With the start of summer approaching fast, that means more great weather and outdoor activities.  Spending time out in the sun is important for your body and your mind, but too much of a good thing can be bad.  Sunscreen is needed to protect your skins from harmful cancer causing UV rays.  Not all sunscreens are alike though, many sunscreens contain chemicals that are detrimental to your health. 

In 2008 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) revealed that 97% of Americans are contaminated with a widely-used sunscreen ingredient called oxybenzone that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage. A companion study published just one day earlier revealed that this chemical is linked to low birth weight in baby girls whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy. Oxybenzone is also a penetration enhancer, meaning it's a chemical that helps other chemicals penetrate the skin.

For a list of sunscreens with oxybenzone visit the cosmetic database.

It's more than just oxybenzone in sunscreens that's a cause for worry.  The results of numerous studies suggest that many of the popular sunscreens could contribute to cancer due to their mutagenic and free radical generating properties. And perhaps a more disturbing finding is that many commonly used sunscreen chemicals have strong estrogenic actions that may interfere with normal sexual development and cause reproductive problems. Chemicals in sunscreens can also cause skin irritation and rashes.

 Common Sunscreen Ingredients Know to Be Toxic Include:

• Benzophenones (dixoybenzone, oxybenzone)
• PABA and PABA esters (ethyl dihydroxy propyl PAB, glyceryl PABA, p-aminobenzoic acid padimate O or Octyl dimethyl PABA)
• Cinnamates (cinoxate, ethylhexyl, p-methoxycinnamate)
• Salicylates (ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl salicylate)
• Avobenzone (butyl-methyoxydibenzoylmethane; Parsol 1789)
• Digalloyl trioleate
• Menthyl anthranilate

The Environmental Working Group gives rankings of recommended, use with caution, and avoid to most sunscreens on the market.  Some of the sunscreens to avoid and use with caution because of their ingredients are the most popular brands like Bullfrog, Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone, Neutrogena, and Banana Boat.

A better sunscreen options is a zinc oxide sunscreen.  Zinc oxide is a mineral that provides complete UVB/UVA protection, has anti-inflammatory properties, and is considered a safe sunscreen ingredient. Zinc oxide is the only FDA approved sunscreen for use on children under 6 months of age. However, the regular form of zinc oxide leaves a strong white residue on the skin. To create a clear skin product rather than one that leaves a white residue, zinc oxide is now made in the form of nano-size particles. There is growing concern about the toxicity of nanoparticles, which has initiated a world-wide effort to study the skin absorption and phototoxicity of nanoparticles of preparations used in sunscreens and cosmetics. At this time, the safety of nanoparticles has not been proven, so caution is prudent, especially when using these products on children.

Visit here for a list of the best non-toxic sunscreens on the market.

There are natural alternatives to mainstream sunscreen products as well. Many oils and natural ingredients will provide you with sun protection. Among these include mango butter & aloe vera gel. As well as emu, coconut and sesame oils.

Try this make it yourself sunscreen recipe:

1/2 cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp. mango or shea butter

Combine the first 2 ingredients in a clean glass jar. Place in a pan filled halfway with boiling hot water and let melt. Do not do this over dirct heat. Store in a glass jar. Apply before going out into the sun and as needed.