Dear Paula,
I have been very proactive when it comes to using a sunscreen every day. I always look for an SPF rating when buying new products. Right now I have a moisturizer, make-up primer, foundation, and powder that ALL include sunscreen. I use them together (layered) every day. I'm not sure if this is overkill or not. Can too much sunscreen be a bad thing? I know I don't actually need this much sun protection, but are there any downsides to using this many products with sun protection? I just want to make sure I'm not doing more harm than good.
Teresa, via email
Dear Teresa
Congratulations on being so sun-smart! Most dermatologists would suggest more sunscreen is better (they love recommending SPF 45s and up), but when it comes to sunscreen it depends on how your skin is doing. When using multiple sunscreens you are definitely getting more protection, but the SPF numbers aren't something you can add up—that is, two SPF 15s don't necessarily add up to an SPF 30. On the other hand, you are definitely getting more than an SPF 15 and longer protection can be a good thing, depending on how much daylight there is.
If you aren't experiencing any irritation, there is nothing wrong with layering sun protection. Even if some irritation from the active ingredients is taking place without you seeing or feeling it, this potential situation outweighs going with lesser sun protection and risking DNA damage. Personally, I layer my foundation and pressed powder that are rated SPF 20 and SPF 15, respectively. There is no research showing that too much sunscreen is a bad thing. I'd also suggest keeping your powder with sunscreen because this is a great carry-along way to touch up your sun protection as the day progresses.
Sarah Dickens
posted on Friday, 4 June 2010 15:24:53 CESTWhile I commend Paula for promoting the daily use of effective sunscreens to protect against skin cancer, I think it's also important to advise people that if they follow this advice, they will need to supplement their diets with vitamin D3. Vitamin D deficiency is widespread and has been implicated in many serious conditions, including various cancers, auto-immune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, and of course depression.
For more information how to detect and correct vitamin D deficiency - without risking your skin - I recommend Dr Soram Khalsa's book The Vitamin D Revolution, or www.vitaminDrevolution.com.
Customer Care Comment: For more detailed information on this topic, please see Paula's article Vitamin D and Sun Exposure which you will find on our website in the Learn section, under Sun Essentials.