Lip Glosses and Balms May Increase Your Risk of Skin Cancer

The next time you step outside, dermatologists recommend thinking about your lips. If you are wearing a lip balm or gloss without sunscreen, you could be increasing your risk of skin cancer. Dr. Christine Brown, a dermatologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, reports that shiny lip balms and glosses actually attract the sun's ultraviolet rays to the lips, which can increase your risk of skin cancer. Dr. Brown says you actually increase the light penetration through the lip surface by applying lip balm or gloss to your lips.

Protecting your lips from the sun is as important as protecting your skin. Dr. Brown recommends applying a base of lip sunblock of SPF 30 under lipsticks or lip glosses. For extended exposure, you should continue to reapply the sunblock to your lips.

Dr. Brown cites a recent study that found that less than 25 percent of Americans use a form of sunscreen on their lips. Most people don't realize that lips are more susceptible than skin to aging from sun damage, which make lips more prone to developing serious cancer. And once skin cancer has developed on the lower lip, it has the potential to be much more aggressive and metastasize to surrounding lymph nodes.

According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, possible signs of lip cancer include: a sore on the lip or in the mouth that does not heal; a lump or thickening on the lip; a white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth; and bleeding, pain, or numbness in the lip or mouth.

People should always check their lips for signs of cancer. If you notice any changes to the color, or if you have persistent peeling or flaking of a spot on your lip, you should see a dermatologist.

Paula Begoun, author of Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter without Me, recommends the following lip balms with a SPF of 30 or more:
Blistex Clear Advance SPF 30 ($1.89)
Blistex Pro Care SPF 30 ($2.49)
Shiseido Sun Protection Lip Treatment SPF 36 ($18.00)

To keep your lips protected on a daily basis, Begoun recommends the following lipsticks and glosses with sunscreen:
Aveda Lip Tint SPF 15 ($11)
Chanel Aqualumiere Sheer Colour Lipshine SPF 15 ($24.50)
E.L.F. Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 ($1)
Paula's Choice Sheer Cream Lipstick SPF 15 ($10.95)

Since these lipsticks have a SPF lower than 30, you should apply additional sunscreen if you are outside for more than twenty minutes at a time.

Sources:
Lip gloss ups risk of cancer study says; Christina Kruse: The Lariat Online, Baylor University, April 30, 2008
U.S. National Cancer Institute
Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter without Me, 7th Edition, Paula Begoun