Q+A With World Leading Sunscreen & Anti-Aging MD Dr. Sharad Paul

Dr. Sharad Paul sits down with us to discuss his "beauty from within" philosophy and share his expertise on sunscreen.

Dr. Sharad Paul is without a doubt a leader in skin — one of the world's top skin cancer surgeons, and a renowned researcher in anti-aging treatments. Based out of New Zealand, Dr. Sharad operates the largest skin cancer clinic in the world and was recognized for his work in skincare health with New Zealand's highest medical award across all disciplines. No stranger to being widely published, Dr. Sharad now shares his knowledge with us on the Shop My Shelf blog to close out Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Read on for more!

Q: First and foremost, we’d love to hear about your journey in the skincare space. How did you get started, and how did you get to where you are today?

I’ve been a skin MD for 25 years and my academic research has focused mainly in the area of skin wrinkles and sun damage. It began with me formulating products for individual patients to solve specific skin problems, and then ultimately grew to the largest skin cancer practice globally.

Q: Working with patients so closely, we're sure there have been countless fulfilling moments in your career. What do you love the most about what you do, and what do you find the most fulfilling about your work with skin?

I love helping my patients and teaching doctors in New Zealand and Australia on an area of skin treatment that has a deep impact on people’s lives. My main work has been in skin cancer, so one gets to save lives as well as perform reconstructive surgery after removing complex tumours. Perhaps the most fulfilling has been when I travel outside my city and people come up to me because I have many patients that come from afar. I was in London on a book tour, and a patient was in the front row!

Q: Product creation is something you’re no stranger to — between NO-TOX technology, Dermatogenomix, and Dr. Sharad Pro-Skin Anti-Age skincare, you have quite the product assortment under your belt! We’d love to hear about the inspiration behind these products and what the process has been like developing them.

It comes from my fundamental philosophy that “one cannot have bad health and good skin”, so any skincare product or investigation must be about optimizing one’s health—about wellness, not illness. Skin is our largest organ, and it merely reflects what is going on underneath (from diet or lifestyle) or externally (environmental factors such as sunlight or pollution), so great skincare needs to be about optimizing health. In this way, my approach is an inside out "beauty from within” philosophy.

Q: You are considered a skin cancer expert and have a particular passion for sunscreen. Do you have any dos and don’ts of sunscreen that you’d be willing to share, or tips for those who may be having trouble finding the right sunscreen for them?

The risks of chemical sunscreens are still not understood, and I have some great concerns here. Many ingredients in chemical sunscreens, i.e. the majority of sunscreens, are found in bodily secretions such as breast milk or prostate secretions days after one has applied sunscreen. I only formulate mineral sunscreens, and firstly would ask people to stick to mineral sunscreens as there is no point in being sun-safe if your ingredients are not safe.

Q: What are your top ten favorite sunscreens?

Given what I know about the risks of chemical sunscreens, I am a fan of mineral sunscreens. Here are a few favorites:

- DrSharad Mineral Sunscreen, as it is from my research lab
- EltaMD UV Physical Broad-Spectrum SPF 41
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral SPF 30
- Supergoop! Mineral Mattescreen SPF 40
- Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense SPF 30
- Neutrogena Sheer Zinc
- Banana Boat Sport Mineral
- Coppertone Sport Mineral Sunscreen Spray
- Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
- Versed Guards Up Daily Mineral Sunscreen

Q: What is next for you this year? Any exciting news to share?

I’m launching my new skincare line, Skin By Dr Sharad containing No-Tox® technology, in America for the first time. It’s been over a decade of research & development, and is the world’s first medical anti-wrinkle elixir proven in a clinical trial on real patients, taking into account skin types and lifestyle factors. I encourage you to have a look at www.skinbydrsharad.com

For more of Dr. Sharad's favorite products, check out his shop below:

Dr. Sharad Paul
Dr. Sharad Paul
Dr. Sharad is one of the world's leading skin cancer surgeons and researchers on anti-aging treatments, specifically fine lines and wrinkles. He currently operates the largest skin cancer clinic in the world out of Auckland, New Zealand (NZ), and has published widely - both with peer-reviewed clinical trials as well as with his popular bestselling books "Skin: A Biography" and "The Genetics of Health". Dr. Sharad was recognized for his work in skincare health with NZ's highest medical award across all disciplines. His area of specialty includes sunscreens, for which is a world expert, and anti-aging serums and elixirs. You can find Dr. Sharad at his Facebook page, where he posts regularly about health & wellness tips.
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