I Told You I Was Sick

Back in 2007, I was told I had skin cancer. Now, I’m almost as pale as a vampire so I don’t ever go tanning. As a matter of fact, I hardly ever go out in the sun. I will burn, badly within 5 minutes. Because of this, I couldn’t understand how I got skin cancer on my left calf of all places. I had the surgery. There were no complications and everything was fine. I was lucky because melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer you can get.

I started doing some thinking and some research. If my complete and utter lack of tanning didn’t cause my melanoma then what did? Could it be that I’d given in to being called “Casper” and “vampire” my entire life by slathering on copious amounts of chemical-laden self-tanner along with enough synthetic sunscreen to block my pores? Maybe. Until I started reading about the dangerous effects of chemical cosmetics, including self-tanners and sunblock, I thought I was doing the best for my skin. It turns out, I was very wrong.

Can Sunscreen Actually Cause Skin Cancer?

I sure as heck didn’t get melanoma from the sun so I started looking at alternative causes. I have a weak immune system and I’m utterly deficient in natural vitamin D. (I take 5,000 IUs a day now.) According to studies, lack of vitamin D is one of the primary causes of skin cancer. Which means, all that hoopla you hear about how sun causes skin cancer my not actually be true. This doesn’t mean tanning for hours until you’re as crisp is healthy either, but a little sun is actually good for you.

And speaking of skin cancer causes you would never think of, what about the sunblock you use everyday? One of the top five myths about sunscreen says that sunscreen lotions are your best defense against developing skin cancer. But that’s not necessarily true. Look at the back of your favorite sunscreen. Does it contain parabens, sulfates, benzophenones, salicylates or propylene glycol? If so, you could be promoting the very thing you’re trying to protect yourself against.

Research has proven that many of these sunscreens are carcinogenic and can disrupt your natural hormonal balance.

Why I Use Alba Natural Sunscreen

Ever since my melanoma diagnosis, I’ve completely cut chemical skincare products out of my life. I started using mineral makeup, natural hair care products and natural sunscreen. The problem I found with most natural sunscreens is the serious amount of zinc oxide. Now, it’s great if you want to protect your skin.

The issue I have with them is the way they make you look and feel. I used some on vacation a few years ago and my skin was so white, I’m sure it would have glowed under black lights. I felt smothered, too. Like my skin couldn’t breathe.

I went out and bought another one and went from ghost to Twilight vampire when my skin started sparkling in the sun. Pretty cool effect I guess, but I burned anyway.

Then I picked up Alba Natural Sunscreen. I felt like Goldilocks. I’d finally found the right one. Alba Natural Sunscreen contains 100% vegetarian ingredients and is never tested on animals. It’s paraben-free and, bonus, much less expensive than other natural sunscreens on the market. It goes on silky and smooth and absorbs into my skin right away. There’s no greasy after-feel and the SPF 30+ protects my skin for hours! If I plan to be out in the sun for any length of time, I slather on a good bit about 20 minutes before leaving the house and I don’t have to re-apply.

If you’ve never given any thought to the ingredients in your sunblock, now might be the time to. To prevent skin cancer, you should wear sunscreen, especially if you’re very fair-skinned. However, it’s really important you choose the right one. If you’re still wondering what sunscreen to use, try Alba Natural Sunscreen. I highly recommend it because I’ve used it myself and I carry it with me wherever I go.

Want to try it for yourself? Click on the picture below!