The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Another reason to use lots of sunscreen

    When sunscreen is applied, its UV filters reduce the amount of UV radiation that penetrates the skin. Over time however, the filters themselves penetrate below the surface of the outer layer of skin, leaving the body vulnerable to UV radiation.

    In fact, when commonly used sunscreens (octylmethoxycinnamate, benzophenone-3 and octocrylene) are abasorbed, they actually generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause oxidative damage. This leads to skin damage and increases in the visible signs of aging, according to researchers at the University of California, Riverside.

    To be clear, ROS are produced naturally in the absence of sunscreens, but the addition of sunscreens plus exposure to UV radiation increases the rate of ROS production.

    The bottom line?

    Additional ROS are generated only when the UV filters have penetrated into the skin and, at the same time, sunscreen is not reapplied to prevent UV radiation from reaching the absorbed UV filters.

    It’s another reason to use sunscreens liberally.

    Photo: WalkingWithAttitude.com

    9/17/06 12:24 JR

    Leave a Comment

    You must be logged in to post a comment.