Right Brain’s rant:
We’ve blogged before about how your purse can make you sick and how your shower poof may be full of disease. Well, here’s more good news: your lip gloss may put you at a higher risk for cancer.
Lip gloss danger?
According to this article on MSNBC, some dermatologists claim that lip gloss may increase your risk of skin cancer.
“These lip glosses can make more of the light rays penetrate directly through the skin instead of getting reflected off of the skin’s surface,” says Dr. Christine Brown, a dermatologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.
Here’s how it works: the moisture in the lip gloss “smooshes down” your lips’ natural protective layer so the UV rays can more easily penetrate deeper into the skin. It’s like putting a magnifying glass over your lips before going out into the sun. The article’s author, Melissa Dahl, points out that at worst this kind of sun damage can result in potentially fatal forms of skin cancer. But it can also cause “gross, non-cancerous disfigurements on your lips,” like actinic keratosis. You can even get lip freckles.
Protect your pout
Fortunately, the solution is simple: buy a lip gloss with a Sun Protection Factor, or SPF. An SPF of 30 is ideal, but even a 15 will help if that’s the best you can find. Some good examples with an SPF greater than 15 include the following:
Neutrogena Moisture Shine Lip Soother, SPF 20
LaNaturaNatural Lip Protector SPF 20
If you don’t like any of those options you can also follow one dermatologist’s advice and mix your lipstick with zinc oxide. Click the link above to read the rest of Melissa’s article for more tips and a detailed discussion of the dangers of sun exposure on your lips.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
Lip glosses are tasty and fun to wear – just make sure you’re using one that contains an SPF to protect your lips from the potentially dangerous effects of the sun. (BTW if you want to learn more, read this post about how lip gloss works.)
What’s your favorite lip gloss? Does it contain an SPF? Check it out and leave us a comment on your favorite glosses that shine AND protect your lips.
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
i just put my city block on my lips
I have fallen in love with Soft Lips. SPF 20. I highly recommend it!
Hm, this just doesn’t seem like science to me. It sounds like a couple people sitting around going, “You know, I bet XYZ happens … ” and then it gets repeated without any proof. Even when scientists play the “I bet” game, it still isn’t really science.
It sounds like this would be the start of a good study, though — to check and see if this guess actually has data behind it.
Ah, Janis, thinking like a Beauty Brain (at least the Left Brain). I like it.
I’ve been hearing this “news” for a few months at least now. I’m also a little skeptical – has there been real tests and real proof? MSN isn’t really known to test a whole lot of stuff, and their headlines are often misleading. I would still think that women should wear sunscreen on their lips anyways. Why can’t they just wear a chapstick with SPF under their gloss and not worry about it?
Hi everyone! Love what The Beauty Brains do! I remember reading this MSN article not too long ago and it prompted me to look for a lip product with SPF. The trouble I’ve been having though is finding one with UVA protection, most only have UVB (or at least that’s what their ingredients suggest). Should I not worry about UVA and lips? Anyone know of a UVA/UVB chapstick or I guess I could try the zinc tip? Thanks!
Wow, this is crazy!
I like to apply a lip balm with spf before my lipgloss anyways. I am so fair that I need all the sun protection I can get. My favorite right now is Afterglow Cosmetics Organic Hydra Gloss in Bubble, it is a perfect true barbie pink perfect for spring!
Thanks for the information on lip gloss and cancer!
It’s crazy, I love my Victorian pale skin and I always wear sunblock but I never thought about my lips. It’s probably a good idea, aside from the possible cancer issue.
thanks for this great information. It will be a good idea to protect my lips from now on.