Joined
·
1,486 Posts
This info. would be good for all of us. (Keep in mind that I am a health major). It is just F.Y.I.
Think slathering on the highest-number sunscreen at the beach or pool will spare you skin cancer and premature wrinkles? Probably not, if you're in the sun a lot.
That's because you don't need a sunburn to suffer the effects that can cause various types of skin cancer.
And most sunscreens don't defend nearly as well against the UVA rays that penetrate deep into the skin and are more likely to cause skin cancer and wrinkles. That's true even for some products labeled "broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection."
Experts say the best protection against UVA is a sunscreen that includes zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or avobenzone. Consumers should also look for those that are water-resistant and have an SPF of 30 or better, indicating strong protection against UVB rays, and apply liberally and often.
More important, limit time in the sun, particularly from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and cover up, including wearing a hat and sunglasses.
Often, product labels are confusing or bear misleading claims. For example, the SPF, or sun protection factor, refers only to defense against the less harmful UVB rays.
Related story
How to get the most sun protection for your kids
"I don't think people understand they're only getting protection from part of the spectrum," said Dr. Sandra Read, a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Dermatology. "You're accumulating this damage and you don't know it."
![]()
Many sunscreens say little about when to reapply - doctors say at least every two hours and after swimming or sweating. Nor do they say much about how much to use, roughly two tablespoons for an adult.
"Most people who use an SPF 15 get the protection equivalent to an SPF 5 because they put it on" too thinly, said Dr. Martin A. Weinstock, chairman of the American Cancer Society's skin cancer advisory group and a Brown University professor.
Unsupported claims
While a higher SPF number means more protection, the difference is small: SPF 15 blocks about 93 percent of UVB rays and SPF 50, often more expensive, blocks about 98 percent.
Most sunscreens work by reacting chemically with the skin, so they don't start absorbing damaging rays right away and must be applied a half-hour before going outside, something many labels fail to note.
And claims such as "waterproof" and "sunblock" are unsupported, according to the Food and Drug Administration, which years ago proposed replacing them with the more-accurate terms "water resistant" and "sunscreen." Manufacturers, including Neutrogena Suncare maker Johnson & Johnson and Coppertone maker Schering-Plough Corp., say they haven't complied because the FDA still hasn't imposed those rules - a delay that's spawned consumer lawsuits and pressure on the FDA from Congress and the American Cancer Society.
Still, doctors say people shouldn't abandon sunscreen: They probably should use more.
"Sunscreens do protect against skin cancer," said Dr. Babar Rao, a dermatologist at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. "We definitely still need sunscreen, even on a cloudy day."
getCSS("3053751") Picking a sunscreen
- The American Academy of Dermatology recommends everyone should wear a Sun Protection Factor 30 sunscreen or more.
- Don't believe the "broad-spectrum" claims on sunscreen labels. The U.S. has no standard measurement of blockage for the other kind of harmful rays, UVA.
- The best consumers can do for now is read the label for these UVA blocking ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or avobenzone.
Think slathering on the highest-number sunscreen at the beach or pool will spare you skin cancer and premature wrinkles? Probably not, if you're in the sun a lot.
That's because you don't need a sunburn to suffer the effects that can cause various types of skin cancer.
And most sunscreens don't defend nearly as well against the UVA rays that penetrate deep into the skin and are more likely to cause skin cancer and wrinkles. That's true even for some products labeled "broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection."
Experts say the best protection against UVA is a sunscreen that includes zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or avobenzone. Consumers should also look for those that are water-resistant and have an SPF of 30 or better, indicating strong protection against UVB rays, and apply liberally and often.
More important, limit time in the sun, particularly from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and cover up, including wearing a hat and sunglasses.
Often, product labels are confusing or bear misleading claims. For example, the SPF, or sun protection factor, refers only to defense against the less harmful UVB rays.
Related story
How to get the most sun protection for your kids
"I don't think people understand they're only getting protection from part of the spectrum," said Dr. Sandra Read, a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Dermatology. "You're accumulating this damage and you don't know it."
AP
Many sunscreens say little about when to reapply - doctors say at least every two hours and after swimming or sweating. Nor do they say much about how much to use, roughly two tablespoons for an adult.
"Most people who use an SPF 15 get the protection equivalent to an SPF 5 because they put it on" too thinly, said Dr. Martin A. Weinstock, chairman of the American Cancer Society's skin cancer advisory group and a Brown University professor.
Unsupported claims
While a higher SPF number means more protection, the difference is small: SPF 15 blocks about 93 percent of UVB rays and SPF 50, often more expensive, blocks about 98 percent.
Most sunscreens work by reacting chemically with the skin, so they don't start absorbing damaging rays right away and must be applied a half-hour before going outside, something many labels fail to note.
And claims such as "waterproof" and "sunblock" are unsupported, according to the Food and Drug Administration, which years ago proposed replacing them with the more-accurate terms "water resistant" and "sunscreen." Manufacturers, including Neutrogena Suncare maker Johnson & Johnson and Coppertone maker Schering-Plough Corp., say they haven't complied because the FDA still hasn't imposed those rules - a delay that's spawned consumer lawsuits and pressure on the FDA from Congress and the American Cancer Society.
Still, doctors say people shouldn't abandon sunscreen: They probably should use more.
"Sunscreens do protect against skin cancer," said Dr. Babar Rao, a dermatologist at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. "We definitely still need sunscreen, even on a cloudy day."
getCSS("3053751") Picking a sunscreen
- The American Academy of Dermatology recommends everyone should wear a Sun Protection Factor 30 sunscreen or more.
- Don't believe the "broad-spectrum" claims on sunscreen labels. The U.S. has no standard measurement of blockage for the other kind of harmful rays, UVA.
- The best consumers can do for now is read the label for these UVA blocking ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or avobenzone.
