CyberDERM IN THE NEWS
September 16th, 2011The 2011 Jeanne Fuller Golf Tournament
![\"\"](\"/Media/Content/images/Picture)
For the 3rd year in a row, CyberDERM was proud to be a Supporting Sponsor of the Jeanne Fuller Charity Golf Tournament held at the beautiful Lock March golf course. The tournament raised an amazing $113,000 for women\'s heart health and awareness! It was a beautiful day and the CyberDERM girls played pretty well minus half a dozen balls in the water. The highlight was meeting Joannie Rochette (pictured above with our CyberDERM team), Canadian Olympian and winner of the bronze medal for women\'s figure skating. Her and her mother\'s story is incredibly moving and an important one to hear. All the best to Joannie in the future.
July 13th, 2010Laserderm Press Release
Dr. Laughlin reveals two secrets to looking younger
Dr. Laughlin is an Ottawa-based dermatologist specializing in laser and cosmetic dermatology for over 25 years. She simplifies the confusion about the cosmetic approach to looking younger by identifying two simple things that can take 10 or more years off aging skin, without undergoing surgery:
For more..., please click here.
July 06th, 2010Summer 2010 Newsletter
Summer 2010 Newsletter
Authors: Sharyn Laughlin MD, Sara Dudley MA, Denis Dudley MD
The Perils of Not Screening your Sunscreen this summer
OTTAWA- The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit based in Washington D.C., warns that 2 of 5 brand name sunscreens do not provide consumers enough protection from the sun or contain hazardous chemicals. Most sunscreens available in North America do not meet the more stringent requirements in the EU or Australia. Many that claim ‘broad spectrum protection’ have little or no protection against UVA, particularly the long wave UVA above 340 nm. Consumers must not trust general claims of efficacy and need to become educated and proficient label readers.
Consumer advocacy groups like the EWG now criticize the FDA, Health Canada, and sunscreen manufacturers. Their concern is straightforward. Most sunscreens available in North America provide protection against the rays that burn- UVB and short wave UVA at 280-340 nm (measured by an SPF number), but little or no protection for long-wave UVA light above 340nm. Outdated labelling regulations allow manufacturers to ignore the significance of these ageing rays that account for 84% of our total UV exposure, penetrate to the deeper epidermis, disrupt cellular DNA and immune mechanisms, and with UVB it is responsible for most skin cancer.
Consumers and the market appear driven by assumption that the higher the SPF the better your protection. Skin cancer rates in North America continue to rise in epidemic patterns, despite public education programs and the use of high SPF sunscreens. The controversy arises when you consider that rates of sunscreen use have also steadily increased. One logical answer is that most sunscreens fail to provide adequate protection against a significant fraction of UV rays- the long wave UVA.
Over 90% of skin cancer is potentially preventable, yet across the USA non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) has tripled from 1 million cases in 1987 to 3.5 million in 2009. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that melanoma rates have been increasing by 3.1% per year since 1986. 3% of Canadians will develop some form of skin cancer this year. In North America over $6 billion is spent removing actinic and cancerous lesions. This has clearly become a major public health problem. The WHO warns that worldwide there over 2 million cases of NMSC, 132,000 melanomas and 66,000 melanoma deaths annually related to the use of tanning beds. There is a move to provide consumers with more protection. In North America there are new rules regulating access to tanning beds, particularly in those under 18. Sadly, the 1997 FDA monograph on sunscreens remains outdated, despite the efforts of organisations such as The American Academy of Dermatology to ensure that labelling and formulation account for full UVA protection.
Very few agents block UVA and in North America there are two markedly different approaches. The use of up to 25% zinc oxide is similar to the Australian approach emphasizing that this provides proper and full UVA protection, with a SPF of 30 providing adequate sunburn prevention. Traditional avobenzone (Parsol 1789) based formulas continue to be launched with high SPF up to 100. Avobenzone provides less complete protection with UVA filtering that falls off around 365nm and is less ideal for UVA protection than zinc oxide, which extends UVA protection to 400nm and beyond. It has problems with stability, requiring other chemicals to prevent it breaking down in sunlight and becoming ineffective. With oxybenzone, it is among the most common photo-sensitizers, both with the potential to irritate, a concern for dermatologists. A medical consultant on a recent CNN program about summer precautions categorically advised viewers to avoid avobenzone when selecting a sunscreen.
