News — Plant Intelligence

We would like to discuss a bit about the safety of “Zinc Oxide” and “Titanium Dioxide” in sunscreen.

“Tips for sun safety – to wear light clothing, hats, make or use of shade and to plan your day around the sun.”

We feel it is really important to mention the importance of increasing vitamin D levels through safe (gradual) sun expose. Sunshine is good for you!  More and more research is being presented on the benefits of vitamin D and in fact, it is estimated that you can prevent as many as 16 types of cancers by having sufficient vitamin D in your body (i.e. pancreatic, breast, lung, prostate and colon cancers). Interesting to note that receptors that respond to vitamin D have been found in almost every cell in the body.

I am concerned when I see mothers apply sunscreen/sunblock if they see that their child is going to be out in the sun for any length of time, I truly believe this practice is doing much more harm than good. At the beginning of the season limit sun exposure to 5-10minutes a day and gradually increase the time so that in a few weeks an individual can experience normal sun exposure without concern of burning or doing damage to the skin.

If you have to use a sunscreen, “non-nano” or “non-micronized” zinc oxide seems to be the next best option available although not without some risk.

Most of the zinc oxide in sunscreens have been micronized or developed into nanoparticles with a width of 7-15 nano which poses a serious problem to your health and the environment.  At this size especially the zinc oxide can cross to the blood-brain barrier leaving plaques in the brain/body that will never metabolize. Even worse are the zinc oxide nanoparticles can enter any part of the body, including the lungs and nervous system, which can cause not only irritation and rashes but worse consequences such as DNA damage to the cells.

My other concerns with zinc oxide is that does not allow the skin to breathe (blocks pores) or eliminate toxins etc (especially non-nano/micronized).  It is sticky and cakes on like a geisha’s makeup albeit protecting you from the sun but is ultimately unhealthy to have this substance on your skin all the time, all day.

Even though it is wise to avoid the chemical sunscreens (methoxycinnamate, padimate o, oxybenzone, avobenzone, etc.), mineral physical sunscreens have been found to generate free radicals when exposed to sunlight, which then can attack the nuclei of your skin cells and cause mutations (skin cancer) just like the chemical sunscreens.

There is a book available called “Sunscreen Photobiology: Molecular, Cellular and Physiological Aspects” which describes;

“Illumination of titanium dioxide suspensions with sunlight can degrade organic materials and purify drinking water, while illumination with short wave UV kills human cells. This work shows that the distinction between ‘chemical’ sunscreens and ‘physical’ sunscreens, attractive though it may be to those who market them, is not based on any significant difference. Both varieties have the potential to produce reactive species that can attack biological materials (human skin cells) when they are exposed to normal sunlight… What is established is that particles of titanium dioxide as large as 220 nm can enter human cells in culture, and so it seems entirely plausible that if titanium dioxide does pass through the skin it could enter cells under the skin (carrying with it the absorbed UVA and UVB radiation and hydroxyl radicals).”

Another source from “Cosmetics Trade Journal” states,

“Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are commonly used in drug and cosmetic products. Contrary to belief, Sayre and co-workers (Cosmetics & Toiletries Oct. 2000, 75) have shown that these physical sunscreens are not photochemically inactive. Although adequate coating can reduce the risk, an increase in the destruction of photolabile skin lipids is not desirable. The photo-peroxidation of unsaturated skin lipids may result in perturbation of the lipid environment of viable cell layers and degrade skin surface lipids. “

Zinc Oxide is also widely used in mineral makeup and baby diaper creams, really everyone needs to investigate this further.

What makes this even more concerning is that there is no law requiring companies to disclose the use of nanoparticles in personal care making it use at your own risk proposition.  Canada is still looking to catch up on the technology while the EU has already implemented strict rules for its use in personal care (coming 2013) – As usual, the US FDA is the wild West of regulatory safely catering to corporate requests. In the US Nanoparticles are prohibited in Soil Association certified products, but are yet to be prohibited by the USDA National Organic Program.

Currently, non-nano/micronized zinc oxide with the plant-based base formulation is the safest option in sunscreens. However, I would strongly recommend using only a moderate amount if really needed especially considering some of the risk factors.

Another interesting option is the oral supplement astaxanthin which is a potent antioxidant that when taken can allow you to stay in the sun longer without burning.

Tamanu Oil - Calophyllum inophyllum

If one did not know much about tamanu oil, one drop on the skin would give a rich and luxurious feeling with wonderfully hydrating and softening properties. If you intuitively sensed that this oil has a bio-compatibility with the skin, you would be bang-on. Highly regarded in Pacific island folk medicine, the oil has been topically applied to treat just about everything you can imagine related to the skin including cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites and stings, abrasions, acne and acne scars, psoriasis, diabetic sores, anal fissures, sunburn, dry or scaly skin, blisters, eczema, herpes sores, and to reduce foot and body odour.

The tamanu plant (Calophyllum inophyllum) is native to South East Asia and Polynesia, with much of the commercial production coming from Tahiti and Fiji. Tamanu is a member of the mangosteen family, this is a thick tree with cracked dark greyish brown colored bark. The leaves are shiny rugged and elliptical, with the tree producing a striking white perfumey flower to be followed by a large nut with green outer fruit (apparently tastes like an apple). 

The nut of tamanu in some way reminds me of olive fruit in that both cannot be consumed or used without some processing. Amazing how someone at some point figured out these processes to obtain these incredibly valuable agricultural products.

The process to make tamanu oil requires cracking open the nut and drying the kernel for approximately 1-2 months where it turns from a blond colour to a deep chocolate brown with a visible sticky greenish yellow coloured oil trickling out. The kernel is then cold pressed to make tamanu oil.

The pressed oil has a luxurious rich feel with a slightly nutty pleasant smell. That sense of luxury does come at a cost though, considered an expensive oil for good reason, only 5kg of cold pressed oil is produced from 100 kg of tamanu fruit! 100 kilos is the amount the average tree will produce annually.

What is really cool about tamanu oil and the reason I recommend it especially for use with acneic skin conditions is that apart from having anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, restorative and regenerative properties, it is also great carrier oil absorbing quickly in the dermis with no oily residue left on the skin surface.
Some of Tamanu oil bio-active properties are believed to come in part from a unique fatty acid called calophyllic acid.