral sunscreen, in the inactive ingredients there are a lot of pernicious chemicals that I don’t like,” he said.

“Salicylates, they are there to prevent you going red – it’s very deceptive. What matters is UVA protection.”

He adds staying away from buzz words like “reef safe” as they are commonly misleading marketing tactics.

“Everyone should be careful,” he said.

“Avoid the sun as much to the extent you can but you do need sunlight. All you got to do is look for zinc – as close to 20 to 25 per cent.”

For more information, visit thesunscreendoc.com.

• Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App