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Ray Ban
The latest in sun protection comes in the form of a pill.
By Rachel Baker
Has SPF met its match? New to the U.S. market, the Heliocare herbal supplement claims to dramatically increase skin’s resistance to harmful UV rays when used along with sunscreen. Available in Europe for more than 20 years, the orange capsule contains green tea and beta carotene, which work to release natural UV-blockers into the body.
“Sunscreen’s not perfect,” says Cambridge dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, who began offering the pill to her patients as soon as it reached the States. “Heliocare fights the oxidants that get through the lotion.”
But not all docs are buying the hype, because the pills aren’t FDA approved. “I don’t recommend them,” says Mollie MacCormack, M.D., of Lahey Clinic. “What I recommend are things we do know about—like sunscreen.”
>> For more information, visit heliocare.com; available at major U.S. drugstores and some dermatologists' offices.
“Sunscreen’s not perfect,” says Cambridge dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, who began offering the pill to her patients as soon as it reached the States. “Heliocare fights the oxidants that get through the lotion.”
But not all docs are buying the hype, because the pills aren’t FDA approved. “I don’t recommend them,” says Mollie MacCormack, M.D., of Lahey Clinic. “What I recommend are things we do know about—like sunscreen.”
>> For more information, visit heliocare.com; available at major U.S. drugstores and some dermatologists' offices.
Originally published in Boston magazine, July 2006
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Posted by Erin | Sep. 8, 2009 at 2:44 PM