Selecting your sunscreen
Zinc oxide based formulas on the other hand have the unique ability to provide consistent protection without the need for any other active ingredient. Consumers should look for formulas containing a concentration of at least 15% or higher. Newer formulas that use nano-zinc now allow transparent application without the chalky or white look of their predecessors. Of the 1,765 sunscreens tested by the EWG, every single sunscreen on their top ten list includes zinc oxide. With respect to the safety of nano or micronized zinc oxide: “On balance, EWG researchers found that zinc and titanium-based formulations are among the safest, most effective sunscreens on the market, based on the available evidence.”
Dr. Sharyn Laughlin, Dermatologist in Ottawa and consultant for CyberDERM Laboratories, a manufacturer of sun care products, advises that “ High SPF formulas can mislead and distract the consumer from the issue of UVA. While they provide only 1-2% more protection against the burning rays (UVB) than an SPF 30, most of them fail to protect against the longest UVA wavelengths. They may increase your sun damage- you lose your sunburn warning signal and stay in the sun longer. Dr Laughlin believes that preventing sun damage before age 18 can reduce your risk of most forms of skin cancer by about 75%. Remember that a tan is evidence of sun damage. Use a bronzer if you must look tanned and then lather up with a zinc oxide sunscreen to exposed areas on a daily basis. “I got tired of waiting for over a decade on regulations to ensure consumers had a prudent choice for a sunscreen with long wave UVA protection. With the research team at CyberDERM, I helped develop a zinc oxide sunscreen to provide this option for my patients and personal use.”
A word on Prevention: Sun Avoidance or use an effective zinc oxide sunscreen
Eliminating avobenzone limits your options, which if it moves you towards a zinc oxide based formula is a good thing. Zinc oxide is the only ingredient that provides protection against the entire UV spectrum, a barrier agent trusted by mothers for skin protection over many decades. For any consumer the best choice is clear, but it is even more important that children and young adults be afforded the protective and preventative benefits of zinc oxide sunscreens.
CyberDERM Laboratories is small custom manufacturer and retailer of premium anti-aging cosmeceuticals, including a zinc oxide based sun care product based on EU and Australian standards for truly broad spectrum activity. For more information on important sun facts visit links on www.cyberderm.ca and www.laserderm.ca.
May 15th, 2010The National Capital Skin Disease Foundation “Night at the Races” Event
CyberDERM is a huge advocate of skin disease patient education. We have made public education about sunscreens one of our central goals and want to begin a movement to challenge the status quo in commercially available sun care products. This fun "Night at the Races” supports the Ottawa area’s dermatology departments and the many essential services that they provide.
March 31st, 2010Our Chemist Guru Talks Beauty in Elle Magazine!
Our incredible chemist, Tom Heinar, shared his expertise with Elle Magazine about one of the new active principals available in the market. He has introduced us at CyberDERM to all of the wonderful active principals that we use in our products and is the reason that we stay current and on the cutting edge. Congratulations to Tom!
February 10th, 2010CyberDERM on your Face Book Page!
OMG! WHAT AM I PUTTING ON MY FACE!
Write in with all of your burning beauty questions. Most of us apply 4 or 5 products to our faces easily in a day- without necessarily understanding what certain ingredients can do and what we should avoid.
January 03rd, 2010Dr. Laughlin in the News and on point!
Dr. Laughlin is frequently asked to put in her two cents about a range of dermatological to basic skin care questions. In this article, she gives her opinion on mineral make-up (she's for it!) and how it makes for a great addition to any skin care routine. We agree! In our retail headquarters, we also sell Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup and the products go beautifully with our CyberDERM cosmeceuticals. Click here to read the article.
December 05th, 2009Modern Urban Guide
Check us out in the online and paper version of the Modern Urban Guide for Ottawa. We are keeping excellent company with some of Ottawa’s premier hot spots being featured. As they like to say, “skip the obvious.discover the unexpected.support the local.”
www.modernurbanguides.com
September 14th, 2009The Jeanne Fuller Red Dress Campaign Charity Golf Event.
CyberDERM’s foursome certainly represented in this wonderful annual event. The Ottawa Heart Institute provides critical research and support for those suffering from heart disease. We were proud to support them and will definitely be there next year!
June 01st, 2009CyberDERM in the News Across the Country!
We made it into the news across the country in recognition of our minimalist mindset when it comes to formulating cosmetics. I encourage you to read all about us, click here!
![Elle Magazin](\"/Media/Content/files/tom(2).jpg\"){kind=link}