Plastic Surgery Blog: Sunscreen- are you faithful?

It would be virtually impossible to find any medical professional that did not recommend sunscreen on a daily basis no matter where you live on the planet. In sunny Southern California is virtually a no-brainer. According to a recent Los Angeles Times article In May, the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., committed to health and the environment, released its annual Sunscreen Safety Guide. Overall it is in favor of using sunscreens, but it also highlights concerns, which, as a result have raised some serious debate. Its frustrating, says Dr. Darrell Rigel, a professor of dermatology at New York University, who worries that the EWG could be weighing in on environmental concerns too heavily in its studies and results. People dont wear sunscreen because its environmentally friendly. They wear it to protect themselves from cancer. …” The most dangerous thing is that people will become apathetic and not wear sunscreen at all. In general EWG concluded that sunscreen can be a line of defense but argued that the proof is not definitive that it is the most effective line of defense against the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma. Of course, medical experts disagree. Dr. Kim encourages patients to wear sunscreen on a daily basis. As an experienced and seasoned ASPS plastic surgeon Dr. Kim has seen firsthand the effects of excessive sun exposure. It is proven to cause premature sun damage and wrinkling. There are options available to help reduce the signs of sun damage including laser surgery, and medical grade skin care products but the reality is the best defense is a good offense. Patient should also note that performing procedures like facelift or brow lift become much more difficult when the patient has existing sun damage.