New Labeling for SPF is both potentially helpful and potentially harmful

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FDA CALLS FOR NEW LABELS

In June 2011, the Food and Drug Administration issued new guidelines for sunscreen labeling to help consumers better understand the effectiveness of the products. New regulations also permit manufacturers for the first time to advertise that sunscreen helps protect against skin cancer and signs of aging.

The key changes, made to reflect new testing protocols that more effectively assess the products’ effectiveness at blocking damaging ultraviolet rays, include:

  • Sunscreens that block UVB radiation and some UVA radiation may be labeled as “broad spectrum” products.
  • Broad-spectrum products with an SPF of 15 or higher may state on the label that they reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging.
  • No sunscreen product may claim an SPF above 50.
  • No sunscreen may be advertised as a “sun blocker.”
  • Claims that products are “waterproof” or “sweat proof” must be reworded as “water resistant.”
  • All labels must state whether the protection offered lasts 40 minutes or 80 minutes.

The deadline for changing the labels was summer 2012.

Why It’s Helpful

It is helpful because it will certainly create less confusion in the sunscreen market place. Patients are often confused about how high to go and what benefits, if any, there are to higher SPF products.

Why Its Potentially Harmful

If people who use lower SPF sunscreens ( SPF 15 or 30) are not properly informed that in order to actually block the sun’s harmful rays and protect yourself from skin cancer, you have to use sunscreen correctly.

How much – Atleast a full shot glass ( 1 oz) to cover the sun exposed areas of the chest, arms, legs, and back. For the face, about a tea spoon worth of sunscreen is needed for protection.

How often – Application one hour before sun exposure with reapplication every 2 hours and immediately after water sports. NOT when you show up to beach or pool. This is especially important for children.

The new guidelines are potentially harmful because most people don’t use sunscreen correctly. For those that don’t use it correctly (i.e. apply too little sunscreen and forget to reapply), the higher SPF’s (70, 80, 100, etc.) theoretically offered more sun protection then the lower SPF (15 and 30) products. Under these new guidelines, someone who doesn’t apply enough sunscreen the right way who would have bought an SPF 70 or 100, may buy a lower SPF, less protective product and thus be exposed to more harmful rays.

That said, some people were basking in the sun with higher SPF products under the false assumption that it is ok for them to “lay out” longer because they were wearing SPF 70 or higher. That is certainly not OK either.

The bottomline is that regardless of the SPF, the most important aspect of sun protection is proper sun screen application and reapplication as well as adopting healthy outdoor behaviors like wearing a hat and sitting in the shade when you can. These are the elements that should be stressed the most.