Would you try sunscreen pills?

The importance of using sunscreen has long been stressed upon. Continuous sun exposure can lead to a myriad of skin problems and today there are a number of protective lotions, creams and sprays to choose from. Oral sunscreen is one of the newer options that can be used alongside regular sunscreen. Heliocare’s products come with Fernblock technology, which offers oral photo protection. Their capsules protect from the inside against harmful effects of the sun, preventing photoageing and prolonging the tan. It is advised to take one capsule a day prior to sun exposure. 

Kalpesh Gawade, director, Skinnovation, that has launched the product in India explains Heliocare Oral has been extensively tested and researched for its safety and efficacy. “It is absolutely safe for consumption. It has been used for more than 20 years and available in over 80 countries.  Twelve years of research and clinical investigation conducted in conjunction with the Harvard Medical School and leading experts in the field of sun protection has led to the development of Heliocare oral and topical range. The products help in sun protection, anti-ageing and reducing hyper pigmentation,” he says. Topical sun protection is not enough, as most people use very little sunscreen and forget to cover all exposed parts of the body. Further such creams need to be reapplied every few hours to work well, which most people don’t have the time for. “With loss of effectiveness due to sweating, swimming etc, all the more one needs oral photo protection in a tropical country like ours,” he says. It is recommended to apply a sunscreen 30 minutes before stepping out and take oral pills also half an hour prior to stepping out.

There are multiple problems associated with sun exposure. From premature ageing of skin, to wrinkle formation, pigmented spots, uneven texture and skin cancer, explains Dr Dipti Dhillon, dermatologist, Apple Skin Clinic. “These oral pills contain ingredients like pomegranate, Vitamin C, E, carotenoids, newer pills have polypodium leucotomos extracted from fern. They have photo prevention activity along with repairing the damage of skin caused due to sun   exposure. They also have an antioxidant effect and cancer prevention. Other than protecting the skin, they prevent premature greying of hair, protect areas like scalp and legs where adequate topical sunscreen application is not feasible. During swimming and workouts it is more comfortable to take oral sunscreen especially since people tend to not reapply lotions,” she says, adding for adults both oral and topical sunscreens are advisable as their safety and efficacy has been widely studied. However for children, orals should be avoided.

Oral sunscreens work in multiple ways including scavenging of free radicals, protection of cellular DNA and reducing inflammation. Dr Rickson Pereira, consultant dermatologist and head, Dermatherapie Clinic, says, “These sunscreens do provide a certain degree of protection against skin cancers. They are classified as food supplements and can be safely used by adults.”