The Importance of Gluten-Free Sunscreen

It is the end of May and the start of June in Georgia. That means that it has been really hot here. Today, we are going to talk about the importance of gluten-free sunscreen. We all know Summer is here and that means everyone is outside enjoying the beautiful sunshine and catching some rays!

Gluten and Sunscreen

Being in the sun is great, but it also comes with some added risks, like skin cancer. In order to combat this, we all have become accustomed to wearing sunscreen. But did you know that gluten can be hiding in it? You might be thinking “how is this important? I’m not eating my sunscreen.” Well you might be surprised to learn that getting it into your mouth is easier than you think.

Spray and Lotion Types

When we are outside, we use either spray or lotion forms of sunscreen. If you use the lotion form, you are rubbing it in with your hands. Then if you don’t wash your hands thoroughly, whenever you eat, you are transferring the product to your mouth. If you use spray sunscreen, it is hard to control the spray, and some might get into your mouth, I have done this more times than I can count. Also, if you touch any part of your body, which is basically impossible not to do, then you have gluten all over your hands. Then when you touch your mouth or food, it gets into your digestive tract. If you get in the water and accidentally swallow some water, there is probably gluten containing sunscreen in that water. Bottom line, it is so easy to ingest gluten through sunscreen.

Sunscreen and Topical Reactions

Not to mention, those of us who struggle with topical irritation due to gluten, it is important to buy only gluten-free sunscreen. Last week, I mentioned all of the ingredients you should watch out for in your skin care products, so you should definitely watch out for all of those ingredients with your sunscreen as well.

Gluten-Free Sunscreens

A few brands that state they are are gluten-free are: Badger, Blue Lizard, Coola, Goddess Garden, Mychelle, and ThinkSport. This list is definitely not all inconclusive. There are other brands that could be gluten-free, just always be sure to check the labels and when in doubt, contact the the manufacturer.

Next Steps

Use a product that is gluten-free to be 100% safe! Use the previous recommendations to avoid getting contaminated with sunscreen and gluten. If you have questions, type them in the comment section, I’ll be sure to get back to you as soon as possible.